Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 60,625females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.4 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:11.4% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Jordan
Disputes - international:2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 1,827,877 (Palestinian Refugees(UNRWA))IDPs: 168,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2005)
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Kazakhstan
Introduction Kazakhstan
Background:Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes whomigrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united asa single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18thcentury, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizenswere encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some otherdeported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enablednon-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused manyof these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing acohesive national identity; expanding the development of thecountry's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, andmining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring statesand other foreign powers.
Geography Kazakhstan
Location:Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the UralRiver in eastern-most Europe
Geographic coordinates:48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 2,717,300 sq kmland: 2,669,800 sq kmwater: 47,500 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 12,012 kmborder countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, nowsplit into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea(1,894 km)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain:extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plainsin western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 mhighest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources:major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:arable land: 8.28%permanent crops: 0.05%other: 91.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:35,560 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment - current issues:radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defenseindustries and test ranges scattered throughout the country posehealth risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severein some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into theAral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up andleaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and naturalsalts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blowninto noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soilpollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination frompoor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territoryenclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan andRussia extended the lease to 2050
People Kazakhstan
Population:15,233,244 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 23% (male 1,792,685/female 1,717,294)15-64 years: 68.8% (male 5,122,027/female 5,357,819)65 years and over: 8.2% (male 438,541/female 804,878) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 28.8 yearsmale: 27.2 yearsfemale: 30.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.33% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 32.88 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 23.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 66.89 yearsmale: 61.56 yearsfemale: 72.52 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:16,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Kazakhstani(s)adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups:Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)
Religions:Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages:Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used ineveryday business, designated the "language of interethniccommunication") 95% (2001 est.)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.4%male: 99.1%female: 97.7% (1999 est.)
Government Kazakhstan
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstanconventional short form: Kazakhstanlocal long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasylocal short form: Qazaqstanformer: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little poweroutside the executive branch
Capital:name: Astanageographic coordinates: 51 10 N, 71 30 Etime difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: Kazakhstan is divided into three time zones
Administrative divisions:14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, BatysQazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, ShyghysQazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)note: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers (exceptions have the administrative centername following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments ofKazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia wouldlease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing theBaykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended thelease to 2050
Independence:16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution:first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; newconstitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of theSupreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December1991)head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June2003); Deputy Prime Minister Karim MASIMOV (since 19 January 2006)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term(no term limits); election last held 4 December 2005 (next to beheld in 2012); prime minister and first deputy prime ministerappointed by the presidentelection results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 91.1%, Zharmakhan A.TUYAKBAI 6.6%, Alikhan M. BAIMENOV 1.6%note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 thatextended his term of office and expanded his presidential powers:only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismissthe government, dissolve Parliament, call referenda at hisdiscretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senatorsare appointed by the president; other members are elected by localgovernment bodies, 2 from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital ofAstana, and the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note -formerly composed of 47 seats) and the Mazhilis (77 seats; 10 out ofthe 77 Mazhilis members are elected from the winning party's lists;members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - (indirect) last held December 2005; next to beheld in 2011; Mazhilis - last held 19 September and 3 October 2004(next to be held in September 2009)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Mazhilis -percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,ASAR (All Together) 4, Aq Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1(party refused to take the seat due to criticism of the election andseat remained unoccupied), independent 18; note - most independentcandidates are affiliated with parastatal enterprises and otherpro-government institutions
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)
Political parties and leaders:Adilet (Justice) [Maksut NARIKBAYEV, co-chair, ZeynullaALSHIMBAYEV, co-chair, Bakhytbek AKHMETZHAN, co-chair, YerkinONGARBAYEV, co-chair, Tolegan SYDYKOV, co-chair] (formerlyDemocratic Party of Kazakhstan); Aq Zhol Party (Bright Path)[Alikhan BAIMENOV, chairman]; AUL (Village) [Gani KALIYEV,chairman]; Communist Party of Kazakhstan or KPK [SerikbolsynABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan[Vladislav KOSAREV, first secretary]; Otan [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV,acting chairman] (the Agrarian, Asar, and Civic parties merged withOtan); Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV, chairman]; Rukhaniyat(Spirituality) [Altynshash ZHAGANOVA, chairwoman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; For a JustKazakhstan [Bolat ABILOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV]; For Fair Elections[Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, Sabit ZHUSUPOV, Sergey DUVANOV, IbrashNUSUPBAYEV]; Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights[Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive director]; Pensioners Movement orPokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network ofInternational Monitors [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International[Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]
International organization participation:AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEVchancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAYembassy: Ak Bulak 4, Str. 23-22, Building #3, Astana 010010mailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [7] (3172) 70-21-00FAX: [7] (3172) 34-08-90
