Economy Israel
Economy - overview:Israel has a technologically advanced market economy withsubstantial government participation. It depends on imports of crudeoil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limitednatural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agriculturaland industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel importssubstantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient inother agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technologyequipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are theleading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current accountdeficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroadand by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debtis owed to the US, which is its major source of economic andmilitary aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficultiesin the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; andfiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to smalldeclines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demandfor Israeli exports boosted GDP by 3.9%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$129 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $20,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.7% services: 59.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 2.68 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%, construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)
Unemployment rate:10.7% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:18% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:35.5 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $48.09 billionexpenditures: $52.11 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Industries:high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiberoptics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metalsproducts, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles andfootwear
Industrial production growth rate:4.5% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:42.67 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:38.3 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:1.387 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:80 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$211.9 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$34.41 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agriculturalproducts, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:US 36.8%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2004)
Imports:$36.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, roughdiamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:US 15%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 7.5%, Switzerland 6.5%, UK 6.1%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$28.48 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$74.46 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$662 million from US (2003 est.)
Currency (code):new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;ILS is the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) codefor the NIS
Currency code:ILS
Exchange rates:new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:3.006 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6.334 million (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle Eastalthough not the largestdomestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;all systems are digitalinternational: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.69 million (1997)
Internet country code:.il
Internet hosts:437,516 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):21 (2000)
Internet users:2 million (2002)
Transportation Israel
Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 16,903 kmpaved: 16,903 km (including 56 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (2002)
Pipelines:gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa
Merchant marine:total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWTby type: cargo 1, container 16registered in other countries: 48 (2005)
Airports:51 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Israel
Military branches:Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps, Navy, Air and SpaceForce (includes Air Defense Forces); historically there have been noseparate Israeli military services
Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for men, 21 months for women (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 1,492,125females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 1,255,902females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 53,760females: 51,293 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9.11 billion (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:8.7% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Israel
Disputes - international:West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current statussubject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanentstatus to be determined through further negotiation; Israelcontinues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier alongparts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel announcedits intention to pull out Israeli settlers and withdraw from theGaza Strip and four settlements in the northern West Bank in 2005;Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farmsarea of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from theUN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalemmonitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolatedincidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in theregion
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northernIsrael) (2004)
Illicit drugs:increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrivein country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Italy
Introduction Italy
Background:Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of thepeninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under KingVictor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to aclose in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascistdictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led toItaly's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced themonarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a chartermember of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It hasbeen at the forefront of European economic and politicalunification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the lowincomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with theprosperous north.
Geography Italy
Location:Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the centralMediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:42 50 N, 12 50 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 301,230 sq kmland: 294,020 sq kmwater: 7,210 sq kmnote: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:total: 1,932.2 kmborder countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (VaticanCity) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline:7,600 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain:mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (asecondary peak of Mont Blanc)
Natural resources:coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oilreserves, fish, arable land
Land use:arable land: 27.79%permanent crops: 9.53%other: 62.68% (2001)
Irrigated land:26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-VolatileOrganic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well assouthern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
People Italy
Population:58,103,033 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 13.9% (male 4,166,213/female 3,919,288)15-64 years: 66.7% (male 19,554,416/female 19,174,629)65 years and over: 19.4% (male 4,698,441/female 6,590,046) (2005est.)
Median age: total: 41.77 years male: 40.24 years female: 43.35 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.07% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:8.89 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.94 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.68 yearsmale: 76.75 yearsfemale: 82.81 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:140,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Italian(s)adjective: Italian
Ethnic groups:Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, andSlovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians andGreek-Italians in the south)
Religions:predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewishcommunities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Languages:Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region arepredominantly German speaking), French (small French-speakingminority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speakingminority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.6%male: 99%female: 98.3% (2003 est.)
