Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497
Flag description:green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, blackborder between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white borderbetween the yellow and the green
Economy Guyana
Economy - overview:The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a morefavorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realisticexchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support ofinternational organizations. Growth slowed in 2003 and came backgradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings; itslowed again in 2005. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilledlabor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling asizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded publicinvestment. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the nearterm from restructuring and partial privatization. Export earningsfrom agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the importbill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entranceinto the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006might broaden the country's export market, primarily in the rawmaterials sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.439 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$782 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$4,500 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37% industry: 20.3% services: 42.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 418,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:9.1% (understated) (2000)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6.9% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):34.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $320.1 millionexpenditures: $362.6 million; including capital expenditures of$93.4 million (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp
Industries:bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:779 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:724.5 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,300 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-112 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$587.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners:Canada 18.9%, US 18.9%, UK 11.7%, Portugal 8.1%, Jamaica 5.3%,Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2005)
Imports:$681.6 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners:US 26.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.9%, Cuba 6.6%, UK 5%, China 4.1%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$261 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)$253 million (1997)
Currency (code):Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Currency code:GYD
Exchange rates:Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004),193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use:110,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:281,400 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system for long-distance servicedomestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk linesinternational: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:420,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Televisions:46,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gy
Internet hosts:1,046 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:160,000 (2005)
Transportation Guyana
Airports:90 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 91,524 to 2,437 m: 3under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 811,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 65 (2006)
Railways:total: 187 kmstandard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gaugenote: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
Roadways:total: 7,970 kmpaved: 590 kmunpaved: 7,380 km (1999)
Waterways:Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoingvessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,461 GRT/15,155 DWTby type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1)registered in other countries: 4 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines3, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Georgetown
Military Guyana
Military branches:Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps (2006)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$6.48 million (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Guyana
Disputes - international:all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed byVenezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyanahas expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claimsbefore UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary withVenezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle ofland between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic disputeover the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitrationunder provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis ofthe territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarilyVenezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising moneylaundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Haiti
Introduction Haiti
Background:The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island ofHispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - werevirtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In theearly 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of theisland, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based onforestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiestin the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of Africanslaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18thcentury, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under ToussaintL'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the firstblack republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorestcountry in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued bypolitical violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellionled to the departure of President Jean-Betrand ARISTIDE in February2004, an interim government took office to organize new electionsunder the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission inHaiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays haveprompted repeated postponements, and Haiti missed theconstitutionally-mandated presidential inauguration date of 7February 2006.
Geography Haiti
Location:Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, betweenthe Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of theDominican Republic
Geographic coordinates:19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 27,750 sq kmland: 27,560 sq kmwater: 190 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Climate:tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain:mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources:bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 28.11%permanent crops: 11.53%other: 60.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:920 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severestorms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land isbeing cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
Geography - note:shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (westernone-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
People Haiti
Population:8,308,504note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.4% (male 1,770,523/female 1,749,853)15-64 years: 54.2% (male 2,201,957/female 2,301,886)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 125,298/female 158,987) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.2 yearsmale: 17.8 yearsfemale: 18.6 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.3% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:36.44 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 71.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 78.01 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 65.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 53.23 yearsmale: 51.89 yearsfemale: 54.6 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:280,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:24,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups:black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Languages:French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 52.9%male: 54.8%female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Government Haiti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayitilocal short form: Haiti/Ayiti
Government type:elected government
Capital:name: Port-au-Princegeographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud,Sud-Est
Independence:1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution:approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articlesreinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in amilitary coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, militarygovernment claimed to be observing the constitution; returned toconstitutional rule in October 1994; constitution remainstechnically in force but has not been observed since Aristide'sdeparture in 2004
Legal system:based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since 30May 2006)cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by thepresident, ratified by the National Assemblyelection results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote -Rene PREVAL 51%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of theSenate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidatein each department receiving the most votes in the last electionserves six years, the candidate with the second most votes servesfour years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves twoyearselections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006, run-off elections to bedetermined (next regular election, for one third of seats, to beheld in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006,run-off elections to be determined (next regular election to be heldin 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - L'ESPWA 11, OPL 4, FL 3, FUSION 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, ALYANS1, PONT 1, 3 seats subject to run-off election; Chamber of Deputies- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 19, FUSION15, ALYANS 10, OPL 8, FL 6, UNCRH 6, MPH 4, RDNP 4, LAAA 3,KONBA 3,FRN 1, MOCHRENHA 1, MRN 1, Tet-Ansanm 1, MIRN 1, JPDN 1, UNITE 1,PLH 1, 13 seats subject to run-off election
