Television broadcast stations:6 low-power stations (2001)
Televisions:85,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gn
Internet hosts:380 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):4 (2001)
Internet users:40,000 (2003)
Transportation Guinea
Railways:total: 837 kmstandard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 30,500 kmpaved: 5,033 kmunpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)
Ports and harbors:Kamsar
Airports:16 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 5over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 111,524 to 2,437 m: 6914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Guinea
Military branches:Army (includes Presidential Guard, Republican Guard), Navy, AirForce, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,853,316 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,038,036 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$56.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.7% (2004)
Transnational Issues Guinea
Disputes - international:conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs inneighboring states has spilled over into Guinea, resulting indomestic instability; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove itsforces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia) 13,633 (SierraLeone) 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guinea-Bissau
Introduction Guinea-Bissau
Background:Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau hasexperienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consistedof a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a militarycoup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a marketeconomy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coupattempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him andin 1994 he was elected president in the country's first freeelections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventuallyled to VIEIRA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interimgovernment turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA tookoffice following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and HenriqueROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back todemocracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated inthe civil war.
Geography Guinea-Bissau
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guineaand Senegal
Geographic coordinates:12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 36,120 sq kmland: 28,000 sq kmwater: 8,120 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December toMay) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of thecountry 300 m
Natural resources:fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone,unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 8.82% other: 80.51% (2001)
Irrigated land:170 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dryseason; brush fires
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lyingfurther inland
People Guinea-Bissau
Population:1,416,027 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.5% (male 293,280/female 294,483)15-64 years: 55.5% (male 376,719/female 409,402)65 years and over: 3% (male 17,865/female 24,278) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.97 yearsmale: 18.37 yearsfemale: 19.57 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.96% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:37.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 107.17 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 117.78 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 96.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.61 yearsmale: 44.77 yearsfemale: 48.52 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:10% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:17,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,200 (2001 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 meningitis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Guinean(s)adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages:Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 42.4%male: 58.1%female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
Government Guinea-Bissau
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissauconventional short form: Guinea-Bissaulocal long form: Republica da Guine-Bissaulocal short form: Guine-Bissauformer: Portuguese Guinea
Government type:republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital:Bissau
Administrative divisions:9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may havebeen renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence:24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution:16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,9 June 1993, and 1996
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the electedgovernment of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served asinterim president from 14 to 28 September 2003head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May2004)cabinet: NAelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to beheld May 2005); prime minister appointed by the president afterconsultation with party leaders in the legislatureelection results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the electedgovernment of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General VerissimoCorreia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment ofa caretaker government
Legislative branch:unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia NacionalPopular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve amaximum of four years)elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats byparty - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of ninejustices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; finalcourt of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (onein each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Courtdecisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over$1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trainedlawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminalcases)
Political parties and leaders:African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verdeor PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation andIndependence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-BissauResistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; GuineanCivic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League forEcological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [VictorMANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union forChange or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretarygeneral]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS,FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD[Francisco Jose FADUL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires HenriqueAdriano DA SILVAchancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst ofviolent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA andmilitary-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for coveringGuinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with avertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointedstar centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colorsof Ethiopia
Economy Guinea-Bissau
Economy - overview:One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau dependsmainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increasedremarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth incashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along withsmall amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is themajor crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting betweenSenegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyedmuch of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage tothe economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP thatyear, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, tradereform and price liberalization were the most successful part of thecountry's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. Thetightening of monetary policy and the development of the privatesector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of highcosts, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineralresources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshoreoil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. Theinequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in theworld. The government and international donors continue to work outplans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. InDecember 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step into provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 millionfor 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget.Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in continuedlow growth in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.008 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)
Labor force:480,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 82% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (1998)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: NAexpenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Agriculture - products:rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palmkernels, cotton; timber; fish
Industries:agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate:2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:55 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:51.15 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber
Exports - partners:India 52.1%, US 22.2%, Nigeria 13.2% (2004)
Imports:$104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Imports - partners:Senegal 44.6%, Portugal 13.8%, China 4.2% (2004)
Debt - external:$941.5 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$115.4 million (1995)
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previouslythe Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used
Currency code:XOF; GWP
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at arate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guinea-Bissau
Telephones - main lines in use:10,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,300 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: small systemdomestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,radiotelephone, and cellular communicationsinternational: country code - 245
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)
Radios:49,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.gw
Internet hosts:2 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2002)
Internet users:19,000 (2003)
Transportation Guinea-Bissau
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets andcreeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Airports:28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 3over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 251,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Military Guinea-Bissau
Military branches:People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, andAir Force), paramilitary force
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 288,770 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 152,760 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$8.9 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau
Disputes - international:attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling,and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal'sCasamance region
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guyana
Introduction Guyana
Background:Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana hadbecome a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to blacksettlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servantsfrom India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural dividehas persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achievedindependence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it wasruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, CheddiJAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country'sfirst free and fair election since independence. Upon his death fiveyears later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, wasreelected in 2001.
