Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.08 yearsmale: 62.13 yearsfemale: 62.02 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.13 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:650 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: leptospirosisanimal contact disease: rabies (2004)
Nationality:noun: Bangladeshi(s)adjective: Bangladeshi
Ethnic groups:Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Religions:Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Languages:Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 43.1%male: 53.9%female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
Government Bangladesh
Country name:conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladeshconventional short form: Bangladeshformer: East Pakistan
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:Dhaka
Administrative divisions:6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, andSylhet
Independence:16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is thedate of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is knownas Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the stateof Bangladesh
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the dateof independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Dayand commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Constitution:4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended followingcoup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker GovernmentAmendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times whenParliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - atpresidential direction - to supervise the electionshead of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October2001)cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by thepresidentelections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-yearterm; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held sinceIajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn inon 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); followinglegislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the mostseats is usually appointed prime minister by the presidentelection results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commissionelected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote- NA
Legislative branch:unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats electedby popular vote from single territorial constituencies (theconstitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and abovethe 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members servefive-year termselections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October2006)election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliancepartners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - theelection of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government alignedwith three other smaller parties - Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami OikyaJote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed bythe president)
Political parties and leaders:Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party orBCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP[Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti FazlulHaq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; JatiyaParty or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURYchancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
Flag description:green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieveindependence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, andsecondarily, the traditional color of Islam
Economy Bangladesh
Economy - overview:Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improveeconomic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP isgenerated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds ofBangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice asthe single-most-important product. Major impediments to growthinclude frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-ownedenterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing laborforce that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploitingenergy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, andslow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalledin many instances by political infighting and corruption at alllevels of government. Progress also has been blocked by oppositionfrom the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vestedinterest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister KhaledaZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in keyareas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for thepast several years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$275.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 21.2%industry: 27.1%services: 51.7% (2004 est.)
Labor force:65.49 millionnote: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billionin 1998-99 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)
Unemployment rate:40% (includes underemployment) (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:45% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:33.6 (FY95/96)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.921 billionexpenditures: $8.262 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:43% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Industrial production growth rate:6.5% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:16.45 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:15.3 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:150.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$216.6 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$7.478 billion (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood(2001)
Exports - partners:US 22.4%, Germany 14.5%, UK 11.2%, France 6.9%, Italy 4% (2004)
Imports:$10.03 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
Imports - partners:India 15.1%, China 12.5%, Singapore 7.5%, Kuwait 5.5%, Japan 5.3%,Hong Kong 4.5% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$3 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$19.97 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.575 billion (2000 est.)
Currency (code):taka (BDT)
Currency code:BDT
Exchange rates:taka per US dollar - 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002),55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Bangladesh
Telephones - main lines in use:740,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.365 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern countrydomestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systemsinclude VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and somefiber-optic cable in citiesinternational: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communicationsand landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios:6.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:15 (1999)
Televisions:770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bd
Internet hosts:1 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):10 (2000)
Internet users:243,000 (2003)
Transportation Bangladesh
Railways:total: 2,706 kmbroad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gaugenarrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 207,486 kmpaved: 19,773 kmunpaved: 187,713 km (1999)
Waterways: 8,372 km note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)
Pipelines:gas 2,012 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Chittagong, Mongla Port
Merchant marine:total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWTby type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 28, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,petroleum tanker 4foreign-owned: 10 (China 1, Singapore 9)registered in other countries: 14 (2005)
Airports:16 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Bangladesh
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$995.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2004)
Transnational Issues Bangladesh
Disputes - international:discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section ofriver boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade,migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porousborder; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence offhigh-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a jointBangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars aremissing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/PurbashaIsland in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2004)
Illicit drugs:transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Barbados
Introduction Barbados
Background:The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the islanduntil 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavilydependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the20th century. The gradual introduction of social and politicalreforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from theUK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed thesugar industry in economic importance.