Flag description:sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sunwith 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; onthe hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold
Economy Kazakhstan
Economy - overview:Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics interritory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reservesand plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also has alarge agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction andprocessing of these natural resources and also on a growingmachine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. Thebreakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand forKazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in ashort-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annualdecline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the governmentprogram of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting ina substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstanenjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - 9% or more per year in2002-05 - thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also toeconomic reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The openingof the Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from westernKazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raisedexport capacity. Kazakhstan also has begun work on an ambitiouscooperative construction effort with China to build an oil pipelinethat will extend from the country's Caspian coast eastward to theChinese border. The country has embarked upon an industrial policydesigned to diversify the economy away from overdependence on theoil sector by developing light industry. The policy aims to reducethe influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel. Thegovernment has engaged in several disputes with foreign oilcompanies over the terms of production agreements; tensionscontinue. Upward pressure on the local currency continued in 2005due to massive oil-related foreign-exchange inflows.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$125.3 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$47.39 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:9.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 38.6% services: 54.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 7.85 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 30% services: 50% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.1% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:19% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:31.5 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7.6% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):26.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $12.19 billionexpenditures: $12.44 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:10.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock
Industries:oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:4.6% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:60.33 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:52.55 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:6 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:2.45 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:1.3 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:221,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:890,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:47,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - proved reserves:26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)
Natural gas - production:18.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:15.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:4.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:NA cu m
Natural gas - proved reserves:3 trillion cu m (1 January 2004)
Current account balance:$-485.7 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$30.09 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)
Exports - partners:Bermuda 12.5%, Russia 11.1%, Germany 10.7%, China 10%, Italy 7.9%,France 7.7%, Romania 4.5%, US 4% (2005)
Imports:$17.51 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%(2001)
Imports - partners:Russia 35.9%, China 21.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$7.07 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$41.66 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004)
Currency (code):tenge (KZT)
Currency code:KZT
Exchange rates:tenge per US dollar - 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003),153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Kazakhstan
Telephones - main lines in use:2.5 million (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4.955 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquateddomestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobilecellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstaninternational: country code - 7; international traffic with otherformer Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwaveradio relay and with other countries by satellite and by theTrans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations- 2 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios:6.47 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:3.88 million (1997)
Internet country code:.kz
Internet hosts:21,187 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):10 (with their own international channels) (2001)
Internet users:400,000 (2005)
Transportation Kazakhstan
Airports: 150 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 67over 3,047 m: 92,438 to 3,047 m: 271,524 to 2,437 m: 17914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 83over 3,047 m: 52,438 to 3,047 m: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 9914 to 1,523 m: 10under 914 m: 53 (2006)
Heliports:4 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 658 km; gas 11,019 km; oil 10,338 km; refined products1,095 km (2006)
Railways:total: 13,700 kmbroad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 258,029 kmpaved: 247,347 kmunpaved: 10,682 km (2003)
Waterways:4,000 km (on the Ertis (Irtysh) (80%) and Syr Darya (Syrdariya)rivers) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,173 GRT/43,475 DWTby type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1foreign-owned: 2 (Oman 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)
Military Kazakhstan
Military branches:Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, RepublicanGuard
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - two years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,758,255females age 18-49: 3,822,845 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 2,473,529females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 173,129females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)
Transnational Issues Kazakhstan
Disputes - international:in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, andUzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitationwith Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary withTurkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistantseabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in theCaspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the watercolumn among any of the littoral states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 13,684 (Russia) (2005)
Illicit drugs:significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, aswell as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drugephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transitpoint for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest ofEurope
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@Kenya
Introduction Kenya
Background:Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA ledKenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, whenPresident Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutionalsuccession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) madeitself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal andexternal pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. Theethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from powerin elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence andfraud, but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of theKenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 followingfair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidateof the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National RainbowCoalition, defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed thepresidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruptionplatform.
