Independence:the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independentkingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8thcentury A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christianredoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completedthe unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally consideredthe forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:National Day, 12 October
Constitution:6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system:civil law system, with regional applications; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); HeirApparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968head of government: President of the Government and Prime MinisterJose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First VicePresident and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency)Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and SecondVice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES(since 18 April 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the presidentnote: there is also a Council of State that is the supremeconsultative organ of the government, but its recommendations arenon-bindingelections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch andelected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004(next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by themonarch on the proposal of the presidentelection results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) electedpresident; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%
Legislative branch:bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las CortesGenerales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 membersdirectly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by theregional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress ofDeputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members areelected by popular vote on block lists by proportionalrepresentation to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to beheld March 2008)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote byparty - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU2, CC 3, other 8
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders:Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian Coalitionor CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute];Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition ofthe Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro]and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN yLLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition groupingfour Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA) [leader NA]; GalicianNationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA]; Party ofIndependents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; PopularParty or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC[Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE[Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition ofparties including the PCE and other small parties) [GasparLLAMAZARES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free laborunions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union ofWorkers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union orUSO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'Commissions or CC.OO.; Nunca Mas (Galician for "Never Again"; formedin response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM(observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO,NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. RobertMANZANARESembassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madridmailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description:three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and redwith the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars ofHercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) oneither side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
Economy Spain
Economy - overview:The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging fivepercent annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994.Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capitabasis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Thecenter-right government of former President AZNAR successfullyworked to gain admission to the first group of countries launchingthe European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNARadministration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms tothat end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administrationbut remains high at 10.4%. Growth of 2.5% in 2003 and 2.6% in 2004was satisfactory given the background of a faltering Europeaneconomy. The socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has initiatedeconomic and social reforms that are generally popular among themasses of people but that are anathema to religious and otherconservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economicpolicies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, andabsorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spainover the next few years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$937.6 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $23,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 28.5% services: 68% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 19.33 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.3%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 30.1%, services 64.6% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.4% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:32.5 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):25.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $383.7 billionexpenditures: $386.4 billion, including capital expenditures of$12.8 billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef,pork, poultry, dairy products; fish
Industries:textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:229 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:218.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:4.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:9.8 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:135,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:1.582 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:516 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-30.89 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$172.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines,other consumer goods
Exports - partners:France 19.3%, Germany 11.7%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 9%, Italy 9%, US 4%(2004)
Imports:$222 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;foodstuffs, consumer goods; measuring and medical control instruments
Imports - partners:Germany 16.6%, France 15.8%, Italy 8.9%, UK 6.3%, Netherlands 4.8%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$19.7 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$771.1 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutionsof member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions with the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Spain
Telephones - main lines in use:17,567,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:37,506,700 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 personsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 IndianOcean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations:AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
Televisions:16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:.es
Internet hosts:1,056,950 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):56 (2000)
Internet users:9.789 million (2003)
Transportation Spain
Railways:total: 14,781 km (7,718 km electrified)broad gauge: 11,829 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)narrow gauge: 1,926 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2004)
Highways:total: 664,852 kmpaved: 658,203 km (including 11,152 km of expressways)unpaved: 6,649 km (2001)
Waterways:1,045 km (2003)
Pipelines:gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,Tarragona, Valencia
Merchant marine:total: 182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551 DWTby type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, container19, liquefied gas 8, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 47, petroleumtanker 20, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 25, vehiclecarrier 7foreign-owned: 29 (Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2, Norway 6,United States 7, Uruguay 2)registered in other countries: 192 (2005)
Airports:156 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 95 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 8 (2004 est.)
Military Spain
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Naval Infantry
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 9,366,588 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 7,623,356 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 233,384 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9,906.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Spain
Disputes - international:in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum toremain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UKand Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greaterautonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclavesof Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migrationinto Spain from North Africa
Illicit drugs:key European gateway country and consumer for Latin Americancocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asianheroin; money-laundering site for European earnings of Colombiannarcotics trafficking organizations
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Spratly Islands
Introduction Spratly Islands
Background:The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands orreefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentiallyby gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety byChina, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysiaand the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relativelysmall numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, thePhilippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishingzone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formalclaim.
