Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL Jacobo chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description:a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flaginto four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat ofarms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and apalm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shielda blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANAappears on a red ribbon
Economy Dominican Republic
Economy - overview:The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy thatenjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. Although the country has longbeen viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco,in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as theeconomy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free tradezones. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a majorbank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source ofabout 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004 and 2005. Withthe help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiationof an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized thecountry's financial situation. Although the economy continues togrow at a respectable rate, unemployment remains an importantchallenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; thepoorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP,while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. TheDominican Republic's development prospects improved with theratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free TradeAgreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$67.44 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$18.15 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$7,500 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 30.6% services: 58.2% (2003)
Labor force: 2.3 million-2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17% industry: 24.3% services: 58.7% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:17% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:25%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:47.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.2% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):24.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.322 billionexpenditures: $5.485 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.1billion (2005)
Public debt:45.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Industries:tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:2% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:12.6 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:11.71 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:128,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:129,900 bbl/day (2003)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:300 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports:NA cu m
Current account balance:$-143 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$5.818 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,consumer goods
Exports - partners:US 79%, Netherlands 2.4%, Mexico 1.9% (2005)
Imports:$9.747 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals andpharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:US 50.2%, Colombia 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.853 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$7.687 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$571.6 million (2004)
Currency (code):Dominican peso (DOP)
Currency code:DOP
Exchange rates:Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831(2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Dominican Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:894,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3.623 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwaveradio relay networkinternational: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:1.44 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:25 (2003)
Televisions:770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.do
Internet hosts:91,895 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):24 (2000)
Internet users:938,300 (2005)
Transportation Dominican Republic
Airports: 33 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Railways:total: 517 kmstandard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gaugenote: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m,0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2005)
Roadways:total: 12,600 kmpaved: 6,224 kmunpaved: 6,376 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWTby type: cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo
Military Dominican Republic
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,133,142females age 18-49: 2,032,840 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,671,493females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 91,699females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$0 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Dominican Republic
Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the USand Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from theNetherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantialmoney-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor theDominican Republic for illicit financial transactions
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@East Timor
Introduction East Timor
Background:The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with theDutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in whichPortugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japanoccupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonialauthority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timordeclared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 andwas invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. Itwas incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of EastTimor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over thenext two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervisedpopular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of EastTimor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendumand the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in lateSeptember 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized andsupported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killedapproximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people intoWest Timor as refugees. The majority of the country'sinfrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supplysystems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electricalgrid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-ledpeacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to anend. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as anindependent state.
Geography East Timor
Location:Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser SundaIslands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, theOecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island ofTimor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco
Geographic coordinates:8 50 S, 125 55 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 15,007 sq kmland: NA sq kmwater: NA sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km
Coastline: 706 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: NA exclusive economic zone: NA continental shelf: NA exclusive fishing zone: NA
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons
Terrain:mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m
Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble
Land use: arable land: 8.2% permanent crops: 4.57% other: 87.23% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,065 sq km (est.)
Natural hazards:floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropicalcyclones
Environment - current issues:widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led todeforestation and soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:NA
Geography - note:Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor ispart of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost ofthe Lesser Sunda Islands
People East Timor
Population: 1,062,777 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.3% (male 196,293/female 189,956)15-64 years: 60.6% (male 328,111/female 315,401)65 years and over: 3.1% (male 16,072/female 16,944) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.8 yearsmale: 20.8 yearsfemale: 20.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.08% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:26.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 45.89 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 52.03 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 39.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 66.26 yearsmale: 63.96 yearsfemale: 68.67 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.53 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Timoreseadjective: Timorese
Ethnic groups:Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority
Religions:Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,Animist (1992 est.)