Geography Guyana
Location:Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenSuriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates:5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 214,970 sq kmland: 196,850 sq kmwater: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline:459 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continentalmargin
Climate:tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainyseasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain:mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues:water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrialchemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber83, Tropical Timber 94signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname andUruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territoriesare claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
People Guyana
Population:765,283note: 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: 26.4% (male 103,054/female 99,279)15-64 years: 68.5% (male 263,953/female 260,000)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,801/female 22,196) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 26.91 yearsmale: 26.44 yearsfemale: 27.4 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.26% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:18.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-7.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 65.5 yearsmale: 62.86 yearsfemale: 68.28 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:11,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups:East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, andmixed 7%
Religions:Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Languages:English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98.8%male: 99.1%female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
Government Guyana
Country name:conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyanaconventional short form: Guyanaformer: British Guiana
Government type:republic within the Commonwealth
Capital:Georgetown
Administrative divisions:10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, EastBerbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, UpperTakutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence:26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution:6 October 1980
Legal system:based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutchlaw; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGANhead of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,responsible to the legislatureelections: president elected by the majority party in the NationalAssembly following legislative elections, which must be held atleast every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next tobe held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent oflegislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting membersappointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP andWorking People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; GuyanaAction Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leaderNA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Robert Herman OrlandoCORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force orTUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [RupertROOPNARAINE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of IndianOrganizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUCnote: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not wellorganized
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRANchancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLENembassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetowntelephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909FAX: [592] 225-8497
Flag description:green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, blackborder between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white borderbetween the yellow and the green
Economy Guyana
Economy - overview:The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a morefavorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realisticexchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support ofinternational organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003 and cameback gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings.Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficientinfrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debtagainst the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxitemining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring andpartial privatization.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.899 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.3% industry: 19.9% services: 41.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force:418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:9.1% (understated) (2000)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):34.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $287.6 millionexpenditures: $371.6 million, including capital expenditures of$93.4 million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp
Industries:bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:808 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:751.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-129.4 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$570.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:Canada 23.2%, US 19.2%, UK 10.9%, Portugal 9%, Belgium 6.4%,Jamaica 5.2% (2004)
Imports:$650.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:Trinidad and Tobago 24.8%, US 24.5%, Cuba 6.8%, UK 5.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$280.6 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)$253 million (1997)
Currency (code):Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Currency code:GYD
Exchange rates:Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 198.33 (2004), 193.88 (2003),190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use:80,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:87,300 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system for long-distance servicedomestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk linesinternational: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Televisions:46,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gy
Internet hosts:613 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:125,000 (2002)
Transportation Guyana
Railways:total: 187 kmstandard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gaugenote: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
Highways:total: 7,970 kmpaved: 590 kmunpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,077 kmnote: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable byoceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)
Ports and harbors:Georgetown
Merchant marine:total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWTby type: cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1registered in other countries: 3 (2005)
Airports:49 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 3under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)
Military Guyana
Military branches:Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps, GuyanaPeople's Militia
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$6.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2004)
Transnational Issues Guyana
Disputes - international:all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed byVenezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyanahas expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claimsbefore UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary withVenezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle ofland between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic disputeover the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOSarbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname overthe axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-richwaters
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarilyVenezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Haiti
Introduction Haiti
Background:The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island ofHispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - werevirtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In theearly 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of theisland - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry andsugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in theCaribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slavesand considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18thcentury, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under ToussaintL'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first blackrepublic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plaguedby political violence for most of its history. It is the poorestcountry in the Western Hemisphere.