Geography Spratly Islands
Location:Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South ChinaSea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to thesouthern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: less than 5 sq kmland: less than 5 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mountsscattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central SouthChina Sea
Area - comparative:NA
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:926 km
Maritime claims:NA
Climate:tropical
Terrain:flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs andshoals
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in thecentral South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,shoals, and coral reefs
People Spratly Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of severalclaimant states (2004)
Government Spratly Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Economy Spratly Islands
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximityto nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests thepotential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largelyunexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves;commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Transportation Spratly Islands
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Spratly Islands
Military - note:Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, ofwhich about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, thePhilippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Transnational Issues Spratly Islands
Disputes - international:all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, andVietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone thatencompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has notpublicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "codeof conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, thePhilippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marineseismic activities in the Spratlys
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Sri Lanka
Introduction Sri Lanka
Background:The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning inabout the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developedat the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circaA.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14thcentury, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north andestablished a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16thcentury and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was cededto the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and wasunited under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independentin 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions betweenthe Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic conflict thatcontinues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the governmentand Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire inFebruary 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.
Geography Sri Lanka
Location:Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates:7 00 N, 81 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 65,610 sq kmland: 64,740 sq kmwater: 870 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,340 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 monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwestmonsoon (June to October)
Terrain:mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-centralinterior
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Natural resources:limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 13.86% permanent crops: 15.7% other: 70.44% (2001)
Irrigated land:6,510 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened bypoaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from miningactivities and increased pollution; freshwater resources beingpolluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; airpollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
People Sri Lanka
Population:20,064,776note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government andarmed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousandTamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamilshave sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.5% (male 2,508,384/female 2,397,986)15-64 years: 68.4% (male 6,658,765/female 7,059,468)65 years and over: 7.2% (male 670,813/female 769,360) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 29.44 yearsmale: 28.38 yearsfemale: 30.51 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.79% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:15.63 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.27 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.17 yearsmale: 70.6 yearsfemale: 75.86 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Sri Lankan(s)adjective: Sri Lankan
Ethnic groups:Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, SriLankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 censusprovisional data)
Religions:Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Languages:Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (nationallanguage) 18%, other 8%note: English is commonly used in government and is spokencompetently by about 10% of the population
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.3%male: 94.8%female: 90% (2003 est.)
Government Sri Lanka
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lankaconventional short form: Sri Lankaformer: Serendib, Ceylon
Government type:republic
Capital:Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Administrative divisions:8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern provincemay have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern
Independence:4 February 1948 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Constitution:adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new constitutionproposed in 2002
Legal system:a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004) isthe prime minister; the president is considered both the chief ofstate and head of governmenthead of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA(since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE is the primeminister (since 6 April 2004); the president is considered both thechief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with theprime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December2005)election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelectedpresident; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular voteon the basis of a modified proportional representation system bydistrict to serve six-year terms)elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoralalliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,EPDP 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts areappointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon WorkersCongress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Frontor EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP[Tilvan SILVA]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE];National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's LiberationOrganization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya orSU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [ChandrikaBandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [RauffHAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; TamilNational Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United LiberationFront or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP[Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,represented in either Parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders:Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam orLTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for aseparate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as theNational Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
International organization participation:AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB,OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEADembassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombotelephone: [94] (11) 244-8007FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
Flag description:yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equalvertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel isa large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, andthere is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appearsas a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
Economy Sri Lanka
Economy - overview:In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its importsubstitution trade policy for market-oriented policies andexport-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are foodprocessing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantationcrops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), whiletextiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an averageannual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and adeteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. Theeconomy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to acombination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, theglobal slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to4.0% in 2002 and to 5.2% in both 2003 and 2004. About 800,000 SriLankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north andeast for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadowover the economy. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced,and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$80.58 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.1% industry: 26.2% services: 54.7% (2004 est.)
