Area:total: 960 sq kmland: 960 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and SintMaarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative:more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 15 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain:generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and arerarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius aresubject to hurricanes from July to October
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are dividedgeographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, SintEustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)group (Bonaire and Curacao)
People Netherlands Antilles
Population:221,736 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 32.8 yearsmale: 31.1 yearsfemale: 34.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.79% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.4 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: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.03 yearsmale: 73.76 yearsfemale: 78.41 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.99 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: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean
Ethnic groups:mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Religions:Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-DayAdventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, otherChristian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%(2001 census)
Languages:Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 96.7%male: 96.7%female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
Government Netherlands Antilles
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Netherlands Antilleslocal long form: nonelocal short form: Nederlandse Antillenformer: Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status:an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; fullautonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Governmentresponsible for defense and foreign affairs
Government type:parliamentary
Capital:name: Willemstad (on Curacao)geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government
Independence:none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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:29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, asamended
Legal system:based on Dutch civil law system with some English common lawinfluence
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1July 2002)head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26March 2006)cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed bythe monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime ministerby the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be heldby 2007)note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire,WIPM Saba, DP Statia
Legislative branch:unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popularvote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB2, DP St. E 1, DP St. M 1, BDP 1, WIPM 1note: the government of Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE is acoalition of several parties
Judicial branch:Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; DemocraticParty of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [NelsonPIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New AntillesMovement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat ISeguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular orPLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emilyde JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DELANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward IslandsPeople's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [SarahWESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)
International organization participation:ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSONconsulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacaomailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacaotelephone: [599] (9) 4613066FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Flag description:white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed ona vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed starsare arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; thefive stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
Economy Netherlands Antilles
Economy - overview:Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstaysof this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the pasteight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and awell-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in theregion. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the USand Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequatewater supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetaryproblems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an agingpopulation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.8 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$16,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 83,600 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:17% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $757.9 millionexpenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2004)
Agriculture - products:aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Industries:tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining(Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:1.017 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:945.8 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:72,500 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:$2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum products
Exports - partners:US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%,Bahamas, The 4.5% (2005)
Imports:$4.383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners:Venezuela 52.3%, US 21.4%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005)
Debt - external:$2.68 billion (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:$21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlandscontinued its support with $40 million (2004)
Currency (code):Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code:ANG
Exchange rates:Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79(2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Netherlands Antilles
Telephones - main lines in use:81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:200,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: generally adequate facilitiesdomestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay linksinternational: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satelliteearth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:217,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and four Venezuelan channels) (2004)
Televisions:69,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.an
Internet hosts:19,204 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):6
Internet users:2,000 (2000)
Transportation Netherlands Antilles
Airports: 5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Merchant marine:total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1,671,649 DWTby type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4,specialized tanker 3foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60,Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad
Military Netherlands Antilles
Military branches: no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005)
Military service age and obligation:16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription(2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 54,200females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 45,273females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 1,720females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US andEurope; money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@New Caledonia
Introduction New Caledonia
Background:Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. Itserved as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation forindependence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transferan increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to NewCaledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many asthree referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether NewCaledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Geography New Caledonia
Location:Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 19,060 sq kmland: 18,575 sq kmwater: 485 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:2,254 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain:coastal plains with interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use: arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:100 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Environment - current issues:erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
Geography - note:consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest inthe Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numeroussmall, sparsely populated islands and atolls
People New Caledonia
Population:219,246 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503)15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815)65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.8 yearsmale: 27.4 yearsfemale: 28.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.24% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to NewCaledonia (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.27 yearsmale: 71.29 yearsfemale: 77.39 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.28 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: New Caledonian(s)adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups:Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Religions:Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages:French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 91%male: 92%female: 90% (1976 est.)
Government New Caledonia
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependenciesconventional short form: New Caledonialocal long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependanceslocal short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Dependency status:territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Noumeageographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 Etime difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Independence:none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum onindependence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum isscheduled for 2014
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to theislands; formerly under French law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15July 2005)head of government: President of the Government Marie-NoelleTHEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosenfrom leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissionerelections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; high commissioner appointed by the French president on theadvice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of thegovernment elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for afive-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with8 votes for and 3 abstentions
Legislative branch:unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats;members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or AssembleesProvinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate;elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not laterthan September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seatsby party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the FrenchNational Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next tobe held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - UMP 2
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint CommerceTribunal Court; Children's Court
Political parties and leaders:Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; CaledonianUnion or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination desIndependantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [GuyGEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; KanakSocialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA](includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak orPALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia inthe Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; TheFuture Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pourl'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti deLiberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM[Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy New Caledonia
Economy - overview:New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, andfood accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,substantial financial support from France - equal to more thanone-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of theeconomy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combinedwith the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economicoutlook for the next several years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$3.158 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$15,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:17.1% (2004)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-0.6% (2000 est.)
Budget:revenues: $856.3 millionexpenditures: $836.5 million (1996 est.)
