Nationality:noun: Nauruan(s)adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Languages:Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), Englishwidely understood, spoken, and used for most government andcommercial purposes
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Nauru
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Nauruconventional short form: Naurulocal long form: Republic of Naurulocal short form: Nauruformer: Pleasant Island
Government type:republic
Capital:no official capital; government offices in Yaren Districttime difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence:31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UNtrusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution:29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Legal system:acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof Parliamentelections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentaryelections for president
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve three-year terms)elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than2007)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,independents 15note: the president dissolved parliament on 30 September 2004 andset new elections for 23 October 2004
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; NauruParty (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description:blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center anda large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 originaltribes of Nauru
Economy Nauru
Economy - overview:Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exportsof phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remainingsupplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities beingimported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later majorsource of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and thereplacement of income from phosphates are serious long-termproblems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphatedeposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested intrust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru'seconomic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds,the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the governmenthas frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments.In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capitalplant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the governmentand economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statisticson the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varyingwidely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$60 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$5,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force - by occupation: note: 0.1% employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
Unemployment rate:90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-3.6% (1993)
Budget:revenues: $13.5 millionexpenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:coconuts
Industries:phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:23 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:21.39 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,000 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.)
Exports:$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:phosphates
Exports - partners:South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005)
Imports:$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners:South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)
Debt - external:$33.3 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$20 million mostly from Australia
Currency (code):Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Nauru
Telephones - main lines in use:1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephonecommunication provided via Australian facilitiesdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:500 (1997)
Internet country code:.nr
Internet hosts:52 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:300 (2002)
Transportation Nauru
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)
Ports and terminals:Nauru
Military Nauru
Military branches:no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues Nauru
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Navassa Island
Introduction Navassa Island
Background:This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for itsguano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of NavassaIsland transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of theInterior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it asa unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year itbecame a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditionshave continued.
Geography Navassa Island
Location:Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of TiburonPeninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 5.4 sq kmland: 5.4 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:8 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:marine, tropical
Terrain:raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed byvertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources:guano
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Natural hazards:hurricanes
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at GuantanamoBay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to supportgoat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
People Navassa Island
Population:uninhabitednote: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island(July 2006 est.)
Government Navassa Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish andWildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the CaribbeanIslands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; inSeptember 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance ofNavassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southernside of the island; there has also been a private claim advancedagainst the island
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Navassa Island
Economy - overview:Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refugewaters.
Transportation Navassa Island
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Navassa Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Navassa Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Nepal
Introduction Nepal
Background:In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of ruleby hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system ofgovernment. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracywithin the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoistinsurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threateningto bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-firebetween the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and weresubsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoinginsurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, theking in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected primeminister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citingdissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressingthe Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisonedparty leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequentlyreleased party leaders and officially ended the state of emergencyin May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by theseven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliamentto reconvene on 28 April 2006.
Geography Nepal
Location:Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates:28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 147,181 sq kmland: 143,181 sq kmwater: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropicalsummers and mild winters in south
Terrain:Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hillregion, rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 mhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits oflignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:11,700 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and faminedepending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summermonsoons
Environment - current issues:deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agriculturalrunoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicularemissions
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:landlocked; strategic location between China and India; containseight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest andKanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on theborders with China and India respectively
People Nepal
Population:28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.3 yearsmale: 20.1 yearsfemale: 20.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.17% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:9.31 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: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 60.18 yearsmale: 60.43 yearsfemale: 59.91 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:61,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:3,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%(2001 census)note: only official Hindu state in the world
Languages:Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%,unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)note: many in government and business also speak English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 48.6%male: 62.7%female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)
Government Nepal
Country name:conventional long and short form: Nepallocal long and short form: Nepal
Government type:parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Kathmandugeographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 Etime difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DCduring Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence:1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
National holiday:Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)
Constitution:9 November 1990
Legal system:based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (since 4 June 2001)head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on therecommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime ministerselected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the politicalpartieselections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - followinglegislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader ofa majority coalition historically has been appointed prime ministerby the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members electedevery two years to serve six-year terms) and the House ofRepresentatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened inApril 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed bythe monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; theother judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation ofthe Judicial Council)
Political parties and leaders:Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [MadhavKumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati ShumsherRANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, partypresident, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana(Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, partypresident]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI,president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan ManBIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya JanaMorcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP[Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged withPeople's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002
Political pressure groups and leaders:Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also knownas PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; numerous small,left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radicalNepalese antimonarchist groups
International organization participation:AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW,SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTYembassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandumailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [977] (1) 411-1179FAX: [977] (1) 441-9963
Flag description:red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlappingright triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylizedmoon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
Economy Nepal
Economy - overview:Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in theworld with almost one-third of its population living below thepoverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providinga livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing ofagricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to adecrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal hasconsiderable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower andtourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects forforeign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,however, because of the small size of the economy, its technologicalbackwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location,its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$39.14 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$6.655 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.7% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,400 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 21% services: 41% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 10.4 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18%
Unemployment rate:42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:31% (2003-2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 39.1% (2003-2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:37.7 (FY04/05)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7.8% (October 2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.153 billionexpenditures: $1.789 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(FY05/06)
Agriculture - products:rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries:tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseedmills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:3.8% (FY04/05)
Electricity - production:2.565 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:1.85 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:111 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:241 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,980 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:11,760 bbl/day NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:$822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded bordertrade with India (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners:India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)
Imports:$2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners:India 47.5%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.1%(2005)
Debt - external:$3.34 billion (March 2005)
Economic aid - recipient:$424 million (FY00/01)
Currency (code):Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Currency code:NPR
Exchange rates:Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 71.368 (2005), 73.674 (2004),76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001)
Fiscal year:16 July - 15 July
Communications Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:448,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:248,800 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fairradiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephonenetworkdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat(Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)
Radios:840,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:130,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.np
Internet hosts:17,789 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):6 (2000)
Internet users:175,000 (2005)
Transportation Nepal
Airports: 48 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 10over 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 7under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 381,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 8under 914 m: 29 (2006)
Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 15,905 km paved: 8,573 km unpaved: 7,332 km (2003)
Military Nepal
Military branches:Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service);Nepalese Police Force
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 6,107,091females age 18-49: 5,744,989 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 4.193 millionfemales age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 308,031females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$104.9 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Nepal
Disputes - international:joint border commission continues to work on small disputedsections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricterborder regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegalcross-border activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 104,915 (Bhutan)IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forcesand Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2005)
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic andinternational drug markets; transit point for opiates from SoutheastAsia to the West
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Netherlands
Introduction Netherlands
Background:The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spainin 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaringand commercial power, with settlements and colonies around theworld. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of theNetherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed aseparate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I,but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. Amodern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a largeexporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding memberof NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in theintroduction of the euro in 1999.