Government Italy
Country name:conventional long form: Italian Republicconventional short form: Italylocal long form: Repubblica Italianalocal short form: Italiaformer: Kingdom of Italy
Government type:republic
Capital:Rome
Administrative divisions:16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions*(regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-VeneziaGiulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto
Independence:17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finallyunified until 1870)
National holiday:Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Constitution:passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended manytimes
Legal system:based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicialreview under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, whereminimum age is 25)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as thepresident of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10June 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister andapproved by the presidentelections: president elected by an electoral college consisting ofboth houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for aseven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held May2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed byparliamentelection results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent ofelectoral college vote - 70%note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democratsand Center Democrats
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senatodella Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 aredirectly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportionalrepresentation; in addition, there are a small number ofsenators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Cameradei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regionalproportional representation; members serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May2006)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party- House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista (Italian CommunistParty) 11, other 68
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected byparliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrativeSupreme Courts)
Political parties and leaders:Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats ofthe Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, ItalianRenewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), SunflowerAlliance (including Green Federation, Italian DemocraticSocialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom HouseCoalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties andFreedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The WhiteflowerAlliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United ChristianDemocrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [PieroFASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation[Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [ArmandoCOSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPIand I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance);Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana[Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI];Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Per le Autonomie [leader NA];Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI];South Tyrol People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar PichlerROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, ItalianSocial Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian PopularParty, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, TheDemocrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; TheRadicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [MarcoPANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [ClementeMASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center Democrats or UDC [MarcoFOLLINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade unionconfederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana deiSindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is RomanCatholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [LuigiANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI,CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA(observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoistside), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Coted'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),white, and greennote: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in1797
Economy Italy
Economy - overview:Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the sametotal and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalisticeconomy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominatedby private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependentagricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials neededby industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy inorder to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unionsand has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Thecurrent government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed atimproving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has movedslowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such aslightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labormarket and over-generous pension system, because of the currenteconomic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But theleadership faces a severe economic constraint: the budget hasbreached the 3% EU deficit ceiling.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.609 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 28.8% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:24.27 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)
Unemployment rate:8.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:27.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $768.9 billionexpenditures: $820.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:105.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial production growth rate:0.7% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:261.6 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:293.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:900 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:51.5 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:456,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:2.158 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:61 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-21.1 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$336.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages andtobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners:Germany 13.6%, France 12.3%, US 8%, Spain 7.2%, UK 6.9%,Switzerland 4.2% (2004)
Imports:$329.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energyproducts, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners:Germany 18%, France 10.9%, Netherlands 5.9%, Spain 4.6%, Belgium4.4%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$61.5 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$913.9 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Italy
Telephones - main lines in use:26.596 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:55.918 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automatedtelephone, telex, and data servicesdomestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunksinternational: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NAEutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios:50.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:30.3 million (1997)
Internet country code:.it
Internet hosts:1,437,511 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Internet users:18.5 million (2003)
Transportation Italy
Railways:total: 19,319 km (11,613 km electrified)standard gauge: 18,001 km 1.435-m gauge (11,333 km electrified)narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,195 km0.950-m gauge (158 km electrified) (2004)
Highways:total: 479,688 kmpaved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Waterways:2,400 kmnote: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value comparedto road and rail (2004)
Pipelines:gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna, Taranto,Trieste, Venice
Merchant marine:total: 565 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWTby type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 43, chemical tanker 128, combinationore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 38, livestock carrier 2,passenger 16, passenger/cargo 152, petroleum tanker 53, refrigeratedcargo 4, roll on/roll off 34, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier26foreign-owned: 47 (France 3, Greece 7, Monaco 2, Switzerland 5,Taiwan 8, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 5, United States 15)registered in other countries: 125 (2005)
Airports:134 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 4 (2004 est.)
Military Italy
Military branches:Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI),Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps(Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 13,491,260 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 10,963,513 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 286,344 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$28,182.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2004)
Transnational Issues Italy
Disputes - international:Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens ofthousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe andnorthern Africa
Illicit drugs:important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine andSouthwest Asian heroin entering the European market; moneylaundering by organized crime and from smuggling
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Jamaica
Introduction Jamaica
Background:Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led torecurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections in 1980 sawthe democratic socialists voted out of office. Political violencemarred elections during the 1990s.
Geography Jamaica
Location:Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:18 15 N, 77 30 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 10,991 sq kmland: 10,831 sq kmwater: 160 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,022 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain:mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Natural resources:bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Land use:arable land: 16.07%permanent crops: 10.16%other: 73.77% (2001)
Irrigated land:250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:hurricanes (especially July to November)
Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, themain sea lanes for the Panama Canal
People Jamaica
Population:2,731,832 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.5% (male 385,099/female 367,398)15-64 years: 65.6% (male 897,953/female 893,509)65 years and over: 6.9% (male 83,632/female 104,241) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 27.25 yearsmale: 26.55 yearsfemale: 27.97 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.71% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:16.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 12.36 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.33 yearsmale: 71.63 yearsfemale: 75.12 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.95 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:22,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:900 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Jamaican(s)adjective: Jamaican
Ethnic groups:black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed7.3%, other 0.1%
Religions:Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%,Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, UnitedChurch 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%
Languages:English, patois English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 87.9%male: 84.1%female: 91.6% (2003 est.)