Geography Barbados
Location:Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast ofVenezuela
Geographic coordinates:13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 431 sq kmland: 431 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:97 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain:relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2001)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
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: easternmost Caribbean island
People Barbados
Population:279,254 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.6% (male 28,813/female 28,634)15-64 years: 70.6% (male 96,590/female 100,622)65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,432/female 15,163) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 34.15 yearsmale: 32.99 yearsfemale: 35.28 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:0.33% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:12.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.01 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 14.14 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.59 yearsmale: 70.6 yearsfemale: 74.6 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Ethnic groups:black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
Religions:Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Languages:English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 99.7%male: 99.7%female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
Government Barbados
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Barbados
Government type:parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within theCommonwealth
Capital:Bridgetown
Administrative divisions:11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, SaintJames, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, SaintPeter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown maybe given parish status
Independence:30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution:30 November 1966
Legal system:English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS(since 1 June 1996)head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May2003)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice ofthe prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor generalappointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, theleader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalitionis usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; theprime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member bodyappointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-yearterms)elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to beheld by May 2008)election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the ServiceCommissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Political parties and leaders:Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Partyor DLP [Clyde Mascoll]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union[David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY];Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KINGchancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467consulate(s) general: Miami and New Yorkconsulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMERembassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetownmailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and bluewith the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; thetrident head represents independence and a break with the past (thecolonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Economy Barbados
Economy - overview:Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcanecultivation and related activities, but production in recent yearshas diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore financeand information services are important foreign exchange earners. Thegovernment continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, toencourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remainingstate-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainlydue to a decline in tourism. Growth probably was positive in 2004,as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$4.569 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $16,400 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)
Labor force:128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 10%, industry 15%, services 75% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.7% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-0.5% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $847 million (including grants)expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Industries:tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate:-3.2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:800 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:744 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:29.17 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:70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Exports:$206 million (2002)
Exports - commodities:sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,electrical components
Exports - partners:US 20.6%, UK 14.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.9%, Saint Lucia 6.9%,Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.1% (2004)
Imports:$1.039 billion (2002)
Imports - commodities:consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:US 35.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 20%, UK 5.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)
Debt - external:$668 million (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:$9.1 million (1995)
Currency (code):Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code:BBD
Exchange rates:Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2(2001), 2 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use:134,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:140,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: island-wide automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad andSaint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)
Televisions:76,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bb
Internet hosts:204 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):19 (2000)
Internet users:100,000 (2003)
Transportation Barbados
Highways: total: 1,600 km paved: 1,578 km unpaved: 22 km (2002)
Ports and harbors:Bridgetown
Merchant marine:total: 58 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWTby type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 31, chemical tanker 6,passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 53 (Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 12, Greece 11,Lebanon 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 17, UAE 1, United Kingdom 7)registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Barbados
Military branches:Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command and Coast Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 71,330 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 51,298 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based TroopCommand and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the landelement is to defend the island against external aggression; theCommand consists of a single, part-time battalion with a smallregular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; itincreasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline toprevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)
Transnational Issues Barbados
Disputes - international:in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsoryinternational arbitration that will result in a binding awardchallenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's andVenezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and thesouthern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins otherCaribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Islandsustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permitsVenezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portionof the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound forEurope and the US; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Bassas da India
Introduction Bassas da India
Background:This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash athigh tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under theadministration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.
Geography Bassas da India
Location:Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, aboutone-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 0.2 sq kmland: 0.2 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:35.2 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical
Terrain:volcanic rock
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tideand surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop along-extinct, submerged volcano
People Bassas da India
Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)
Government Bassas da India
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bassas da India
Dependency status:possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieurof the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Legal system:the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy Bassas da India
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Bassas da India
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Bassas da India
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Bassas da India
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Belarus
Introduction Belarus
Background:After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarusattained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer politicaland economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Sovietrepublics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state unionon 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economicintegration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out theaccord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since hiselection in July 1995 as the country's first president, AlexanderLUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarianmeans. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,peaceful assembly, and religion continue.
