Location:archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates:4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 455 sq kmland: 455 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:491 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon(late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon(March to May)
Terrain:Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; othersare coral, flat, elevated reefs
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources:fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use:arable land: 2.22%permanent crops: 13.33%other: 84.45% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; shortdroughts possible
Environment - current issues:water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
People Seychelles
Population:81,188 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.4% (male 10,839/female 10,601)15-64 years: 67.4% (male 26,709/female 28,025)65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,622/female 3,392) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 27.7 yearsmale: 26.62 yearsfemale: 28.76 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.43% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:16.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-5.54 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.53 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.82 yearsmale: 66.41 yearsfemale: 77.4 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.75 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: Seychellois (singular and plural)adjective: Seychellois
Ethnic groups:mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions:Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%,other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)
Languages:Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2%(2002 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 91.9%male: 91.4%female: 92.3% (2003 est.)
Government Seychelles
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Seychellesconventional short form: Seychelles
Government type:republic
Capital:Victoria
Administrative divisions:23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, AnseEtoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, BeauVallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, MontBuxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, SaintLouis, Takamaka
Independence:29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday:Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution:18 June 1993
Legal system:based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA2006)election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percentof vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time thatpresidential elections have been held separately from legislativeelections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and VicePresident James MICHEL was sworn in as president
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis toparties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-yearterms)elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to thepercentage that each party won of the total vote
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts areappointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; MouvementSeychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles NationalParty or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [WavelRAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [FranceAlbert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders:Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MORELchancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador toMauritius is accredited to the Seychelles
Flag description:five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, andgreen (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Economy Seychelles
Economy - overview:Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Oceanarchipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the oldnear-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent yearsthe government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgradehotels and other services. At the same time, the government hasmoved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting thedevelopment of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Asharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tunasectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit.Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreignexchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The blackmarket value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchangerate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector mayremain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such asComoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$626 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 28.7% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):39.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $318.3 millionexpenditures: $298.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Industries:fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconutfiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:218 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:202.8 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-98.42 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$256.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products(reexports)
Exports - partners:UK 27.7%, France 15.8%, Spain 12.6%, Japan 8.6%, Italy 7.5%,Germany 5.6% (2004)
Imports:$393.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners:Saudi Arabia 15.5%, Spain 13.3%, France 10.3%, Singapore 7%, SouthAfrica 6.8%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$70.94 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$218.1 million (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16.4 million (1995)
Currency (code):Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Currency code:SCR
Exchange rates:Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48(2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Seychelles
Telephones - main lines in use:21,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:54,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: effective systemdomestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in thearchipelagointernational: country code - 248; direct radiotelephonecommunications with adjacent island countries and African coastalcountries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:42,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sc
Internet hosts:264 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:11,700 (2002)
Transportation Seychelles
Highways: total: 373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)
Ports and harbors:Victoria
Merchant marine:total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWTby type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2005)
Airports:15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Military Seychelles
Military branches:Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing,Air Wing), National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 21,612 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 16,122 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$12.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2004)
Transnational Issues Seychelles
Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Sierra Leone
Introduction Sierra Leone
Background:The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and theRevolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands ofdeaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (aboutone-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees inneighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping forceand contributions from the World Bank and international community,demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces(CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held inMay 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish itsauthority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission inSierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005,deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and thetenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may presentchallenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.
Geography Sierra Leone
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guineaand Liberia
Geographic coordinates:8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 71,740 sq kmland: 71,620 sq kmwater: 120 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winterdry season (December to April)
Terrain:coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, uplandplateau, mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Natural resources:diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Land use: arable land: 6.98% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.13% (2001)
Irrigated land:290 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December toFebruary); sandstorms, dust storms
Environment - current issues:rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvestingof timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burnagriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
People Sierra Leone
Population:6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 17.53 yearsmale: 17.2 yearsfemale: 17.84 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.22% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowlyreturning (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 39.87 yearsmale: 37.74 yearsfemale: 42.06 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:170,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:11,000 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A, and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasisaerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)
Nationality:noun: Sierra Leonean(s)adjective: Sierra Leonean
Ethnic groups:20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who weresettled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugeesfrom Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Religions:Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Languages:English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende(principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular inthe north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants offreed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, alingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population butunderstood by 95%)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,Temne, or Arabictotal population: 29.6%male: 39.8%female: 20.5% (2000 est.)