Geography Kenya
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia andTanzania
Geographic coordinates:1 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 582,650 sq kmland: 569,250 sq kmwater: 13,400 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries:total: 3,477 kmborder countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Coastline:536 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain:low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;fertile plateau in west
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
Natural resources:limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite,gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,030 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successfulagricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found onMount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiographysupports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economicvalue
People Kenya
Population:34,707,817note: 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: 42.6% (male 7,454,765/female 7,322,130)15-64 years: 55.1% (male 9,631,488/female 9,508,068)65 years and over: 2.3% (male 359,354/female 432,012) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.2 yearsmale: 18.1 yearsfemale: 18.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.57% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:39.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:14.02 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2005 Kenya was host to233,778 refugees from neighboring countries, including Somalia153,627, Sudan 67,556, Ethiopia 12,595 (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.02 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 61.92 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 48.93 yearsmale: 49.78 yearsfemale: 48.07 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:6.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.2 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:150,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan
Ethnic groups:Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)1%
Religions:Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim10%, other 2%note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates forthe percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenousbeliefs vary widely
Languages:English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.1%male: 90.6%female: 79.7% (2003 est.)
Government Kenya
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kenyaconventional short form: Kenyalocal long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri y Kenyalocal short form: Kenyaformer: British East Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Nairobigeographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Independence:12 December 1963 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution:12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued withamendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001
Legal system:based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutionalamendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in1991
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002);Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largestnumber of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate mustalso win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's sevenprovinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 27December 2002 (next to be held December 2007); vice presidentappointed by the presidentelection results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 memberselected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selectedby the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2ex-officio members)elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointedby the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); HighCourt
Political parties and leaders:Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI](the governing party)
Political pressure groups and leaders:human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; NationalConvention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition ofpolitical parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [MutavaMUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; SupremeCouncil of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHEchancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (20) 537-800 FAX: [254] (20) 537-810
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; thered band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield coveringcrossed spears is superimposed at the center
Economy Kenya
Economy - overview:The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya hasbeen hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primarygoods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspendedKenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to thegovernment's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. Asevere drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which hadresumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, againhalted lending in 2001 when the government failed to instituteseveral anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rainsin 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and lowinvestment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-oldreign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidableeconomic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made inrooting out corruption and encouraging donor support. GDP grew morethan 5% in 2005.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$37.89 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$16.11 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.3% industry: 18.8% services: 65.1% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 11.85 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:40% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:44.5 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):10.3% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.715 billionexpenditures: $3.88 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:50.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairyproducts, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Industries:small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, oilrefining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair,tourism
Industrial production growth rate:4.6% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:4.342 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 17.7% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 11.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.238 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:200 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:52,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.543 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$3.173 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,cement
Exports - partners:Uganda 13.9%, UK 10.5%, US 9.5%, Netherlands 8.2%, Egypt 5.1%,Tanzania 4.7%, Pakistan 4.5% (2005)
Imports:$5.126 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motorvehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
Imports - partners:UAE 13.6%, Saudi Arabia 9.9%, US 9.8%, India 8.3%, South Africa7.9%, China 7.1%, UK 5.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.799 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$7.391 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$453 million (1997)
Currency (code):Kenyan shilling (KES)
Currency code:KES
Exchange rates:Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004),75.936 (2003), 78.749 (2002), 78.563 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Kenya
Telephones - main lines in use:281,800 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4.612 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize exceptfor service to businessdomestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business datacommonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) systeminternational: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:8 (2002)
Televisions:730,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ke
Internet hosts:13,274 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):65 (2001)
Internet users:1,054,900 (2005)
Transportation Kenya
Airports: 225 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 84 (2006)
Pipelines: refined products 894 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 63,000 km (interurban roads)paved: 7,623 kmunpaved: 55,377 kmnote: there also are 100,000 km of rural roads and 14,500 km ofurban roads for a national total of 177,500 km (2004)
