Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Rigageographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: AizkrauklesRajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, KraslavasRajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, TalsuRajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,Ventspils Rajons
Independence:21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 isthe date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution:15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental HumanRights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplementedthe constitution
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Executive branch:chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister andappointed by the Parliamentelections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term(no term limits); election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be heldby June 2007); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected bydirect, popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held October 2010)election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party -TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders:First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in aUnited Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For theFatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement orTB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];Latvian Green Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS,Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [AugustsBRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (SocialDemocrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP[Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democratsor JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People'sHarmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [AtisSLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
International organization participation:Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (newmember), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent),ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINSchancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD BAILEYembassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE09723telephone: [371] 703-6200FAX: [371] 782-0047
Flag description:three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), andmaroon
Economy Latvia
Economy - overview:Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russianfinancial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringencyand a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority ofcompanies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although thestate still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latviaofficially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EUmembership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The currentaccount deficit - 11.5% of GDP in 2005 - remains a major concern. Agrowing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicitactivity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$31.46 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$14.43 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:10.2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$13,700 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 26.1% services: 69.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 1.11 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 15% industry: 25% services: 60% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:7.5% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:Below $2.15 per day (PPP): 3%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.1% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:35 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6.8% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.673 billionexpenditures: $5.889 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:10.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;fish
Industries:buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers,agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Industrial production growth rate:5.6% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:3.97 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:5.839 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:38 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:2.7 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:47,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:47,000 bbl/day (2004)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m NA (2003)
Natural gas - consumption:1.76 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.76 billion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:$-1.959 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,foodstuffs
Exports - partners:Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%, Russia 7.9%,Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3% (2005)
Imports:$8.19 billion f.o.b. (2005)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners:Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.6%, Estonia 7.9%, Poland6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden 5.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.361 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$10.8 billion (1 January 2006)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.2 billion (2004-06)
Currency (code):Latvian lat (LVL)
Currency code:LVL
Exchange rates:lati per US dollar - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003),0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Latvia
Telephones - main lines in use:731,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.872 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competitionto the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the number offixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expandsdomestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,the incumbent monopolyinternational: country code - 371; the Latvian network is nowconnected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:1.76 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.22 million (1997)
Internet country code:.lv
Internet hosts:65,858 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):41 (2001)
Internet users:1.03 million (2005)
Transportation Latvia
Airports: 46 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)
Railways:total: 2,303 kmbroad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 69,919 km paved: 69,919 km (2003)
Waterways:300 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136 DWTby type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica 1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands 7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincentand the Grenadines 18) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Riga, Ventspils
Military Latvia
Military branches:Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force,Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 19-49: 517,713females age 19-49: 519,631 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 19-49: 361,098females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 19,137females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Latvia
Disputes - international:Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvianinsistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencingSoviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demandsbetter Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; the Latvianparliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty withLithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; asa member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latviamust implement the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central andSouthwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin Americancocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; despiteimproved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascentenforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation ofoffshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, andprostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Lebanon
Introduction Lebanon
Background:Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire byAnglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over thisterritory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. Francegranted this area independence in 1943. A 15-year civil war(1976-1991) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since madeprogress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under theTa'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - theLebanese established a more equitable political system, particularlyby giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process whileinstitutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since theend of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections,most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces(LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country.Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US StateDepartment as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons.During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'ifAccord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainlyeast of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justified itscontinued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requestsand the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of theconstitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal fromsouthern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanesegroups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passageof UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syriato withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebaneseaffairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria'spresence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime MinisterRafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massivedemonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the CedarRevolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its militaryforces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon heldits first legislative elections since the end of the civil war freeof foreign interference, handing a two-thirds majority to the blocled by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son.