Geography Haiti
Location:Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, betweenthe Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of theDominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 27,750 sq kmland: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Climate:tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)
Irrigated land:750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severestorms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land isbeing cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (westernone-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People Haiti
Population:8,121,622note: 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: 42.6% (male 1,741,622/female 1,721,436)15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,137,225/female 2,242,639)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 124,383/female 154,317) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.03 yearsmale: 17.63 yearsfemale: 18.44 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.26% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:36.59 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:12.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 73.45 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 79.92 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 66.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 52.92 yearsmale: 51.58 yearsfemale: 54.31 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:280,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:24,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups:black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Languages:French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 52.9%male: 54.8%female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Government Haiti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haitilocal short form: Haiti
Government type:elected government
Capital:Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions:9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence:1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution:approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articlesreinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to beobserving the constitution; returned to constitutional rule inOctober 1994
Legal system:based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29February 2004)note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionallysucceeded Aristidehead of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of EminentPersons representing cross-section of political and civic interestscabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by theNational Assemblyelection results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percentof vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of theSenate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioningin January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds ofsitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; thePresident is currently ruling by decreeelections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seatsstill disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November2000 (next to be held in 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; onevacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of voteby party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats orRDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Convention forDemocratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; National Congress ofDemocratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; NationalistProgressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; DemocraticMovement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE];Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH)[Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-DeniseCLAUDE]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY andMarie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [ClarkPARENT]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [DanyTOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. GerardBLOT]; Lavalas Family or FL [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Haiti orPLH [Michael MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN[Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy inHaiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction ofHaiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE]; National Progressive Democratic Partyor PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti orMOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party (Parti Louvri Bayre) orPLB [leader NA]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, orGeneration 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; StrugglingPeople's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; MNP28 [DejeanBELIZAIRE]; KOMBA [Evans LESCOUFLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [FignoleST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation ofWorkers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil SocietyOrganization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly orAPN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman CatholicChurch; Protestant Federation of Haiti
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, Caricom (suspended), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November2004)chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327 FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centeredwhite rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm treeflanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the mottoL'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of thepopulation lives in abject poverty, and natural disasters frequentlysweep the nation. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on theagriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistencefarming. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught withirregularities, international donors - including the US and EU -suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated1.2% in 2001, 0.9% in 2002, grew 0.4% in 2003, and shrank by 3.5% in2004. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampantinflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. Inearly 2005 Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the wayto reengagement with the Bank. The resumption of aid flows from alldonors is alleviating but not ending the nation's bitter economicproblems. Civil strife in 2004 combined with extensive damage fromflooding in southern Haiti in May 2004 and Tropical Storm Jeanne innorthwestern Haiti in September 2004 further impoverished Haiti.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$12.05 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-3.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%
Unemployment rate:widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirdsof the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):22% (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $330.2 millionexpenditures: $529.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood
Industries:sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assemblyindustries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:618 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:574.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-27.63 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$338.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes
Exports - partners:US 81.2%, Dominican Republic 7.3%, Canada 4.1% (2004)
Imports:$1.085 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,raw materials
Imports - partners:US 34.8%, Netherlands Antilles 18%, Malaysia 5.1%, Colombia 4.7%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$80.64 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$150 million (FY04 est.)
Currency (code):gourde (HTG)
Currency code:HTG
Exchange rates:gourdes per US dollar - 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251(2002), 24.429 (2001), 21.171 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:130,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:140,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios:415,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Televisions:38,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ht
Internet hosts:NA
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:80,000 (2002)
Transportation Haiti
Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Cap-Haitien
Airports:13 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 9914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)