Agriculture - products:vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Industries:nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate:-0.6% (1996)
Electricity - production:1.581 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:1.47 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:10,000 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:$999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners:Japan 21.4%, France 16%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 10.1%, Spain 9%,China 7.2%, South Africa 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)
Imports:$1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 39%, Singapore 17.4%, Australia 13%, NZ 5.3% (2005)
Debt - external:$79 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)
Currency (code):Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:XPF
Exchange rates:Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89(2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use:55,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:134,300 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:107,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:52,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.nc
Internet hosts:13,962 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:76,000 (2005)
Transportation New Caledonia
Airports: 25 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Heliports:6 (2006)
Roadways:total: 5,432 km (2000)
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWTby type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Noumea
Military New Caledonia
Military branches:no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces(includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 50,874 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues New Caledonia
Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@New Zealand
Introduction New Zealand
Background:The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, theTreaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to QueenVictoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, theBritish began the first organized colonial settlement. A series ofland wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the nativepeoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independentdominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense allianceslapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought toaddress longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography New Zealand
Location:Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 268,680 sq kmland: 268,021 sq kmwater: NAnote: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative:about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:15,134 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources:natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,limestone
Land use: arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated land:2,850 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit byinvasive species
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is thesouthernmost national capital in the world
People New Zealand
Population:4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 21.1% (male 439,752/female 419,174)15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,374,850/female 1,361,570)65 years and over: 11.8% (male 210,365/female 270,429) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 33.9 yearsmale: 33.2 yearsfemale: 34.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.99% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:13.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.04 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.81 yearsmale: 75.82 yearsfemale: 81.93 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: New Zealander(s)adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups:European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%,other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
Religions:Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Languages:English (official), Maori (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government New Zealand
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: New Zealandabbreviation: NZ
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Wellingtongeographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 Etime difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; endsthird Sunday in Marchnote: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including ChathamIsland
Administrative divisions:16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Dependent areas:Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence:26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday:Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereigntyover New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts ofthe UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987,effective 1 January 1987
Legal system:based on English law, with special land legislation and land courtsfor the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August2006)head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on therecommendation of the prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor generalappointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, theleader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalitionis usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputyprime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament(120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-memberconstituencies including seven Maori constituencies, and 51proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-yearterms)elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not laterthan 15 November 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%,NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seatsincrease to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seatthan its entitlement under the party vote
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - Judges appointedby the Governor-General
Political parties and leaders:ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS];Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH];New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand LaborParty or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James (Jim)ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986),APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICKembassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellingtonmailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP96531-1034telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description:blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant withfour red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outerhalf of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Crossconstellation
Economy New Zealand
Economy - overview:Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealandfrom an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British marketaccess to a more industrialized, free market economy that cancompete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (butleft behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened anddeepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector,and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risenfor six consecutive years and was more than $24,000 in 2005 inpurchasing power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily dependent ontrade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth.Exports are equal to about 22% of GDP. Thus far the economy has beenresilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures onhealth, education, and pensions will increase proportionately tooutput.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$102 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$94.6 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$25,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.3% industry: 27.3% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 2.13 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 25% services: 65% (1995)
Unemployment rate:3.7% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA (1991 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:36.2 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $43.1 billionexpenditures: $37.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:21.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef,lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish
Industries:food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Industrial production growth rate:-2.5% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:39.82 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:37.03 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:31,740 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:151,900 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:30,220 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:119,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:37.38 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-9.688 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$22.21 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
Exports - partners:Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK 4.7% (2005)
Imports:$24.57 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - partners:Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%, Germany 4.9% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$8.893 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$42.84 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $99.7 million
Currency (code):New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:NZD
Exchange rates:New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004),1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications New Zealand
Telephones - main lines in use:1,800,500 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3.53 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent domestic and international systemsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia andFiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7other
Radio broadcast stations:AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:3.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:1.926 million (1997)
Internet country code:.nz
Internet hosts:1,050,197 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):36 (2000)
Internet users:3.2 million (2005)
Transportation New Zealand
Airports: 118 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 40 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas 45 km; oil280 km; refined products 288 km (2006)
Railways:total: 4,128 kmnarrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 92,662 kmpaved: 59,109 km (including 169 km of expressways)unpaved: 33,553 km (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972 DWTby type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleumtanker 2, roll on/roll off 2foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 2, Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, CookIslands 1, Dominica 4, France 1, UK 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei
Military New Zealand
Military branches:New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal NewZealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot bedeployed until the age of 18 (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 984,700females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 809,519females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 29,738females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.147 billion (FY03/04)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1% (FY02)
Transnational Issues New Zealand
Disputes - international: asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) [see Antarctica]
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Nicaragua
Introduction Nicaragua
Background:The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony fromPanama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain wasdeclared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region insubsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulationand corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in ashort-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillasto power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvadorcaused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas throughmuch of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw theSandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return offormer Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua'sinfrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war andby Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.
Geography Nicaragua
Location:Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the NorthPacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:13 00 N, 85 00 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 129,494 sq kmland: 120,254 sq kmwater: 9,240 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than the state of New York
Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline: 910 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation
Climate:tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain:extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interiormountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources:gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use: arable land: 14.81% permanent crops: 1.82% other: 83.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:610 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremelysusceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwaterbody in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
People Nicaragua
Population:5,570,129 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,031,897/female 994,633)15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,677,633/female 1,691,353)65 years and over: 3.1% (male 76,758/female 97,855) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.9 yearsmale: 20.5 yearsfemale: 21.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.89% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:24.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 28.11 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 31.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 24.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 70.63 yearsmale: 68.55 yearsfemale: 72.81 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2003 est.)