Geography Belarus
Location:Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates:53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 207,600 sq kmland: 207,600 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries:total: 2,900 kmborder countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional betweencontinental and maritime
Terrain:generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Nyoman River 90 mhighest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources:forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Land use: arable land: 29.55% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 69.85% (2001)
Irrigated land:1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness ofBelarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country isgeologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay
People Belarus
Population:10,300,483 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16% (male 839,292/female 804,738)15-64 years: 69.5% (male 3,481,432/female 3,672,991)65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,717/female 1,003,313) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 37.03 yearsmale: 34.32 yearsfemale: 39.7 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.09% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:10.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:14.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:2.42 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 13.37 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 68.72 yearsmale: 63.03 yearsfemale: 74.69 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:15,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Belarusian(s)adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups:Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other1.1% (1999 census)
Religions:Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages:Belarusian, Russian, other
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99.6%male: 99.8%female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
Government Belarus
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Belarusconventional short form: Belaruslocal long form: Respublika Byelarus'local short form: noneformer: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital:Minsk
Administrative divisions:6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality*(horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk,Vitsyebsknote: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers
Independence:25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the dateMinsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the dateof independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removingpresidential term limits
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (sinceDecember 2003)cabinet: Council of Ministerselections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to runfor a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy primeministers appointed by the presidentelection results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percentof vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists ofthe Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by thepresident, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representativesor Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universaladult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October2004; international observers widely denounced the October 2004elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive governmentfalsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after manyopposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasonselection results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party -NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote byparty - NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the presidentand half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)
Political parties and leaders:Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [leader NA];Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [leader NA]; Belarusian PatrioticMovement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH,chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH];Social-Sports Party [leader NA]; Opposition parties: BelarusianPopular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-DemocratParty Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman];Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH,chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party ofCommunists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women'sParty "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [AleksandrBUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG,OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOVchancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROLembassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
Flag description:red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half thewidth of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist sidebears Belarusian national ornamention in red
Economy Belarus
Economy - overview:Belarus's economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth. Still,the economy continues to be hampered by high inflation, persistenttrade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus'largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has seen littlestructural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched thecountry on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with thispolicy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices andcurrency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervenein the management of private enterprises. In addition, businesseshave been subject to pressure on the part of central and localgovernments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerousrigorous inspections, retroactive application of new businessregulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factoryowners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those atthe bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowestin the world. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated fromthe West and its open-market economies. Growth has been strong inrecent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directedeconomy and the high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Growth hasbeen buoyed by increased Russian demand for generally noncompetitiveBelarusian goods.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$70.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 36.4% services: 52.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force:4.305 million (31 December 2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 14%, industry 34.7%, services 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:2% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployedworkers (2004)
Population below poverty line:27.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:21.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):17.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.326 billionexpenditures: $3.564 billion, including capital expenditures of $180million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Industries:metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,radios, refrigerators
Industrial production growth rate:4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:30 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:34.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:800 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:3.2 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:36,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:285,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - imports:360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:250 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:18.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:18.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.119 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$11.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals;textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:Russia 47%, UK 8.3%, Netherlands 6.7%, Poland 5.3% (2004)
Imports:$13.57 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs,metals
Imports - partners:Russia 68.2%, Germany 6.6%, Ukraine 3.3% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$770.2 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$600 million (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$194.3 million (1995)
Currency (code):Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Currency code:BYB/BYR
Exchange rates:Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003),1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Belarus
Telephones - main lines in use:3,071,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.118 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls alltelecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company)Beltelcom which is a monopolydomestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and acellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presentlyserving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics formsynchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'systems; an inadequate analog system remains operationalinternational: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of theTrans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-opticsegments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, andUkraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through thisinfrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Radio broadcast stations:AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios:3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:2.52 million (1997)
Internet country code:.by
Internet hosts:5,308 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):23 (2002)
Internet users:1,391,900 (2003)
Transportation Belarus
Railways:total: 5,512 kmbroad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)standard gauge: 15 km 1.435-m (2004)
Highways:total: 79,990 kmpaved: 69,351 kmunpaved: 10,639 km (2002)
Waterways:2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and byshallowness) (2003)
Pipelines:gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Mazyr
Airports:133 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 50over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 221,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 83over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 11under 914 m: 64 (2004 est.)
Heliports:1 (2004 est.)
Military Belarus
Military branches:Army, Air and Air Defense Force
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,520,644 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,657,984 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 85,202 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$176.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.4% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Belarus
Disputes - international:1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified overunresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishingborder security; boundary with Latvia remains undemarcated but athird of the border with Lithuania was demarcated in 2004
Illicit drugs:limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for thedomestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and viaRussia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightlyregulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislationdoes not meet international standards; few investigations orprosecutions of money-laundering activities
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Belgium
Introduction Belgium
Background:Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and wasoccupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered inthe past half century as a modern, technologically advanced Europeanstate and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between theDutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speakingWalloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutionalamendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.