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly ofProgressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Conventionfor Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action toBuild Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance orALYANS (coalition composed of KID and PPRH) [Evans PAUL]; Effort andSolidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [JosephJASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope orL'ESPWA (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizationsGrand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants'Group, and Kombit Sudest) [Rene PREVAL]; Grand Center Right Frontcoalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert de RONCERAY];Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY andMarie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement orMODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together orTet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Independent Movement for NationalReconciliation or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace andNational Development or JPDN [Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL[Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL];Merging of Haitian Social Democratic Parties or FUSION or FPSDH(merged Ayiti Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, andNational Congress of Democratic Movements) [Serge GILLES];Mobilization for Haiti's Development or MPH [Samir MOURRA];Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY];Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean Henold BUTEAU];Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [MarcBAZIN]; National Christian Union for the Reconstruction of Haiti orUNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National Front for the Reconstructionof Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New Christian Movement for a NewHaiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party or PLB [AnesLUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [ClaudeROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL[Edgard LEBLANC]; Union for Haiti or UPH (coalition of MIDH and FL)[Marc BAZIN]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians or UNITE[Edouard FRANCISQUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [FignoleST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation ofWorkers Trade Unions or FOS; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, orKOREGA; Group of 184 Civil Society Organizations, or G-184 [AndyAPAID]; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movementor MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations GatheringPower or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH (as of October 2005) chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0200 FAX: [509] 223-9038
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centeredwhite rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm treeflanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the mottoL'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of thepopulation lives in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitiansdepend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale subsistencefarming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent naturaldisasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation.The economy grew 1.5% in 2005, the highest growth rate since 1999.Haiti suffers from rampant inflation, a lack of investment, and asevere trade deficit. In early 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to theWorld Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Thegovernment is reliant on formal international economic assistancefor fiscal sustainability. Remittances are the primary source offoreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP in 2005.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$13.97 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$4.321 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,700 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 20% services: 52% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 9% services: 25%
Unemployment rate:widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirdsof the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):15.7% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $400 millionexpenditures: $600.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Industries:sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assemblyindustries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:546 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:507.8 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$23 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$390.7 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes
Exports - partners:US 80.8%, Dominican Republic 6.9%, Canada 4% (2005)
Imports:$1.471 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,raw materials
Imports - partners:US 49.3%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Colombia 3.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$100 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$1.313 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$153 million (FY05 est.)
Currency (code):gourde (HTG)
Currency code:HTG
Exchange rates:gourdes per US dollar - 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004), 42.367(2003), 29.251 (2002), 24.429 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:140,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:400,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios:415,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Televisions:38,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ht
Internet hosts:6 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:500,000 (2005)
Transportation Haiti
Airports:12 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 8914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Roadways:total: 4,160 kmpaved: 1,011 kmunpaved: 3,149 km (1999)
Ports and terminals:Cap-Haitien
Military Haiti
Military branches:the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force- have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they areconstitutionally abolished
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force(2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,626,491females age 18-49: 1,637,657 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 948,320females age 18-49: 931,972 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 98,554females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$25.96 million (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Haiti
Disputes - international:since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN StabilizationMission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despiteefforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economicprivation and civil unrest continue to cross into the DominicanRepublic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claimsUS-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs:Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US andEurope; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcoticstraffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions;pervasive corruption
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Background:These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferredfrom the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of sealand bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.
Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Location:islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way fromMadagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 412 sq kmland: 412 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:101.9 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated bya large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island
Environment - current issues:NA
People Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)
Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonaldIslandsconventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islandsabbreviation: HIMI
Dependency status:territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by theAustralian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environmentand Heritage
Legal system:the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:the flag of Australia is used
Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Economy - overview:No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Governmentallows limited fishing around the islands.
Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Internet country code: .hm
Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conductsfisheries patrols
Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Holy See (Vatican City)
Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)
Background:Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsulafor more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when manyof the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom ofItaly. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed whenRome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,which established the independent state of Vatican City and grantedRoman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordatbetween the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earliertreaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as theItalian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See includereligious freedom, international development, the Middle East,terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and theapplication of church doctrine in an era of rapid change andglobalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholicfaith.
