Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Bridgetowngeographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
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; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 [David THOMPSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union[David COMISSIONG]; 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, New Yorkconsulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMANembassy: 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 was positive in 2005, aseconomic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$4.815 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$2.964 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$17,300 (2005 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%: NA%highest 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:819 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:761.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:1,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:29.17 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:29.17 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:141.6 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Exports:$209 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,electrical components
Exports - partners:US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%,Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6%(2005)
Imports:$1.476 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:NZ 45.9%, US 20.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12% (2005)
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 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2(2002), 2 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use:134,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:206,200 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: island-wide automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1(Intelsat -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:282 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):19 (2000)
Internet users:160,000 (2005)
Transportation Barbados
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 1over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:total: 1,600 kmpaved: 1,600 km (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWTby type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1,passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1,Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bridgetown
Military Barbados
Military branches:Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Coast Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers atearlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 71,524females age 18-49: 72,302 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 54,510females age 18-49: 54,889 (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 the UN Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend itsEEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of 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 19 December, 2006
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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 1994 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: 26.77% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 72.63% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,310 sq km (2003)
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
People Belarus
Population:10,293,011 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 15.7% (male 825,823/female 791,741)15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,490,442/female 3,682,950)65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,976/female 1,003,079) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 37.2 yearsmale: 34.5 yearsfemale: 39.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.06% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:11.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 13 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.08 yearsmale: 63.47 yearsfemale: 74.98 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.43 children born/woman (2006 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: Byelarus'former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Capital:name: Minskgeographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
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 SIDORSKIY (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, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via aNovember 1996 referendum; subsequent election held 9 September 2001;an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits allowingpresident to run in a third election held on 19 March 2006; primeminister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the presidentelection results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percentof vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%,Aleksandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note - election marred by electoral fraud
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 four-year terms) and the Chamber ofRepresentatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members electedby universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observerswidely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic, based onmassive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates wonevery seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified fortechnical 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 [Mikhail SHIMANSKY];Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement(Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH, chairman];Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Party ofLabor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social-Sports Party [VladimirALEXANDROVICH]opposition parties: 10 Plus Coalition [Alyaksandr MILINKEVICH],includes: Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN];Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV,Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [VintsyukVYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [StanislavSHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom andProgress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party orUCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [ValentinaMATUSEVICH, chairperson]other opposition includes: Belarusian Social-Democratic PartyNardonaya Hromada or BSDP NH [Alyaksandr KOZULIN, chairman];Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party ofGreens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK];Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; BelarusianCongress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr YAROSHUK];Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; BelarusianOrganization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [AndreySANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of theBelarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee ofEntrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKY]; PartnershipNGO [Nikolay ASTREYKA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [AnatolSHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women's Independent DemocraticMovement [Ludmila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [DzmitryyDASHKEVICH, Syarhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS]
International organization participation:BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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 Karen B. STEWARTembassy: 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 ornamentation in red
Economy Belarus
Economy - overview:Belarus's economy in 2005 posted 8% growth. The government hassucceeded in lowering inflation over the past several years. Tradewith Russia - by far its largest single trade partner - decreased in2005, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax(VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European countriesincreased. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995,when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of"market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKOreimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchangerates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the managementof private enterprises. During 2005, the government re-nationalizeda number of private companies. In addition, businesses have beensubject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g.,arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections,retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of"disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range ofredistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of theladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest in the world.Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has hadtrouble attracting foreign investment, which remains low. Growth hasbeen strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough,centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate ofinflation. Belarus continues to receive heavily discounted oil andnatural gas from Russia. Much of Belarus' growth can be attributedto the re-export of Russian oil at market prices.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$73.09 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$26.69 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$7,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry: 31.6% services: 59.1% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.3 million (31 December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14% industry: 34.7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:1.6% officially registered unemployed; large number ofunderemployed workers (2005)
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:30.4 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):10.3% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.903 billionexpenditures: $6.343 billion; including capital expenditures of $180million (2005 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:15.6% (2005 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:7 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:36,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:252,000 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:20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Current account balance:$852 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$16.14 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals,textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:Russia 38.5%, Ukraine 7.8%, Poland 7.1%, Latvia 4.2%, UK 4.1%,China 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$16.94 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs,metals
Imports - partners:Russia 57.9%, Germany 9.7%, Ukraine 6.4%, Poland 5.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.215 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$4.662 billion (30 June 2005 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 - 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004),2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Belarus
Telephones - main lines in use:3,284,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4.098 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgradingtelecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom, is thesole provider of fixed line local and long distance service;modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowlydomestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areascontinue to be underserved; four GSM wireless networks areexperiencing rapid growth; strict government controls ontelecommunications technologiesinternational: 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:33,641 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):23 (2002)
Internet users:3,394,400 (2005)
Transportation Belarus
Airports: 86 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 41over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 221,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 12 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 45over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 6under 914 m: 35 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006)
Railways:total: 5,512 kmbroad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2005)
Roadways:total: 93,055 kmpaved: 93,055 km (2003)
Waterways:2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and byshallowness) (2003)
Ports and terminals:Mazyr
Military Belarus
Military branches:Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscriptservice obligation - 18 months (2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,520,644females age 18-49: 2,564,696 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,657,984females age 18-49: 2,102,793 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 85,202females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$420.5 million (2006)
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; the whole boundary with Latvia and more than halfthe boundary with Lithuania remains undemarcated; discussions towardeconomic and political union with Russia proceed slowly
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 19 December, 2006
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@Belgium
Introduction Belgium
Background:Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it wasoccupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The countryprospered in the past half century as a modern, technologicallyadvanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensionsbetween the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and theFrench-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years toconstitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognitionand autonomy.