Government Jamaica
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica
Government type:constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:Kingston
Administrative divisions:14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, SaintJames, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmorelandnote: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew wereamalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known asthe Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation
Independence:6 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 6 August (1962)
Constitution:6 August 1962
Legal system:based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1August 1991)head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since30 March 1992)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice ofthe prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor generalappointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the primeminister; following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the Houseof Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governorgeneral; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the primeminister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member bodyappointed by the governor general on the recommendations of theprime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party isallocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) andthe House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on theadvice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National DemocraticMovement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP[Percival James PATTERSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (blackreligious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS,OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEYchancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBBembassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,Kingston 5mailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001
Flag description:diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green(top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
Economy Jamaica
Economy - overview:The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which nowaccount for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of itsforeign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Theglobal economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacksin the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economyrebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons. But theeconomy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates;increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding,exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade deficit; large-scaleunemployment; and a growing internal debt, the result of governmentbailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The ratio of debt to GDPis close to 150%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expectedto remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic conditions haveled to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by thedrug trade. In 2004, the government faced the difficult prospect ofhaving to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debtpayments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crimeproblem which is hampering economic growth. Attempts at deficitcontrol were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, whichrequired substantial government spending to repair the damage.Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy solid growth forthe foreseeable future.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$11.13 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 32.7% services: 61.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force:1.14 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 20.1%, industry 16.6%, services 63.4% (2003)
Unemployment rate:15% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:19.7% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:37.9 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):32% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.793 billionexpenditures: $3.157 billion, including capital expenditures of $236million (2004 est.)
Public debt:146.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables, poultry,goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks
Industries:tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearingapparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemicalproducts, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate:-2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:6.289 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:5.849 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-830.7 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$1.679 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:US 17.4%, Canada 14.8%, France 13%, China 10.5%, UK 8.7%,Netherlands 7.5%, Norway 6%, Germany 5.9% (2004)
Imports:$3.624 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts andaccessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,construction materials
Imports - partners:US 38.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, France 5.6%, Japan 4.7% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$5.964 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16 million (2003)
Currency (code):Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Currency code:JMD
Exchange rates:Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003),48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001), 42.986 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Jamaica
Telephones - main lines in use:444,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.4 million (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone networkdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:1.215 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (1997)
Televisions:460,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.jm
Internet hosts:1,480 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):21 (2000)
Internet users:600,000 (2002)
Transportation Jamaica
Railways:total: 272 kmstandard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gaugenote: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporationhad been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longeroperational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned andused by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)
Highways:total: 18,700 kmpaved: 13,109 kmunpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point
Merchant marine:total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWTby type: bulk carrier 5, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 3foreign-owned: 8 (Germany 2, Greece 5, UAE 1) (2005)
Airports:35 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)
Military Jamaica
Military branches:Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 696,900 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 587,006 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 26,080 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$31.2 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.4% (2003)
Transnational Issues Jamaica
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to NorthAmerica and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government hasan active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a majorconcern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcoticstraffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Jan Mayen
Introduction Jan Mayen
Background:This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whalingcaptain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims areinconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters andtrappers over the following centuries, the island came underNorwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VIIToppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is thenorthernmost active volcano on earth.
Geography Jan Mayen
Location:Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the NorwegianSea, northeast of Iceland
Geographic coordinates:71 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references:Arctic Region
Area:total: 373 sq kmland: 373 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:124.1 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Terrain:volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanicactivity resumed in 1970
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
People Jan Mayen
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base andthe weather and coastal services radio station (July 2005 est.)
Government Jan Mayen
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen
Dependency status:territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslothrough the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,authority has been delegated to a station commander of the NorwegianDefense Communication Service
Legal system:the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of Norway is used
Economy Jan Mayen
Economy - overview:Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable naturalresources. Economic activity is limited to providing services foremployees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on theisland.
Communications Jan Mayen
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)
Transportation Jan Mayen
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Jan Mayen
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues Jan Mayen
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Japan
Introduction Japan
Background:In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in along period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secureits power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoystability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following theTreaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened itsports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. Duringthe late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regionalpower that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island.In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched afull-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupiedmuch of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally ofthe US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of nationalunity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced amajor slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades ofunprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economicpower, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-yearterm as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.