Labor force:7.26 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:7.8% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:22% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34.4 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.8% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.34 billionexpenditures: $4.686 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Industries:rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agriculturalcommodities; telecommunications, insurance, and banking; clothing,cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:6.697 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.228 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Current account balance:$-587.3 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$5.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies;coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish
Exports - partners:US 32.4%, UK 13.5%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.8% (2004)
Imports:$7.265 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machineryand transportation equipment
Imports - partners:India 18%, Singapore 8.7%, Hong Kong 7.7%, China 5.7%, Iran 5.2%,Japan 5.1%, Malaysia 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.475 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$10.85 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$577 million (1998)
Currency (code):Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Currency code:LKR
Exchange rates:Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003),95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Sri Lanka
Telephones - main lines in use:881,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:931,600 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularlyin rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of nationaltelephone company and encouragement to private investment; goodinternational service (1999)domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digitalmicrowave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo areaand two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competitionis strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains lowat 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia andDjibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:3.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:21 (1997)
Televisions:1.53 million (1997)
Internet country code:.lk
Internet hosts:1,882 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2000)
Internet users:200,000 (2002)
Transportation Sri Lanka
Railways: total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 11,650 km paved: 11,068 km unpaved: 582 km (2002)
Waterways:160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)
Ports and harbors:Colombo, Galle
Merchant marine:total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWTby type: cargo 18, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 10)registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Airports:14 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Sri Lanka
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 4,933,217 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 3,789,627 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 174,049 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$514.8 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.6% (2004)
Transnational Issues Sri Lanka
Disputes - international: none
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to Tamil conflict); 555,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) (2004)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Sudan
Introduction Sudan
Background:Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments havedominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of theremainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted innorthern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim,non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, butbroke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effectsresulted in more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million peopledisplaced over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentumin 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivashapeace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomyfor six years, after which a referendum for independence isscheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in thewestern region of Darfur in 2003 resulted in tens of thousands ofdeaths and over 1 million displaced, but by early 2005, peackeepingtroops had stabilized the situation.
Geography Sudan
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 2,505,810 sq kmland: 2.376 million sq kmwater: 129,810 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Land boundaries:total: 7,687 kmborder countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km
Coastline:853 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 18 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies byregion (April to November)
Terrain:generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,northeast and west; desert dominates the north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Red Sea 0 mhighest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Natural resources:petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6.83% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 92.99% (2001)
Irrigated land:19,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Environment - current issues:inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populationsthreatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;periodic drought
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
People Sudan
Population:40,187,486 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.2% (male 8,865,331/female 8,488,982)15-64 years: 54.5% (male 10,952,566/female 10,930,218)65 years and over: 2.4% (male 513,679/female 436,710) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.07 yearsmale: 17.86 yearsfemale: 18.29 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.6% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 63.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 61.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 58.54 yearsmale: 57.33 yearsfemale: 59.8 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:400,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:23,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)
Nationality:noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)adjective: Sudanese
Ethnic groups:black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions:Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%(mostly in south and Khartoum)
Languages:Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, Englishnote: program of "Arabization" in process
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 61.1%male: 71.8%female: 50.5% (2003 est.)
Government Sudan
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of the Sudanconventional short form: Sudanlocal long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudanlocal short form: As-Sudanformer: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Government type:authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;government is run by an alliance of the military and the NationalCongress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF),which espouses an Islamist platform
Capital:Khartoum
Administrative divisions:26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (ElGezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah(Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb alIstiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahral Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb Kurdufan (WesternKordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (SouthernKordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile),Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur(Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq alIstiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)
Independence:1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
Constitution:12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interimconstitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partiallysuspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR
Legal system:based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law inthe northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of thenorthern states regardless of their religion; some separatereligious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, withreservations
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmenthead of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state andhead of governmentcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - theNational Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Frontor NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinetelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)election results: Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIRreelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidatesreceived a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lackof guarantees for a free and fair electionnote: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's RevolutionaryCommand Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and servedconcurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointedpresident by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote forthe first time in March 1996
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as NationalCongress; members serve four-year terms)elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA)election results: NCP 355, others 5
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders:the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 lawrevised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must acceptthe constitution and refrain from advocating or using violenceagainst the regime; approved parties include the National CongressParty or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC[Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; NationalDemocratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; SudanPeople's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party[Sadiq al-MAHDI]
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, AdInterim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M.GALLUCCIembassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoummailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700FAX: [249] (11) 774137note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with agreen isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Economy Sudan
Economy - overview:Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economicpolicies and infrastructure investments, but it still facesformidable economic problems, starting from its low level of percapita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMFmacroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil andin the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expandedexport processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 6.4% in 2004.Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, andaccounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fedand susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including thelong-standing civil war between the Muslim north and theChristian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agriculturalprices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or belowthe poverty line for years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$76.19 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.7% industry: 20.3% services: 41% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:18.7% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):16% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.057 billionexpenditures: $2.965 billion, including capital expenditures of $304million (2004 est.)
Public debt:79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweetpotatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock
Industries:oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soapdistilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,automobile/light truck assembly
Industrial production growth rate:8.5% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:2.581 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:345,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:275,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:1.6 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:99.11 billion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:$-763.6 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$3.395 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,gum arabic, sugar
Exports - partners:China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)
Imports:$3.496 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat
Imports - partners:China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India 4.8%,Germany 4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.652 billion (2004 est.)