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@Mozambique
Introduction Mozambique
Background:Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close withindependence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economicdependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civilwar hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for theLiberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxismin 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided formultiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiatedpeace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique NationalResistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANOstepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor,Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economicpolicies that have encouraged foreign investment.
Geography Mozambique
Location:South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, betweenSouth Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 801,590 sq kmland: 784,090 sq kmwater: 17,500 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:total: 4,571 kmborder countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline:2,470 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical to subtropical
Terrain:mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus innorthwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources:coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite
Land use: arable land: 5.1% permanent crops: 0.3% other: 94.6% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central andsouthern provinces
Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile partof the country
People Mozambique
Population:19,406,703note: 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; the 1997Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2005est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.1% (male 4,206,654/female 4,157,898)15-64 years: 54.1% (male 5,088,250/female 5,416,573)65 years and over: 2.8% (male 224,682/female 312,646) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.29 yearsmale: 17.74 yearsfemale: 18.83 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.48% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:35.79 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:20.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 130.79 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 135.91 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 125.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 40.32 yearsmale: 39.9 yearsfemale: 40.75 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:12.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.3 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:110,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A, and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in somelocationswater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Mozambican(s)adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups:indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, andothers), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religions:Catholic 23.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, Muslim 17.8%, other 17.8%,none 23.1% (1997 census)
Languages:Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spokenby 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreignlanguages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 47.8%male: 63.5%female: 32.7% (2003 est.)
Government Mozambique
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Mozambiqueconventional short form: Mozambiquelocal long form: Republica de Mocambiquelocal short form: Mocambiqueformer: Portuguese East Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:Maputo
Administrative divisions:10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*,Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Independence:25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Constitution:30 November 1990
Legal system:based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February2004)cabinet: Cabinetelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December2009); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%
Legislative branch:unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secretballot to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December2009)election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professionaljudges are appointed by the president and some are elected by theAssembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customscourts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courtsnote: although the constitution provides for a separateConstitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absencethe Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders:Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao deMocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, president];Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia NacionalMocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz eCidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dosDireitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights andDevelopment (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [ArtemisiaFRANCO, secretary general]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIMEembassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputomailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputotelephone: [258] (1) 492797FAX: [258] (1) 490448
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow witha red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band isedged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointedstar bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on anopen white book
Economy Mozambique
Economy - overview:At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorestcountries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarkedon a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize theeconomy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and withpolitical stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, haveled to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflationwas reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although itreturned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms, including theintroduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. Inspite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreignassistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of thepopulation remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculturecontinues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. Asubstantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of theMOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investmentproject to date has increased export earnings. Additional investmentprojects in titanium extraction and processing and garmentmanufacturing should further close the import/export gap.Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced throughforgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted PoorCountries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at amanageable level.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$23.38 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:8.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 32.1% services: 46.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:9.2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:21% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:39.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.8% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):47% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.186 billionexpenditures: $1.398 billion, including capital expenditures of$479.4 million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;beef, poultry
Industries:food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:3.4% (2000)
Electricity - production:8.859 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:5.046 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:7.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:3.907 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:60 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:60 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-101.2 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$689.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulkelectricity
Exports - partners:Netherlands 60.9%, South Africa 12.9%, Malawi 3.3% (2004)
Imports:$972.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:South Africa 41.4%, Netherlands 11%, Portugal 3.3% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.206 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$966 million (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$632.8 million (2001)
Currency (code):metical (MZM)
Currency code:MZM
Exchange rates:meticais per US dollar - 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678(2002), 20,704 (2001), 15,227 (2000)note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as theweighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of alltransactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:83,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:428,900 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system but not available generally(telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunkconnection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatterinternational: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:.mz
Internet hosts:3,249 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2002)
Internet users:50,000 (2002)
Transportation Mozambique
Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora BassaLake) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2005)
Airports: 158 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)
Military Mozambique
Military branches:Mozambique Armed Defense Forces: Army, Navy, Air and Air DefenseForces, Logistics Command
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$117.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.2% (2004)
Transnational Issues Mozambique
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin,and South American cocaine probably destined for the European andSouth African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption)and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poorregulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to moneylaundering, but the lack of a well-developed financialinfrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-launderingcenter
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Namibia
Introduction Namibia
Background:South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa duringWorld War I and administered it as a mandate until after World WarII, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-WestAfrica People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a warof independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it wasnot until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration inaccordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia wonits independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in alandslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country duringits first 14 years of self rule.
Geography Namibia
Location:Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angolaand South Africa
Geographic coordinates:22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 825,418 sq kmland: 825,418 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 3,936 kmborder countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa967 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline:1,572 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert ineast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Natural resources:diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,salt, hydropower, fishnote: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Land use:arable land: 0.99%permanent crops: 0%other: 99.01% (2001)
Irrigated land:70 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:first country in the world to incorporate the protection of theenvironment into its constitution; some 14% of the land isprotected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip
People Namibia
Population:2,030,692note: 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: 38.7% (male 396,247/female 389,543)15-64 years: 57.7% (male 586,900/female 584,779)65 years and over: 3.6% (male 33,524/female 39,699) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 19.79 yearsmale: 19.63 yearsfemale: 19.94 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.73% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:25.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:18.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 53 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 44.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 43.93 yearsmale: 44.71 yearsfemale: 43.13 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.18 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:21.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:210,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:16,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malariawater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Namibian(s)adjective: Namibian
Ethnic groups:black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions:Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs10% to 20%
Languages:English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of thepopulation and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84%male: 84.4%female: 83.7% (2003 est.)