Waterways:part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWTby type: passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, SaintVincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Mombasa
Military Kenya
Military branches:Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 7,303,153females age 18-49: 7,083,726 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 3,963,532females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$280.5 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.6% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Kenya
Disputes - international:Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan'snorth-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter toapproximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans whoflee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord'sResistance Army (LRA) rebels; the Kenya-Somalia border is open topastoralists and is susceptible to cross-border clan insurgencies;Kenya's administrative limits extend beyond the treaty border intothe Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 153,627 (Somalia) 12,595 (Ethiopia)67,556 (Sudan)IDPs: 360,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)(2005)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Kenya is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor andsexual exploitation; children are trafficked within the country fordomestic servitude, street vending, agricultural labor, and sexualexploitation; men, women, and girls are trafficked to the MiddleEast, other African nations, Western Europe, and North America fordomestic servitude, enslavement in massage parlors and brothels, andmanual labor; Chinese women trafficked for sexual exploitationreportedly transit Nairobi and Bangladeshis may transit Kenya forforced labor in other countriestier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kenya is placed on the Tier 2 WatchList due to a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combatsevere forms of trafficking
Illicit drugs:widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit countryfor South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indianmethaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significantpotential for money-laundering activity given the country's statusas a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relativelyhigh levels of narcotics-associated activities
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Kiribati
Introduction Kiribati
Background:The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 andcomplete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The USrelinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and LineIsland groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
Geography Kiribati
Location:Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddlingthe Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way fromHawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimedthat all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its GilbertIslands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the LineIslands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of theInternational Date Line
Geographic coordinates:1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 811 sq kmland: 811 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,Phoenix Islands
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,143 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make themvery sensitive to changes in sea level
Environment - current issues:heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavymigration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrinesand open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) inKiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru
People Kiribati
Population:105,432 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 38.6% (male 20,608/female 20,060)15-64 years: 58.1% (male 30,216/female 31,004)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,517/female 2,027) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.2 yearsmale: 19.8 yearsfemale: 20.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.24% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:30.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.26 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: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 47.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 52.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 41.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.08 yearsmale: 59.06 yearsfemale: 65.24 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.16 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: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups:Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)
Religions:Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, someSeventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church ofGod (1999)
Languages:I-Kiribati, English (official)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Kiribati
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Kiribaticonventional short form: Kiribatilocal long form: Republic of Kiribatilocal short form: Kiribatinote: pronounced keer-ree-bahssformer: Gilbert Islands
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Tarawageographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 Etime difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - inaddition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, LineIslands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 islandcouncils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence:12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution:12 July 1979
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief ofstate and head of governmenthead of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); VicePresident Teima ONORIOcabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among themembers of the House of Parliamentelections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidentialcandidates from among its members and then those candidates competein a general election; president is elected by popular vote for afour-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice presidentappointed by the presidentelection results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA9.1%
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;39 elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorneygeneral, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other; members servefour-year terms)elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the firstround on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to beheld by November 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at alllevels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban TeMauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP;National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]note: there is no tradition of formally organized political partiesin Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groupsbecause they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or partystructures
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honoraryconsulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fijiis accredited to Kiribati
Flag description:the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over ayellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontalwavy white stripes to represent the ocean
Economy Kiribati
Economy - overview:A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has fewnatural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits wereexhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra andfish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economyhas fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development isconstrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides morethan one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage ofdevelopment as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, andChina equals about 20% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchantships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribatireceives around $15 million annually for the government budget froman Australian trust fund.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$142.9 millionnote: supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources(2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$76.4 million
GDP - real growth rate:0.3% (2005)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 8.9%industry: 24.2%services: 66.8% (1998 est.)
Labor force:7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001est.)
Labor force - by occupation:2.70213%, 32%, 65.3%
Unemployment rate:2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%