Dependency status:organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relationsbetween Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office ofInsular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type:NA
Capital:Hagatna (Agana)
Administrative divisions:none (territory of the US)
Independence:none (territory of the US)
National holiday:Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system:modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in USpresidential elections
Executive branch:chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January2001)head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor withthe consent of the Guam legislatureelections: US president and vice president elected on the sameticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governorelected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent ofvote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popularvote to serve two-year terms)elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House ofRepresentatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be heldNovember 2006); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) waselected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch:Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms bythe governor)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party(controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of the US)
Flag description:territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all foursides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipsecontaining a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm treewith the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is thenational flag
Economy Guam
Economy - overview:The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and theexport of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, andprocurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating aconstruction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry hadrecently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japaneseslowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problemof building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact ofmilitary downsizing.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 60,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:15% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:23% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0% (1999 est.)
Budget:revenues: $340 millionexpenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Industries:US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:835 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:776.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; constructionmaterials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners:Japan 66.1%, South Korea 9.9%, Singapore 8.4% (2004)
Imports:$462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:Singapore 39.5%, South Korea 20.8%, Japan 19%, Hong Kong 9%,Philippines 4.3% (2004)
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excisetaxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the GuamTreasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxespaid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam(2001 est.)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Guam
Telephones - main lines in use:84,134 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:32,600 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilitiesfor direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbersdomestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile serviceand local access to the Internetinternational: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam isa trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, andGTE, linking the US and Asia)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)
Radios:221,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:5 (1997)
Televisions:106,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):20 (2000)
Internet users:50,000 (2002)
Transportation Guam
Highways: total: 977 km paved: 962 km unpaved: 15 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Apra Harbor
Airports:5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Guam
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Guam
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guatemala
Introduction Guatemala
Background:The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surroundingregions during the first millennium A.D. After almost threecenturies as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced avariety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-yearguerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreementformally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.
Geography Guatemala
Location:Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between ElSalvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (CaribbeanSea) between Honduras and Belize
Geographic coordinates:15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 108,890 sq kmland: 108,430 sq kmwater: 460 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,687 kmborder countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline:400 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestoneplateau (Peten)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources:petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violentearthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes andother tropical storms
Environment - current issues:deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast
People Guatemala
Population:14,655,189 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.4% (male 3,185,037/female 3,033,947)15-64 years: 54.2% (male 4,019,052/female 3,928,984)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 226,745/female 261,424) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.47 yearsmale: 18.25 yearsfemale: 18.71 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.57% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:34.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.63 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: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 36.74 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 35.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.06 yearsmale: 67.37 yearsfemale: 70.84 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:78,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:5,800 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guatemalan(s)adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groups:Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino)and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001census)
Religions:Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages:Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognizedAmerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 70.6%male: 78%female: 63.3% (2003 est.)
Government Guatemala
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guatemalaconventional short form: Guatemalalocal long form: Republica de Guatemalalocal short form: Guatemala
Government type:constitutional democratic republic
Capital:Guatemala
Administrative divisions:22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); AltaVerapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, SantaRosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 followingouster of president; amended November 1993
Legal system:civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forcesmay not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmenthead of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas(since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of governmentcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003(next to be held November 2007)election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent ofvote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%
Legislative branch:unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica(158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-yearterms)elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held November 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressionalseats increased from 113 to 158
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala'shighest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-yearterms by Congress, each serving one year as president of theConstitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by theSupreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, oneelected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or CorteSuprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms andelect a president of the Court each year from among their number;the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trialjudges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; DemocraticUnion or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA[Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALESGarcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZOArevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [AlbaESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front orFRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU[Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values orMPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [LeonelLOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE[Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed byan alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whomsubsequently defected) [led by three co-equal partners - NinethVarenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge AntonioBALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZMolina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARESMolina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretarygeneral]; Unionista Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee ofAgricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations orCACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM
International organization participation:BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 2334-8477
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, andlight blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; thecoat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposedon a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framedby a wreath
Economy Guatemala
Economy - overview:Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central Americancountries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for aboutone-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the laborforce. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removeda major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread politicalviolence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investorconfidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, withperhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoingchallenges include increasing government revenues, negotiatingfurther assistance from international donors, upgrading bothgovernment and private financial operations, curtailing drugtrafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$59.47 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 19.5% services: 57.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:3.68 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:7.5% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:75% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:55.8 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):14.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.878 billionexpenditures: $3.411 billion, including capital expenditures of $750million (2004 est.)
Public debt:32% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep,pigs, chickens
Industries:sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:4.1% (1999)
Electricity - production:6.608 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:5.76 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:440 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:55 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:25,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:3,104 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:263 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-1.381 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$2.911 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables,cardamom
Exports - partners:US 53%, El Salvador 11.4%, Honduras 7.1%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)
Imports:$7.77 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners:US 34%, Mexico 8.1%, South Korea 6.8%, China 6.6%, Japan 4.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$3.084 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$5.969 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$250 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
Currency code:GTQ; USD
Exchange rates:quetzales per US dollar - 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216(2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guatemala
Telephones - main lines in use:846,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,577,100 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city ofGuatemaladomestic: NAinternational: country code - 502; connected to Central AmericanMicrowave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (AtlanticOcean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
Radios:835,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:1.323 million (1997)
Internet country code:.gt
Internet hosts:20,360 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2000)
Internet users:400,000 (2002)
Transportation Guatemala
Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 14,118 kmpaved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)
Waterways:990 kmnote: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigableduring high-water season (2004)
Pipelines:oil 480 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Airports:452 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 112,438 to 3,047 m: 31,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 4412,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 8914 to 1,523 m: 109under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)
Military Guatemala
Military branches:Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,020,292 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 2,106,847 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 161,964 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$201.9 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Guatemala
Disputes - international:Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests ofBelize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failedDifferendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, aGuatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological parkfor the disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financialpackage; Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking work or transitto the US
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980sagainst indigenous people) (2004)
Illicit drugs:major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer ofillicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs(particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem;corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action TaskForce Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continuedfailure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guernsey
Introduction Guernsey
Background:The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent thelast remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held swayin both France and England. The islands were the only British soiloccupied by German troops in World War II.