Government Namibia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Namibiaconventional short form: Namibiaformer: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:Windhoek
Administrative divisions:13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence:21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 15 November2004)head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof the National Assemblyelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent ofvote - NA%
Legislative branch:bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-yearterms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, todetermine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004(next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on therecommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic TurnhalleAlliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; MonitorAction Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People'sOrganization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United DemocraticFront or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792
Flag description:a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper leftsection and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower rightsection; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that iscontrasted by two narrow white-edge borders
Economy Namibia
Economy - overview:The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processingof minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Richalluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source forgem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter ofnonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer ofuranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of thepopulation while about half of the population depends on subsistenceagriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are amajor problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to theregion, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearlyone-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 inconstant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibianeconomy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollarpegged to the South African rand. Privatization of severalenterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreigninvestment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fishproduction led growth in 2003-04.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$14.76 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.3% industry: 30.8% services: 57.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:840,000 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:35% (1998)
Population below poverty line:50% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index:70 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.788 billionexpenditures: $1.956 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish
Industries:meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:1.167 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:NA
Electricity - consumption:1.92 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:65 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:900 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$234.3 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$1.356 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processedfish, karakul skins
Exports - partners:EU 79%, US 4% (2001)
Imports:$1.473 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,chemicals
Imports - partners:US 50%, EU 31% (2001)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$360 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$1.136 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA $160 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:NAD; ZAR
Exchange rates:Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:127,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:223,700 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100personsdomestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radiorelay links major towns; connections to other populated places areby open wire; 100% digitalinternational: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to SouthAfrica, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links toother neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and SouthAfrican Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:232,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:60,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.na
Internet hosts:3,164 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:65,000 (2003)
Transportation Namibia
Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Ports and harbors:Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWTby type: cargo 1 (2005)
Airports:136 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 21over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 13914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1152,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 22914 to 1,523 m: 71under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Military Namibia
Military branches:Namibian Defense Force: Army (includes Air Wing), Navy, Police
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$168.4 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Namibia
Disputes - international:border commission has yet to resolve small residual disputes withBotswana along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlandsalong the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia'splanned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on PopaFalls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of theboundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported and in 2004Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia tobuild a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizinga short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia, boundary in theriver
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Nauru
Introduction Nauru
Background:Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20thcentury by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied byAustralian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallestindependent republic.
Geography Nauru
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the MarshallIslands
Geographic coordinates:0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 21 sq kmland: 21 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:30 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November toFebruary)
Terrain:sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs withphosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources:phosphates, fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collectrainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalinationplant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainlyby a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% ofNauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati andMakatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
People Nauru
Population:13,048 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.5% (male 2,511/female 2,379)15-64 years: 60.6% (male 3,895/female 4,012)65 years and over: 1.9% (male 132/female 119) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 20.24 yearsmale: 19.76 yearsfemale: 20.78 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.83% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:25.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.82 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: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.73 yearsmale: 59.16 yearsfemale: 66.48 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.19 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: Nauruan(s)adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Languages:Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), Englishwidely understood, spoken, and used for most government andcommercial purposes
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Nauru
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Nauruconventional short form: Nauruformer: Pleasant Island
Government type:republic
Capital:no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Administrative divisions:14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence:31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UNtrusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution:29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Legal system:acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof Parliamentelections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentaryelections for president
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve three-year terms)elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May2006)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party3, independents 15
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; NauruParty (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leaderNA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN officeat 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone:(212) 937-0074consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fijiis accredited to Nauru
Flag description:blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center anda large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 originaltribes of Nauru
Economy Nauru
Economy - overview:Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exportsof phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other resourcesexist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia,its former occupier and later major source of support. Therehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income fromphosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of theexhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts ofphosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushionthe transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a resultof heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtualbankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze onwages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments,privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of someoverseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged theregistration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 thedeterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plantcontinued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government andeconomy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensivestatistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDPvarying widely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$60 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA
Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
Unemployment rate:90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-3.6% (1993)
Budget:revenues: $23.4 millionexpenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA(FY95/96)
Agriculture - products:coconuts
Industries:phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:30 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:27.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$640,000 f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:phosphates
Exports - partners:South Africa 43.4%, Germany 20.7%, India 11.8%, Japan 7.2%, Poland4% (2004)
Imports:$19.8 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners:Australia 65.6%, Indonesia 5.4%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.4% (2004)
Debt - external:$33.3 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)
Currency (code):Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Nauru
Telephones - main lines in use:1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephonecommunication provided via Australian facilitiesdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:500 (1997)
Internet country code:.nr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:300 (2002)
Transportation Nauru
Highways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:Nauru
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Nauru
Military branches:no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,963 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues Nauru
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action TaskForce Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continuedfailure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Navassa Island
Introduction Navassa Island
Background:This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for itsguano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of NavassaIsland transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of theInterior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it asa unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year itbecame a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditionshave continued.
Geography Navassa Island
Location:Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of TiburonPeninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 5.4 sq kmland: 5.4 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about nine 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:marine, tropical
Terrain:raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed byvertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources:guano
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at GuantanamoBay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to supportgoat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
People Navassa Island
Population:uninhabitednote: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island(July 2005 est.)
Government Navassa Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish andWildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the CaribbeanIslands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; inSeptember 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance ofNavassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southernside of the island; there has also been a private claim advancedagainst the island
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Navassa Island
Economy - overview:subsistence fishing and commercial trawling activities withinrefuge waters