Geography Lebanon
Location:Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel andSyria
Geographic coordinates:33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 10,400 sq kmland: 10,230 sq kmwater: 170 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline:225 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain:narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon andAnti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural resources:limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficitregion, arable land
Land use:arable land: 16.35%permanent crops: 13.75%other: 69.9% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,040 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution inBeirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, HazardousWastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine LifeConservation
Geography - note:Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing aninternational boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,clan, and ethnicity
People Lebanon
Population:3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372)15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540)65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.8 yearsmale: 26.7 yearsfemale: 28.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.23% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.21 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: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.88 yearsmale: 70.41 yearsfemale: 75.48 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab butrather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to becalled Phoenicians
Religions:Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, SyrianOrthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),other 1.3%note: 17 religious sects recognized
Languages:Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 87.4%male: 93.1%female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
Government Lebanon
Country name:conventional long form: Lebanese Republicconventional short form: Lebanonlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyahlocal short form: Lubnanformer: Greater Lebanon
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Beirutgeographic coordinates: 33 53 N, 35 30 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar,Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban,Nabatiye
Independence:22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under Frenchadministration)
National holiday:Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution:23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter ofLebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Legal system:mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women atage 21 with elementary education
Executive branch:chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe president and members of the National Assemblyelections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-yearterm (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-yearextension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; theprime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the presidentin consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, thepresident is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a SunniMuslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslimelection results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD electedpresident; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,10 abstentions
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) orAssemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popularvote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to servefour-year terms)elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005(next to be held 2009)election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group -Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development andResistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free PatrioticMovement 14; Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; Popular Bloc 4;Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National Socialist Party 2;Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Democratic RenewalMovement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; Ba'thParty 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 5
Judicial branch:four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercialcases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council(called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and primeminister as needed)
Political parties and leaders:Ba'th Party; Democratic Gathering [Walid JUMBLATT]; Democratic Left[Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD];Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, Amal Movementleader/Speaker of the National Assembly]; Free Patriotic Movement[Michel AWN]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party[Karim PAKRADONI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYAL]; LebaneseForces [Samir JA'JA]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD];Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD];National Bloc [Carlos EDDE]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; QornetShewan Gathering [a grouping with no individual leader]; SyrianNational Socialist Party [Ali QANSU]; Tachnaq Party; TripoliIndependent Bloc [a grouping with no individual leader]
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136
Flag description:three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle,double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered inthe white band
Economy Lebanon
Economy - overview:The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economicinfrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but endedLebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Inthe years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physicaland financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly fromdomestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning nationaldebt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program,reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection,and privatizing state enterprises. In November 2002, the governmentmet with international donors at the Paris II conference to seekbilateral assistance in restructuring its massive domestic debt atlower interest rates. Substantial receipts from donor nationsstabilized government finances in 2003, but did little to reduce thedebt, which stands at nearly 170% of GDP. In 2004 the HARIRIgovernment issued Eurobonds in an effort to manage maturing debt.The downturn in economic activity that followed the assassination ofRafiq al-HARIRI has eased, but has yet to be reversed. Tourismremains below the level of 2004. The new Prime Minister, FuadSINIORA, has pledged to push ahead with economic reform, includingprivatization and more efficient government. The Core Group ofnations has announced plans to hold a Donor's Conference in early2006 to assist the government of Lebanon in restructuring its debtand increasing foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$22.78 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$20.7 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$6,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 12%industry: 21%services: 67% (2000)
Labor force:2.6 millionnote: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers(2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: NA%industry: NA%services: NA%
Unemployment rate:18% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.4% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):18.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.953 billionexpenditures: $6.595 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:180.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,tobacco; sheep, goats
Industries:banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles,mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oilrefining, metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:10.67 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:10.67 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:750 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:102,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-4.239 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$1.782 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumergoods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric powermachinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
Exports - partners:Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia6% (2005)
Imports:$8.855 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat andlive animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco
Imports - partners:Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.5%, China 5.4%, US5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$16.62 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$26 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft loanspledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference
Currency (code):Lebanese pound (LBP)
Currency code:LBP
Exchange rates:Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004),1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Lebanon
Telephones - main lines in use:990,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:990,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,severely damaged during the civil war, now completedomestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;political instability hampers privatization and deployment of newtechnologiesinternational: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:2.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.18 million (1997)
Internet country code:.lb
Internet hosts:3,307 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):22 (2000)
Internet users:700,000 (2005)
Transportation Lebanon
Airports: 7 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 2914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 43 km (2006)
Railways:total: 401 kmstandard gauge: 319 km 1.435 mnarrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 mnote: rail system became unusable because of damage done duringfighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
Roadways:total: 7,300 kmpaved: 6,198 kmunpaved: 1,102 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWTby type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10,refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, NorthKorea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincentand the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2)(2006)
Ports and terminals:Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli
Military Lebanon
Military branches:Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force
Military service age and obligation:18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 974,363females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 821,762females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$540.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Lebanon
Disputes - international:Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupiedGolan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon(UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 404,170 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2005)
Illicit drugs:cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of LatinAmerican cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on wayto European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Lesotho
Introduction Lesotho
Background:Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independencefrom the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the firsttwo decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned toLesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional governmentwas restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998,violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentiouselection prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South Africanand Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the SouthernAfrican Development Community. Constitutional reforms have sincerestored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections wereheld in 2002.