Languages:Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, Englishnote: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 58.6%male: NA%female: NA% (2002)
Government East Timor
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Lesteconventional short form: East Timorlocal long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]former: Portuguese Timor
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Diligeographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 Etime difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque
Independence:28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence fromPortugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of internationalrecognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia
National holiday:Independence Day, 28 November (1975)
Constitution:22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
Legal system:UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in placebut will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portugueselaw; these have passed and are expected to be promulgated in early2006
Suffrage:17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but isable to veto legislation, dissolve parliament, and call nationalelections; he formerly used the name Jose Alexandre GUSMAOhead of government: Prime Minister Jose RAMOS-HORTA (since 10 July2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da SILVA(since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria doARAUJO (since 10 July 2006)cabinet: Council of Ministerselections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 14 April 2002 (nextto be held in May 2007)election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percentof vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL17.3%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimumrequirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term ofoffice, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on anexceptional basiselections: (next to be held in May 2007); direct elections fornational parliament were never held; elected delegates to thenational convention adopted a constitution and named themselveslegislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptionalnumbers for this term of the national parliamentelection results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats byparty - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to beappointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by SuperiorCouncil for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,Court of Appeals is highest court
Political parties and leaders:Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier doAMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [AntonioXIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente daSilva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Frontof Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO];Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of theMountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) orKOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DASILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of EastTimor or CPD-RDTL [Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest politicalpressure group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia,led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known asL-7), also play an important role in pressuring government
International organization participation:ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ConstancioPINTOchancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: 202 966-3202FAX: 202 966-3205consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REESembassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dilimailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place,Washington, DC 20521-8250telephone: (670) 332-4684FAX: (670) 331-3206
Flag description:red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends tothe center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of theblack triangle
Economy East Timor
Economy - overview:In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of EastTimor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independencemilitias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next threeyears, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led tosubstantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the endof 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia.Non-petroleum GDP growth was held back in 2003 by extensive droughtand the gradual winding down of the international presence butrecovered somewhat in 2004. The country faces great challenges incontinuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening theinfant civil administration, and generating jobs for young peopleentering the work force. The development of oil and gas resources innearby waters has begun to supplement government revenues ahead ofschedule and above expectations - the result of high petroleumprices - but the technology-intensive industry does little to createjobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilitiesin Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parliament in June2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serveas a repository for all petroleum revenues and preserve the value ofEast Timor's petroleum wealth for future generations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$370 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$349 million
GDP - real growth rate:1.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 8.5%industry: 23.1%services: 68.4% (2001)
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: NA%industry: NA%services: NA%
Unemployment rate:50% estimated; note - unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; datado not include underemployed (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:42% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:38 (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.4% (2005)
Budget:revenues: $107.7 millionexpenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla
Industries:printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth
Industrial production growth rate:8.5%
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Exports:$10 million; note - excludes oil (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - potential for oil and vanillaexports
Exports - partners:Indonesia 100% (2005)
Imports:$202 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery
Debt - external:$0
Economic aid - recipient:$153 million (2004 est.)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications East Timor
Telephones - main lines in use:NA
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005
Internet hosts:68 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:1,000 (2004)
Transportation East Timor
Airports:8 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 5914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Heliports:9 (2006)
Roadways:total: 5,000 kmpaved: 2,500 kmunpaved: 2,500 km (2005)
Ports and terminals:Dili
Military East Timor
Military branches:East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 235,198females age 18-49: 223,069 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 179,422females age 18-49: 184,533 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 12,740females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.4 million (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues East Timor
Disputes - international:UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about1,000 peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East Timor-IndonesiaBoundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and delimit the landboundary, but several sections of the boundary especially around theOekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contestthe sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/FatuSinai, which prevents delimitation of the northern maritimeboundaries; many refugees who left East Timor in 2003 still residein Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and East Timoragreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the JointPetroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty;dispute with Australia has hampered creation of a southern maritimeboundary with Indonesia
Illicit drugs:NA
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Ecuador
Introduction Ecuador
Background:What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire untilthe Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanishcolonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of NewGranada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada(Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence by 1819and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrewin 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republicof the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories ina series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peruthat flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred bypolitical instability. Seven presidents have governed Ecuador since1996.
Geography Ecuador
Location:Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 283,560 sq kmland: 276,840 sq kmwater: 6,720 sq kmnote: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Climate:tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain:coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), andflat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources:petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)
Irrigated land:8,650 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areasof the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
People Ecuador
Population:13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551)15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766)65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 23.6 yearsmale: 23.1 yearsfemale: 24 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.5% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.11 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: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.42 yearsmale: 73.55 yearsfemale: 79.43 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:21,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,700 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Ecuadorian(s)adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups:mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanishand others 7%, black 3%
Religions:Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.5%male: 94%female: 91% (2003 est.)
Government Ecuador
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Ecuadorconventional short form: Ecuadorlocal long form: Republica del Ecuadorlocal short form: Ecuador
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Quitogeographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)
Administrative divisions:22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence:24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Constitution:10 August 1998
Legal system:based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from officeby congress effective 20 April 2005head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: the president and vice president are elected on the sameticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serveconsecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoffelection scheduled for 26 November 2006 (next to be held October2010)election results: results of the 15 October 2006 election; percentof vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ17.4%; Leon ROLDOS Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - arunoff election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA andCORREA
Legislative branch:unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PSC 25, ID 16, PRE 15, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members ofNational Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes inthe numbers of seats held by the various parties
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, newjustices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004,however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via asimple-majority resolution)
Political parties and leaders:Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National ActionInstitutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; PachakutikMovement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [LucioGUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan ManuelFUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; RoldosistParty or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social ChristianParty or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front orPS-FA [Victor GRANDA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE[Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador orFEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of IndigenousAfro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ,president]
International organization participation:CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH,NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil
Flag description:three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and redwith the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not beara coat of arms
Economy Ecuador
Economy - overview:Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accountedfor 40% of the country's export earnings and one-third of centralgovernment budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domesticimpact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economiccrisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleumprices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDPcontracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on itsexternal debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD governmentannounced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, oustedMAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived juntafailed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA tookover the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series ofstructural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoptionof the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized theeconomy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the yearsthat followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleumprices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO has reversedeconomic reforms that reduced Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleumprice swings and financial crises, allowing the central governmentgreater access to oil windfalls and disbursing surplus retirementfunds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$57.23 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$30.7 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.7% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$4,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 31.2% services: 61.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.6 million (urban) (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001)
Unemployment rate:10.7% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:41% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 32%note: data for urban households only (October 2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:42note: data are for urban households (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $8.822 billionexpenditures: planned $8.153 billion; including capital expendituresof $1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt:40.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairyproducts; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Industries:petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Industrial production growth rate:2.1% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:11.27 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:10.55 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:65 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:140 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production:493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:155,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:4.512 billion bbl (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production:50 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:50 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:9.769 billion cu m (2005)
Current account balance:$-566 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$9.224 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
Exports - partners:US 51.1%, Peru 8%, Germany 4.4%, Colombia 4.3% (2005)
Imports:$8.436 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,electricity
Imports - partners:US 22.3%, Colombia 14.9%, Venezuela 7.8%, Brazil 6%, China 5.3%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.148 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$18.09 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$216 million (2002)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000(2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Ecuador
Telephones - main lines in use:1,701,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6.246 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: generally elementary but being expandeddomestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliableinternational: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Radios:5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:2.5 million (2001)
Internet country code:.ec
Internet hosts:19,027 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):31 (2001)
Internet users:616,000 (2005)
Transportation Ecuador
Airports: 359 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 261 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products1,185 km (2006)
Railways:total: 966 kmnarrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 43,197 km paved: 7,287 km unpaved: 35,910 km (2003)
Waterways:1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWTby type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleumtanker 21, specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1)registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar
Military Ecuador
Military branches:Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard),Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month serviceobligation (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 2,792,770females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 2,338,428females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 133,922females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$650 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Ecuador
Disputes - international:organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate acrossEcuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee intoEcuador in 2004
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 8,270 (Colombia) (2005)
Illicit drugs:significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia andPeru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicitnarcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drugtraffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weakanti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northernfrontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Egypt
Introduction Egypt
Background:The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupledwith semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,allowed for the development of one of the world's greatcivilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a seriesof dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The lastnative dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn werereplaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs whointroduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and whoruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, theMamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after theconquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following thecompletion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an importantworld transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control ofEgypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the OttomanEmpire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. Thecompletion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant LakeNasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in theagriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (thelargest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence onthe Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. Thegovernment has struggled to ready the economy for the new millenniumthrough economic reform and massive investment in communications andphysical infrastructure.
Geography Egypt
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya andthe Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes theAsian Sinai Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:27 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,001,450 sq kmland: 995,450 sq kmwater: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:total: 2,665 kmborder countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,Sudan 1,273 km
Coastline:2,450 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Terrain:vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 mhighest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc
Land use: arable land: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:34,220 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,sandstorms
Environment - current issues:agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, andindustrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resourcesaway from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapidgrowth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa andremainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea linkbetween Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtapositionto Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;prone to influxes of refugees
People Egypt
Population:78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32.6% (male 13,172,641/female 12,548,346)15-64 years: 62.9% (male 25,102,754/female 24,519,698)65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,510,280/female 2,033,288) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 24 yearsmale: 23.6 yearsfemale: 24.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.75% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:22.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 31.33 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.29 yearsmale: 68.77 yearsfemale: 73.93 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:12,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:700 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Egyptian(s)adjective: Egyptian
Ethnic groups:Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek,Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%
Religions:Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages:Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educatedclasses
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 57.7%male: 68.3%female: 46.9% (2003 est.)
Government Egypt
Country name:conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egyptconventional short form: Egyptlocal long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyahlocal short form: Misrformer: United Arab Republic (with Syria)