Geography Holy See (Vatican City)
Location:Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates:41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 0.44 sq kmland: 0.44 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, drysummers (May to September)
Terrain:urban; low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: none of the selected agreementssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note:landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyondthe territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Romeand five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at CastelGandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)
People Holy See (Vatican City)
Population:932 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: noneadjective: none
Ethnic groups:Italians, Swiss, other
Religions:Roman Catholic
Languages:Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Government Holy See (Vatican City)
Country name:conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Government type:ecclesiastical
Capital:name: Vatican Citygeographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 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:none
Independence:11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signedwith Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, thefull sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorialextent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over theyears have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the8th century
National holiday:Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
Constitution:new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Lawof 1929)
Legal system:based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Suffrage:limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE(since 15 September 2006)cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the popeelections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death ofthe current pope); secretary of state appointed by the popeelection results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI
Legislative branch:unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch:there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminalmatters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issuespertaining to the Holy Seenote: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of PopePIUS XII on 1 May 1946
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation:CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,WToO (observer), WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Flag description:two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the armsof the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Petersurmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the whiteband
Economy Holy See (Vatican City)
Economy - overview:This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by anannual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout theworld (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps,coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission tomuseums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and realestate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. Theincomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to thoseof counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$NA
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:note: essentially services with a small amount of industry;dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers liveoutside the Vatican
Population below poverty line:NA%
Budget:revenues: $245.2 millionexpenditures: $260.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2002)
Industries:printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a smallamount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking andfinancial activities
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh
Electricity - imports:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Economic aid - recipient:$0
Currency (code):euro (EUR)
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 Holy See (Vatican City)
Telephones - main lines in use:5,120 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: automatic digital exchangedomestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia networkinternational: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (2005)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.va
Internet hosts:45 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:93 (2000)
Military Holy See (Vatican City)
Military branches:Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limitedsecurity duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard
Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Honduras
Introduction Honduras
Background:Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras becamean independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades ofmostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came topower in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven foranti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Governmentand an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftistguerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billionin damage.
Geography Honduras
Location:Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala andNicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 112,090 sq kmland: 111,890 sq kmwater: 200 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,520 kmborder countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua922 km
Coastline:820 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
Climate:subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain:mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources:timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9.53% permanent crops: 3.21% other: 87.26% (2005)
Irrigated land:800 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible todamaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast
Environment - current issues:urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging andthe clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further landdegradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled developmentand improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largestsource of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, withheavy metals
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
People Honduras
Population:7,326,496note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816)15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 19.5 yearsmale: 19.1 yearsfemale: 19.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.16% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:28.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.39 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 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.33 yearsmale: 67.75 yearsfemale: 70.98 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:63,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:4,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Honduran(s)adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups:mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black2%, white 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
Languages:Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 76.2%male: 76.1%female: 76.3% (2003 est.)
Government Honduras
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Hondurasconventional short form: Honduraslocal long form: Republica de Honduraslocal short form: Honduras
Government type:democratic constitutional republic
Capital:name: Tegucigalpageographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 Wtime difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; endsfirst Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in2007
Administrative divisions:18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, FranciscoMorazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995
Legal system:rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence ofEnglish common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoningNapoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President(vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and headof governmenthead of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third VicePresident (vacant)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president -49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;members are elected proportionally to the number of votes theirparty's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges areelected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Saul ESCOBAR Andrade];Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party orPL [Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU[Olban F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [GilbertoGOLDSTEIN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee ofPopular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; NationalAssociation of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union ofCampesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation ofHonduran Workers or CUTH
International organization participation:BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114 FAX: [504] 236-9037
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue withfive blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered inthe white band; the stars represent the members of the formerFederal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of ElSalvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the wordsREPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the whiteband; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features atriangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top andAMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy Honduras
Economy - overview:Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemispherewith an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massiveunemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-CentralAmerica Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under theHeavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country hasmet most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMFPoverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February2004. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largesttrading partner, on continued exports of non-traditionalagricultural products (such as melons, chiles, tilapia, and shrimp),and on reduction of the high crime rate.