Geography Guernsey
Location:Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 78 sq kmland: 78 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some othersmaller islands
Area - comparative:about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:50 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days areovercast
Terrain:mostly level with low hills in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Natural resources: cropland
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People Guernsey
Population:65,228 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 15.4% (male 5,084/female 4,937)15-64 years: 66.9% (male 21,611/female 22,002)65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,882/female 6,712) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 40.99 yearsmale: 40.03 yearsfemale: 41.91 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.29% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 80.3 yearsmale: 77.3 yearsfemale: 83.41 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Channel Islander(s)adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from otherEuropean countries
Religions:Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,Methodist
Languages:English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Guernsey
Country name:conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernseyconventional short form: Guernsey
Dependency status:British crown dependency
Government type:NA
Capital:Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions:none (British crown dependency); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, SaintMartin, Saint Andrew
Independence:none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:English law and local statutes; justice is administered by theRoyal Court
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberationelections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointedby the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertionelection results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent ofvote of the States of Deliberation NA%
Legislative branch:unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected bypopular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their ownparliamentselections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents
Judicial branch:Royal Court
Political parties and leaders:none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross ofWilliam the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross
Economy Guernsey
Economy - overview:Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - accountfor about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous ChannelIsland economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainlytomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and deathduties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economicintegration of the EU nations is changing the environment underwhich Guernsey operates.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.59 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)
Labor force:32,290 (2001)
Unemployment rate:0.5% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.9% (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $539.2 millionexpenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;Guernsey cattle
Industries:tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Exports:$NA
Exports - commodities:tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, othervegetables
Exports - partners:UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports:$NA
Imports - commodities:coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:UK (regarded as internal trade)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency (code):British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
Currency code:GBP
Exchange rates:Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guernsey
Telephones - main lines in use:55,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:31,500 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.gg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Guernsey
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Airports:2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Guernsey
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Guernsey
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guinea
Introduction Guinea
Background:Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independencefrom France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when themilitary seized the government after the death of the firstpresident, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic electionsuntil 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) waselected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia hasspilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.
Geography Guinea
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenGuinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 245,857 sq kmland: 245,857 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline: 320 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June toNovember) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Land use: arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)
Irrigated land:950 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dryseason
Environment - current issues:deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led toenvironmental damage
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sourcesin the Guinean highlands
People Guinea
Population:9,467,866 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,123,207/female 2,079,475)15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,478,820/female 2,486,300)65 years and over: 3.2% (male 131,130/female 168,934) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 17.67 yearsmale: 17.42 yearsfemale: 17.93 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.37% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:42.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:15.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea ishost to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees(2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 90.37 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 95.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 84.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 49.36 yearsmale: 48.19 yearsfemale: 50.57 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:3.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:9,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A, and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasisrespiratory disease: meningococcal meningitisaerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)
Nationality:noun: Guinean(s)adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Religions:Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages:French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 35.9%male: 49.9%female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Government Guinea
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guineaconventional short form: Guinealocal long form: Republique de Guineelocal short form: Guineeformer: French Guinea
Government type:republic
Capital:Conakry
Administrative divisions:33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,Tougue, Yomou
Independence:2 October 1958 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Constitution:23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system:based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legalcodes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of militarygovernment since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 4December 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be electedpresident; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be heldDecember 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the presidentelection results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%
Legislative branch:unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee NationalePopulaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote toserve five-year terms)elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [ElHadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress orUPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP[Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea orPPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [AlphaCONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou BA];Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progressand Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guineaor UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN,UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson MCDONALD embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Guinea
Economy - overview:Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agriculturalresources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The countrypossesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is thesecond-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted forabout 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in governmentfiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed ifthe country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the SierraLeonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, havecaused major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investorconfidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff.Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and causedriots in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid.The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth roseslightly in 2004, primarily due to increases in global demand andcommodity prices on world markets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$19.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 38.2% services: 36.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force:3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:40% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.3 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):18% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $382.7 millionexpenditures: $711.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas,sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Industries:bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing andagricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate:3.2% (1994)
Electricity - production:855 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:795.2 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-308.3 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$709.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agriculturalproducts
Exports - partners:France 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, UK 14.7%, Switzerland 12.8%, Ukraine4.2% (2004)
Imports:$641.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Cote d'Ivoire 15.5%, France 9%, Belgium 6.1%, China 6%, SouthAfrica 4.8% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$201.7 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$3.25 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$359.2 million (1998)
Currency (code):Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code:GNF
Exchange rates:Guinean francs per US dollar - 2,550 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003),1,975.8 (2002), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use:26,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:111,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, smallradiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relaysystemdomestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communicationinternational: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave3 (2001)
Radios:357,000 (1997)