Geography Belgium
Location:Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and theNetherlands
Geographic coordinates:50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 30,528 sq kmland: 30,278 sq kmwater: 250 sq km
Area - comparative:about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries:total: 1,385 kmborder countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,Netherlands 450 km
Coastline:66.5 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limitcontinental shelf: median line with neighbors
Climate:temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain:flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, ruggedmountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: North Sea 0 mhighest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Natural resources:construction materials, silica sand, carbonates
Land use: arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005)
Irrigated land:400 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastalland, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Environment - current issues:the environment is exposed to intense pressures from humanactivities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and waterpollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (nowresolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-VolatileOrganic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine LifeConservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, TropicalTimber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitalswithin 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union andNATO
People Belgium
Population:10,379,067 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 16.7% (male 883,254/female 846,099)15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,450,879/female 3,389,565)65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,569/female 1,062,701) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 40.9 yearsmale: 39.6 yearsfemale: 42.1 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.13% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:10.38 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:10.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.77 yearsmale: 75.59 yearsfemale: 82.09 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:10,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Belgian(s)adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups:Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Religions:Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages:Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) lessthan 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government Belgium
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgiumconventional short form: Belgiumlocal long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgielocal short form: Belgique/Belgie
Government type:federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Brusselsgeographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderennote: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthereddevolution into a federal state, there are now three levels ofgovernment (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with acomplex division of responsibilities
Independence:4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence fromthe Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)
National holiday:21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I
Constitution:7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to createa federal state
Legal system:civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir ApparentPrince PHILIPPE, son of the monarchhead of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July1999)cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarchelections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional;following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party orthe leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed primeminister by the monarch and then approved by parliamentnote: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senatin French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popularvote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) anda Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch,Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directlyelected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representationto serve four-year terms)elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003(next to be held no later than May 2007)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly electedsenators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthereddevolution into a federal state, there are now three levels ofgovernment (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with acomplex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves sixgovernments each with its own legislative assembly
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour deCassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by thegovernment; candidacies have to be submitted by the High JusticeCouncil)
Political parties and leaders:Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [JoVANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN!(formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Allianceor NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A[Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party nowassociated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [FrankVANHECKE]Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center ofCDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; ReformMovement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DIRUPO]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation ofBelgian Industries; numerous other associations representingbankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal andmedical professions; various organizations represent the culturalinterests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as PaxChristi and groups representing immigrants
International organization participation:ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNRWA,UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;the design was based on the flag of France
Economy Belgium
Economy - overview:This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on itscentral geographic location, highly developed transport network, anddiversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentratedmainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few naturalresources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of rawmaterials and export a large volume of manufactures, making itseconomy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughlythree-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debtis nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government hassucceeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution isrelatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency inJanuary 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because ofthe global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-05.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$322.3 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$350.3 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$31,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 24% services: 74.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 4.77 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.4% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:4% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:25 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.8% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $180.4 billionexpenditures: $180.5 billion; including capital expenditures of$1.56 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt:94.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal,pork, milk
Industries:engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food andbeverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate:-0.2% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:78.77 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:79.66 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:8.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:14.7 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:13,060 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:624,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:450,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:1.042 million bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:15.48 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:$6.305 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$269.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metalproducts, foodstuffs
Exports - partners:Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US 6.4%,Italy 5.3% (2005)
Imports:$264.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals,foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products
Imports - partners:Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%, Ireland6.5%, US 5.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$12 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$980.1 billion (30 June 2005 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Belgium
Telephones - main lines in use:4.801 million (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:9.46 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, andcompletely automated domestic and international telephone andtelegraph facilitiesdomestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cablenetwork; limited microwave radio relay networkinternational: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satelliteearth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:8.075 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:4.72 million (1997)
Internet country code:.be
Internet hosts:2,870,770 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):61 (2000)
Internet users:5.1 million (2005)
Transportation Belgium
Airports: 43 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006)
Railways:total: 3,521 kmstandard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 149,757 kmpaved: 117,110 km (including 1,747 km of expressways)unpaved: 32,647 km (2003)
Waterways:2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645 DWTby type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10,liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2)registered in other countries: 113 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6,Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11,Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore12, Sweden 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Military Belgium
Military branches:Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands(2005)
Military service age and obligation:16 years of age for voluntary military service; women compriseapprox. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 2,436,736females age 16-49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,998,003females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 64,263females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$3.999 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Belgium
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-boundecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaineprocessors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, andmarijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening oflegislation, the country remains vulnerable to money launderingrelated to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Belize
Introduction Belize
Background:Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until theirdecline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British andSpanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; itformally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorialdisputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence ofBelize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nationuntil 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Currentconcerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the SouthAmerican drug trade, and increasing urban crime.
Geography Belize
Location:Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala andMexico
Geographic coordinates:17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 22,966 sq kmland: 22,806 sq kmwater: 160 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline:386 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - fromthe mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize'sterritorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework fornegotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences withGuatemalaexclusive economic zone: 200 nm