Geography Netherlands
Location:Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 41,526 sq kmland: 33,883 sq kmwater: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills insoutheast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 mhighest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources:natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,arable land
Land use: arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:5,650 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:flooding
Environment - current issues:water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, andnutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution fromvehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,Whaling
Geography - note:located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas orMeuse, and Schelde)
People Netherlands
Population:16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723/female 1,354,296) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 39.4 yearsmale: 38.6 yearsfemale: 40.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.49% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:10.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.96 yearsmale: 76.39 yearsfemale: 81.67 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:19,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainlyTurks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999est.)
Religions:Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%,other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)
Languages:Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government Netherlands
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlandsconventional short form: Netherlandslocal long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlandenlocal short form: Nederland
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Amsterdamgeographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in Octobernote: The Hague (seat of government)
Administrative divisions:12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,Zuid-Holland
Dependent areas:Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countriesconclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration;however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace ofWestphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
National holiday:Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accessionto the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
Constitution:adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Legal system:civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitutiondoes not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir ApparentWILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarchhead of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005); note - PrimeMinister BALKENENDE tendered his resignation on 30 June 2006cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarchelections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following SecondChamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of amajority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by themonarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarchnote: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heirapparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabineton legislative and administrative policy
Legislative branch:bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the FirstChamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by thecountry's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the SecondChamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be heldMay 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to beheld November 2010)election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, SocialistParty 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -CDA 26.5, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party forFreedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%; seats by party- CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9,Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by themonarch)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Ernst Hirsch BALLIN]; ChristianUnion Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Lousewies VAN DERLAAN]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [WouterBOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Ton VAN DILLEN]; Party for Freedom [GeertWILDERS]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD[Pieter WINSEMIUS]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a fewminor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a mergerof Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade UnionFederation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and HighPersonnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant EmployersAssociations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinationalfirms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises
International organization participation:AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux,BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KRONERchancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Yorkconsulate(s): Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALLembassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Haguemailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similarto the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I,Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century
Economy Netherlands
Economy - overview:The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which dependsheavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrialrelations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable currentaccount surplus, and an important role as a European transportationhub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highlymechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the laborforce but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industryand for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The countrycontinues to be one of the leading European nations for attractingforeign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in2001-05, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the fouryears before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above theEU average.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$497.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$581.3 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$30,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 24.4% services: 73.6% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 7.53 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 19% services: 79% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:6.6% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:10.5% NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:30.9 (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.7% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $291.8 billionexpenditures: $303.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:52.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries:agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electricalmachinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,microelectronics, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:-1.4% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:95 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:101.6 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:3.8 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:20.8 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:94,870 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:920,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:1.418 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:2.284 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:73.13 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:50.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.756 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$39.95 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$365.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners:Germany 24.9%, Belgium 13%, France 9.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 5.7%, US4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$326.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs,clothing
Imports - partners:Germany 16.6%, Belgium 9.3%, China 8.8%, US 7.6%, UK 5.8%, France4.7%, Russia 4.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$20.54 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$1.645 trillion (30 June 2005)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Netherlands
Telephones - main lines in use:7.6 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:15.834 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: highly developed and well maintaineddomestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellulartelephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five majornetwork operators utilizing the third generation of the GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications (GSM)international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)
Radios:15.3 million (1996)
Television broadcast stations:21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:8.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:.nl
Internet hosts:8,363,158 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):52 (2000)
Internet users:10,806,328 (2004)
Transportation Netherlands
Airports: 27 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 3under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km(2006)
Railways:total: 2,808 kmstandard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 134,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 558 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,042,775 GRT/5,016,265 DWTby type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 345, chemical tanker 29, container59, liquefied gas 12, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 14, petroleumtanker 16, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 18, specializedtanker 3foreign-owned: 157 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 13,Germany 56, Ireland 10, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 7, Sweden 26,UK 19, US 13)registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 14,Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 4,Cyprus 18, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 29, Luxembourg 2,Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands Antilles 54, Norway 3,Panama 21, Philippines 19, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines 5, Singapore 2, UK 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Amsterdam, Groningen, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen,Zaanstad
Military Netherlands
Military branches:Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval AirService and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (KoninklijkeLuchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense InterserviceCommand (DICO) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 3,557,918females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 2,856,691females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 99,934females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9.408 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.6% (2004)
Transnational Issues Netherlands
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and othersynthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashishentering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financialsector vulnerable to money laundering
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
======================================================================
@Netherlands Antilles
Introduction Netherlands Antilles
Background:Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacaowas hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity(and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20thcentury with the construction of oil refineries to service the newlydiscovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin isshared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten andis part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is calledSaint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).
Geography Netherlands Antilles
Location:Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed offive islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast ofVenezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of theUS Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates:12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean