Geography Japan
Location:Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and theSea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 377,835 sq kmland: 374,744 sq kmwater: 3,091 sq kmnote: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), andVolcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:29,751 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the internationalstraits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern andWestern Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Straitcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain:mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use: arable land: 12.19% permanent crops: 0.96% other: 86.85% (2001)
Irrigated land:26,790 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismicoccurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Environment - current issues:air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality andthreatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers offish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of theseresources in Asia and elsewhere
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography - note:strategic location in northeast Asia
People Japan
Population:127,417,244 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 14.3% (male 9,328,584/female 8,866,772)15-64 years: 66.2% (male 42,462,533/female 41,942,835)65 years and over: 19.5% (male 10,435,284/female 14,381,236) (2005est.)
Median age: total: 42.64 years male: 40.87 years female: 44.44 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.05% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:8.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 81.15 yearsmale: 77.86 yearsfemale: 84.61 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:12,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Japanese (singular and plural)adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups:Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japanin the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil(2004)
Religions:observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (includingChristian 0.7%)
Languages:Japanese
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2002)
Government Japan
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan
Government type:constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Capital:Tokyo
Administrative divisions:47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence:660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)
National holiday:Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Constitution:3 May 1947
Legal system:modeled after European civil law system with English-Americaninfluence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April2001)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime ministerelections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requiresthat prime minister commands parliamentary majority; followinglegislative elections, leader of majority party or leader ofmajority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes primeminister; KOIZUMI's term as leader of the LDP is scheduled to end inSeptember 2006; a new prime minister may be chosen at that time;monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors orSangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; halfreelected every three years; 144 members in multi-seatconstituencies and 98 by proportional representation) and the Houseof Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected forfour-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members byproportional representation in 11 regional blocs)elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to beheld in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11September 2005 (next election by September 2009)election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,others 7; distribution of seats as of October 2004 - LDP 114, DPJ84, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 6: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%,DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2005)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch afterdesignation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by thecabinet)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Seiji MAEHARA, leader; YukioHATOYAMA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [KazuoSHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito[Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president;Tsutomu TAKEBE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP[Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), AustraliaGroup, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7,G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA,MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE(partner), Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATOchancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, NewOrleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattleconsulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description:white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) inthe center
Economy Japan
Economy - overview:Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery ofhigh technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% ofGDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank ofsecond most technologically-powerful economy in the world after theUS and third-largest economy after the US and China, measured on apurchasing power parity (PPP) basis. (Using market exhange ratesrather than PPP rates, Japan's economy is larger than China's.) Onenotable characteristic of the economy is the working together ofmanufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groupscalled keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee oflifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban laborforce. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most importantsector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported rawmaterials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highlysubsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in theworld. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintainsone of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economicgrowth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowedmarkedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of theafter effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s andcontractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculativeexcesses from the stock and real estate markets. From 2000 to 2003,government efforts to revive economic growth met with little successand were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, andAsian economies. In 2004, growth improved and the lingering fears ofdeflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's hugegovernment debt, which totals more than 160% of GDP, and the agingof the population are two major long-run problems. A rise in taxescould be viewed as endangering the revival of growth. Roboticsconstitutes a key long-term economic strength with Japan possessing410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots." Internal conflictover the proper way to reform the ailing banking system continues.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.745 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $29,400 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.7% services: 74.1% (2004 est.)
Labor force:66.97 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 5%, industry 25%, services 70% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.7% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:24.9 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-0.1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):24% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.401 trillionexpenditures: $1.748 trillion, including capital expenditures(public works only) of about $71 billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairyproducts, eggs, fish
Industries:among world's largest and technologically advanced producers ofmotor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel andnonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate:6.6% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:1.044 trillion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:971 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:93,360 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:5.449 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$170.2 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$538.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electricalmachinery, chemicals
Exports - partners:US 22.7%, China 13.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.4%, Hong Kong6.3% (2004)
Imports:$401.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,raw materials (2001)
Imports - partners:China 20.7%, US 14%, South Korea 4.9%, Australia 4.3%, Indonesia4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, UAE 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$664.6 billion (2003)
Debt - external:NA (2002 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $7.9 billion (FY03/04)
Currency (code):yen (JPY)
Currency code:JPY
Exchange rates:yen per US dollar - 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002),121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Japan
Telephones - main lines in use:71.149 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:86,658,600 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent domestic and international servicedomestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service ofevery kindinternational: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Oceanregions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US(via Guam) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21(2001)
Radios:120.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
Televisions:86.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:.jp
Internet hosts:12,962,065 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):73 (2000)
Internet users:57.2 million (2002)
Transportation Japan
Railways:total: 23,577 km (16,519 km electrified)standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,265 km1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 kmelectrified) (2004)
Highways:total: 1,171,647 kmpaved: 903,340 km (including 6,851 km of expressways)unpaved: 268,307 km (2001)
Waterways:1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka,Tokyo, Yohohama
Merchant marine:total: 702 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,149,196 GRT/12,680,544 DWTby type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 29, chemical tanker 23, container13, liquefied gas 53, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 157, petroleumtanker 160, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 52, vehiclecarrier 59registered in other countries: 2,233 (2005)
Airports:174 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 15 (2004 est.)
Military Japan
Military branches:Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force(Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 27,003,112 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 22,234,663 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 683,147 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$45.841 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Japan
Disputes - international:the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, andShikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "NorthernTerritories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands", occupiedby the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimedby Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peacetreaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and SouthKorea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do), occupied by SouthKorea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims tothe uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) andJapan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the EastChina Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Jarvis Island
Introduction Jarvis Island
Background:First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island wasannexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guanohad been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but nevercarried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied andreclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, theisland is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by theUS Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near themiddle of the west coast.
Geography Jarvis Island
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way betweenHawaii and the Cook Islands
Geographic coordinates:0 22 S, 160 03 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 4.5 sq kmland: 4.5 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:8 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain:sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location 7 m
Natural resources:guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquaticwildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritimehazard
Environment - current issues:no natural fresh water resources
Geography - note:sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs;primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,shorebirds, and marine wildlife
People Jarvis Island
Population:uninhabitednote: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionallyused as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it wasabandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International GeophysicalYear by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-usepermit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generallyrestricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fishand Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)
Government Jarvis Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of theInterior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Jarvis Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Jarvis Island
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boatlanding area in the middle of the west coast and another near thesouthwest corner of the island
Transportation - note:there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Military Jarvis Island
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the USCoast Guard
Transnational Issues Jarvis Island
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Jersey
Introduction Jersey
Background:The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent thelast remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway inboth France and England. These islands were the only British soiloccupied by German troops in World War II.
Geography Jersey
Location:Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 116 sq kmland: 116 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:70 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain:gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% ofpopulation concentrated in Saint Helier
People Jersey
Population:90,812 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.5% (male 8,222/female 7,658)15-64 years: 67% (male 30,296/female 30,561)65 years and over: 15.5% (male 6,176/female 7,899) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 40.89 yearsmale: 40.13 yearsfemale: 41.63 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.32% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.08 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.24 yearsmale: 76.77 yearsfemale: 81.91 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.57 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:Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)
Religions:Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages:English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Jersey
Country name:conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jerseyconventional short form: Jersey
Dependency status:British crown dependency
Government type:NA
Capital:Saint Helier
Administrative divisions:none (British crown dependency)
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 statute; justice is administered by the RoyalCourt
Suffrage:NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief AirChief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and BailiffPhilip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the Stateselections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor andbailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators(elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes(elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms);the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - theDean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General allappointed by the monarch)elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 53
Judicial branch:Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders:none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of theflag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a redshield with the three lions of England in yellow
Economy Jersey
Economy - overview:The Channel Island economy is based on international financialservices, agriculture, and tourism. In 1996 the finance sectoraccounted for about 60% of the island's output. Potatoes,cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important exportcrops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle isknown worldwide and represents an important export income earner.Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accountsfor 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged lightindustry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronicsindustry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing ofknitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, aswell as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and deathduties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards comeclose to those of the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.6 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)
Labor force:52,790 (2004)
Unemployment rate:0.9% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.3% (2004)
Budget:revenues: $601 millionexpenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98million (2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - consumption:630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - imports:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Exports:$NA
Exports - commodities:light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners:UK
Imports:$NA
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:UK
Debt - external:none
Economic aid - recipient:none
Currency (code):British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Currency code:GBP
Exchange rates:Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672(2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Jersey
Telephones - main lines in use:73,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:61,400 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: 3 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:2 (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.je
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Jersey
Highways: total: 577 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors:Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Jersey
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Jersey
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Johnston Atoll
Introduction Johnston Atoll
Background:Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently theUS Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used forhigh-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until latein 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site forchemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup andclosure of the facility was completed in 2004.