Geography Lesotho
Location:Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 30,355 sq kmland: 30,355 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 mhighest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,building stone
Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results inovergrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, andredirects water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
People Lesotho
Population:2,022,331note: 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: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.3 yearsmale: 19.7 yearsfemale: 21 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.46% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.68 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 34.4 yearsmale: 35.55 yearsfemale: 33.21 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:28.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:320,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:29,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups:Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions:Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages:Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84.8%male: 74.5%female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Government Lesotho
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesothoconventional short form: Lesotholocal long form: Kingdom of Lesotholocal short form: Lesothoformer: Basutoland
Government type:parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Maserugeographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence:4 October 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution:2 April 1993
Legal system:based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review oflegislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 toFebruary 1995, while his father was in exilehead of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May1998)cabinet: Cabinetelections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of themajority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch isa "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislativepowers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power todepose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession,or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is notof mature age
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 byproportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-yearterms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120in the May 2002 electionelections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Judicial branch:High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on theadvice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders:Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE];Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; BasothoNational Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; KopanangBasotho Party or KPB [MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD[Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Partyor LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [KeleboneMAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; MarematlouFreedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party orNIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [ChiefPeete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [LekhethoRAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; SocialDemocratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United Democratic Partyor UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara SEKAUTU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKIchancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRYembassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesothotelephone: [266] 22 312666FAX: [266] 22 310116
Flag description:three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in theproportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, andprosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a blackBasotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag wasunfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
Economy Lesotho
Economy - overview:Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittancesfrom miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from theSouthern Africa Customs Union for the majority of governmentrevenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its taxsystem to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a majorhydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water toSouth Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the numberof mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, asmall manufacturing base has developed based on farm products thatsupport the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as wellas a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grownsignificantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the tradebenefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. Theeconomy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,especially livestock, although drought has decreased agriculturalactivity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of incomeremains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim PovertyReduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$5.008 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$1.362 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,500 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.3% industry: 44.3% services: 39.4% (2005 est.)
Labor force:838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistenceagriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work inSouth Africaindustry and services: 14%
Unemployment rate:45% (2002)
Population below poverty line:49% (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:63.2 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.7% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):29.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $738.5 millionexpenditures: $792.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA(2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:15.5% (1999)
Electricity - production:350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)
Electricity - consumption:363.5 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:38 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,400 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-92 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$602.8 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool andmohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:Hong Kong 43.6%, China 35.4%, Germany 8.4% (2005)
Imports:$1.166 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleumproducts (2000)
Imports - partners:US 84%, Belgium 12.8%, Canada 2.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$573 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$735 million (2002)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient:$41.5 million (2000)
Currency (code):loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:LSL; ZAR
Exchange rates:maloti per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:48,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:245,100 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: rudimentary systemdomestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, asmall microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephonecommunication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growinginternational: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:NA (2002)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2000)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.ls
Internet hosts:168 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:43,000 (2005)
Transportation Lesotho
Airports: 28 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 25914 to 1,523 m: 4under 914 m: 21 (2006)
Roadways:total: 5,940 kmpaved: 1,087 kmunpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Military Lesotho
Military branches:Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 428,982females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 180,797females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$41.1 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.1% (2005 est.)
Military - note:the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the futurestructure, size, and role of the armed forces, especiallyconsidering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of interveningin political affairs
Transnational Issues Lesotho
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Liberia
Introduction Liberia
Background:Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberiabegan in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establisha republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much topromote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, andpolitical gaps between the descendents of the original settlers andthe inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led bySamuel DOE assassinated President William TOLBERT (1971-80) andushered in a decade of authoritarian rule followed by a prolongedcivil war, in which DOE himself was killed. In August 2003, acomprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of intermittentfighting and prompted the resignation of former president CharlesTAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by atransitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 broughtPresident Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia(UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country,completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004,but the security situation is still volatile and the process ofrebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torncountry remains sluggish.
Geography Liberia
Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Coted'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 111,370 sq kmland: 96,320 sq kmwater: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,585 kmborder countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone306 km
Coastline:579 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to coldnights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau andlow mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:30 sq km (2003)