Government Sierra Leone
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leoneconventional short form: Sierra Leone
Government type:constitutional democracy
Capital:Freetown
Administrative divisions:3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Independence:27 April 1961 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution:1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
Legal system:based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of governmenthead of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both thechief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with theapproval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsibleto the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007); note -president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year termselection results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent ofvote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; membersserve five-year terms)elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Partyor PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra LeonePeople's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others
Political pressure groups and leaders:trade unions and student unions
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARAchancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and lightblue
Economy Sierra Leone
Economy - overview:Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendousinequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantialmineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic andsocial infrastructure is not well developed, and serious socialdisorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirdsof the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials andof light manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans to reopenbauxite and rutile mines shut down during an 11 year civil war havenot been implemented due to lack of foreign investment. Alluvialdiamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings.The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domesticpeace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad,which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance andsupplement government revenues. International financial institutionscontributed over $600 million in development aid and budgetarysupport in 2003.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.335 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 30% services: 21% (2001 est.)
Labor force:1.369 million (1981 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:68% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:62.9 (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $96 millionexpenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial shiprepair
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:255.3 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:237.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)
Exports - partners:Belgium 61.6%, Germany 11.8%, US 5.4% (2004)
Imports:$264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,chemicals (1995)
Imports - partners:Germany 14%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.7%, UK 9.1%, US 8.4%, China 5.6%,Netherlands 5%, South Africa 4.1% (2004)
Debt - external:$1.5 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$103 million (2001 est.)
Currency (code):leone (SLL)
Currency code:SLL
Exchange rates:leones per US dollar - 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099(2002), 1,986.2 (2001), 2,092.1 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Sierra Leone
Telephones - main lines in use:24,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:67,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph servicedomestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connectsFreetown to Bo and Kenemainternational: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios:1.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (1999)
Televisions:53,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sl
Internet hosts:277 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2001)
Internet users:8,000 (2002)
Transportation Sierra Leone
Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
Waterways:800 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWTby type: petroleum tanker 2 (2005)
Airports:10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 1over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 9914 to 1,523 m: 7under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Heliports:2 (2004 est.)
Military Sierra Leone
Military branches:Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes AirWing, Maritime Wing)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,110,077 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 552,785 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$13.2 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.7% (2004)
Transnational Issues Sierra Leone
Disputes - international:domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youthgangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuateinsurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnicconflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone(UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leonesince 1999; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces fromthe town of Yenga occupied since 1998
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Singapore
Introduction Singapore
Background:Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. Itjoined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two yearslater and became independent. It subsequently became one of theworld's most prosperous countries with strong international tradinglinks (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnagehandled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leadingnations of Western Europe.