Geography Johnston Atoll
Location:Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1328 km)southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way fromHawaii to the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates:16 45 N, 169 31 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 2.8 sq kmland: 2.8 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:34 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds withlittle seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:mostly flat
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Summit Peak 5 m
Natural resources:guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial andaquatic wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:no natural fresh water resources
Geography - note:strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island andSand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coraldredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmadeislands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km incircumference; closed to the public; a former US nuclear weaponstest site; site of now-closed Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent DisposalSystem (JACADS); most facilities dismantled and cleanup complete in2004; some low-growing vegetation
People Johnston Atoll
Population:361 no indigenous inhabitantsnote: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US militaryand civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,population had decreased significantly when US Army ChemicalActivity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2004 the islandpopulation was just above 200 personnel, including US Air Force, USFish and Wildlife Service, and civilian contractor personnel (July2005 est.)
Government Johnston Atoll
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI,by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish andWildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of theNational Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Johnston Atoll
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to providing services to US militarypersonnel and contractors located on the island. All food andmanufactured goods must be imported.
Communications Johnston Atoll
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice and data lines international: NA (2002)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002)
Transportation Johnston Atoll
Ports and harbors:Johnston Island
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Johnston Atoll
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Jordan
Introduction Jordan
Background:For most of its history since independence from Britishadministration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressuresfrom the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite severalwars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentaryelections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed aformal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest sonof King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following hisfather's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated hispower and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordanacceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began toparticipate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After atwo-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place inthe summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed inApril 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government'sachievements to respect political and human rights and improveliving standards.
Geography Jordan
Location:Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 92,300 sq kmland: 91,971 sq kmwater: 329 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:total: 1,635 kmborder countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline:26 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate:mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain:mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great RiftValley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Dead Sea -408 mhighest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources:phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)
Irrigated land:750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arabcountry that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupiedWest Bank
People Jordan
Population:5,759,732 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 34.5% (male 1,015,084/female 973,220)15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,897,643/female 1,656,570)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 106,168/female 111,047) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 22.62 yearsmale: 23.25 yearsfemale: 21.94 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.56% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:21.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 17.35 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 13.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.24 yearsmale: 75.75 yearsfemale: 80.88 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Jordanian(s)adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups:Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions:Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but someGreek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (severalsmall Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Languages:Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middleclasses
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 91.3%male: 95.9%female: 86.3% (2003 est.)
Government Jordan
Country name:conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordanconventional short form: Jordanlocal long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyahlocal short form: Al Urdunformer: Transjordan
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:'Amman
Administrative divisions:12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, AzZarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
Independence:25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration)
National holiday:Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution:1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984
Legal system:based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review oflegislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); PrinceHUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line toinherit the thronehead of government: Prime Minister Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL(since 3 July 2005)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultationwith the monarchelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointedby the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of theSenate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categoriesof public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House ofRepresentatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlisal-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basisof proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - sixseats are reserved for women and are allocated by a specialelectoral panel if no women are elected)elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (nextto be held NA 2007)election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote byparty - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front (IAF)10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic ActionFront 18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a femaleIAF candidatenote: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolvedby the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the firstparliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political partieswere not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001elections until 2003
Judicial branch:Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Political parties and leaders:Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation)Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr.Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab ProgressiveParty [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Communist Party [MunirHAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional National Party [Ahmadal-SHUNNAQ, secretary general; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement[Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH,secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretarygeneral]; Islamic al-Walsat Party [Marwan al-FAURI], secretarygeneral; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretarygeneral]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab AliMUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd)Party [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party[Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Labor Party [Dr. Mazin SulaymanJiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [leader NA];National Action (Haqq) Party [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general];National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretarygeneral]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI,secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmudal-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysiral-HIMSI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vicechairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; MuslimBrotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]
International organization participation:ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWARchancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David M.HALEembassy: Abdoun, Ammanmailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box5, APO AE 09892-0200telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing theAbbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, andgreen, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangleon the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, andbearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the sevenverses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the sevenpoints on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, nationalspirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design isbased on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I
Economy Jordan
Economy - overview:Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of waterand other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, andunemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, sinceassuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economicreforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman inthe past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practicedcareful monetary policy, and made substantial headway withprivatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regimesufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a freetrade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement withthe EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity andhave put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported mostof its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordanmore dependent on oil from other Gulf nations forcing the Jordaniangovernment to raise retail petroleum product prices and the salestax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent onexports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quicklywhile contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challengesfacing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducingthe budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promotejob creation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$25.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 26% services: 71.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force:1.41 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:30% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:36.4 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):11.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.483 billionexpenditures: $3.616 billion, including capital expenditures of $782million (2004 est.)
Public debt:85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats,poultry