Geography Singapore
Location:Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 692.7 sq kmland: 682.7 sq kmwater: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:193 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, asdefined in treaties and practice
Climate:tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoonfrom June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and earlyevening thunderstorms
Terrain:lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchmentarea and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 mhighest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources:fish, deepwater ports
Land use:arable land: 1.64%permanent crops: 0%other: 98.36% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonalsmoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
People Singapore
Population:4,425,720 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16% (male 366,971/female 342,295)15-64 years: 75.9% (male 1,639,842/female 1,719,829)65 years and over: 8.1% (male 157,636/female 199,147) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 36.76 yearsmale: 36.4 yearsfemale: 37.07 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.56% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:9.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:10.3 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 81.62 yearsmale: 79.05 yearsfemale: 84.39 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:4,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Singaporean(s)adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups:Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)
Religions:Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%,other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)
Languages:Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other0.9% (2000 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.5%male: 96.6%female: 88.6% (2002)
Government Singapore
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Singaporeconventional short form: Singapore
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:Singapore
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday:National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution:3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State ofSingapore Constitution)
Legal system:based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1September 1999)head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy PrimeMinisters Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TANKeng Yam (since 1 August 1995)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to Parliamentelections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; lastappointed 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011);following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leaderof majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister bypresident; deputy prime ministers appointed by presidentelection results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed presidentin August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualifiedthree other would-be candidates
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to ninenominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closestto winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" memberelections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than25 June 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contestedconstituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with theadvice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by thepresident with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders:governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong];opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING HowDong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group);Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); SingaporeNational Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group);Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group);Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoistside of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closedportion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five whitefive-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Economy Singapore
Economy - overview:Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stableprices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the Big 4 WestEuropean countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technologysector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The governmenthopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable tothe external business cycle and will continue efforts to establishSingapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscalstimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internalflexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by8 percent, by far the economy's best performance since 2000.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$120.9 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:8.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $27,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0% negligible industry: 32.6% services: 67.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 2.18 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%, other 16% (2003)
Unemployment rate:3.4% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.7% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $17.05 billionexpenditures: $18.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish,ornamental fish
Industries:electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processedfood and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,life sciences, entrepot trade
Industrial production growth rate:11.1% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:35.33 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:32 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 2.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)
Current account balance:$8.8 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$174 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:Malaysia 15.2%, US 13%, Hong Kong 9.8%, China 8.6%, Japan 6.4%,Taiwan 4.6%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.1% (2004)
Imports:$155.2 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Malaysia 15.3%, US 12.7%, Japan 11.7%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 5.7%,South Korea 4.3%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$112.8 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$19.4 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:NA
Currency (code):Singapore dollar (SGD)
Currency code:SGD
Exchange rates:Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003),1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use:1,896,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3,521,800 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent servicedomestic: excellent domestic facilitiesinternational: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia(Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 PacificOcean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)
Radios:2.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations:7 (2003)
Televisions:1.33 million (1997)
Internet country code:.sg
Internet hosts:484,825 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):9 (2000)
Internet users:2.31 million (2002)
Transportation Singapore
Highways:total: 3,130 kmpaved: 3,130 km (including 150 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (2002)
Pipelines:gas 139 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Singapore
Merchant marine:total: 923 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWTby type: bulk carrier 138, cargo 86, chemical tanker 115,combination ore/oil 5, container 180, liquefied gas 42, livestockcarrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 316, refrigeratedcargo 3, vehicle carrier 36foreign-owned: 487 (Australia 5, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 10, China 15,Denmark 34, Germany 7, Greece 5, Hong Kong 43, India 3, Indonesia54, Japan 83, Malaysia 31, Norway 83, Philippines 3, Russia 1,Slovenia 1, South Korea 12, Sweden 12, Taiwan 44, Thailand 17, UAE6, United Kingdom 12, United States 5)registered in other countries: 276 (2005)
Airports:10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Singapore
Military branches:Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (December 2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.9% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Singapore
Disputes - international:disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water toSingapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridgeconstruction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/PulauBatu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island disputewithin three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 tofinalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by definingunresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem inthe Malacca Strait
Illicit drugs:as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore isvulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as atransit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for moneylaundering
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Slovakia
Introduction Slovakia
Background:In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to formCzechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakiabecame a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Sovietinfluence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more becamefree. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of2004.
Geography Slovakia
Location:Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates:48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 48,845 sq kmland: 48,800 sq kmwater: 45 sq km
Area - comparative:about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:total: 1,524 kmborder countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands inthe south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Bodrok River 94 mhighest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Natural resources:brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper andmanganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use: arable land: 30.16% permanent crops: 2.62% other: 67.22% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,740 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human healthrisks; acid rain damaging forests
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; theTatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakesand valleys
People Slovakia
Population:5,431,363 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.1% (male 475,263/female 453,340)15-64 years: 71% (male 1,919,222/female 1,939,097)65 years and over: 11.9% (male 241,610/female 402,831) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 35.43 yearsmale: 33.85 yearsfemale: 37.25 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.15% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:10.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0.3 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: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.5 yearsmale: 70.52 yearsfemale: 78.68 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Slovak(s)adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups:Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%,other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Religions:Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, otheror unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)