Currency (code):Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Currency code:TZS
Exchange rates:Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33(2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002), 876.41 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Tanzania
Telephones - main lines in use:148,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.942 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and beingmodernized for better service; very small aperture terminal (VSAT)system under constructiondomestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radiorelay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links beingmade digitalinternational: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:8.8 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (1999)
Televisions:103,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tz
Internet hosts:8,609 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):6 (2000)
Internet users:333,000 (2005)
Transportation Tanzania
Airports: 124 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 113 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 33 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 872 km (2006)
Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 78,891 km paved: 6,808 km unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)
Waterways:Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues ofcommerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 24,801 GRT/31,507 DWTby type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4registered in other countries: 2 (Honduras 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City
Military Tanzania
Military branches:Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing, AirDefense Command (includes air wing), National Service
Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$21.2 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.2% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Tanzania
Disputes - international:disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 443,706 (Burundi) 153,474 (DemocraticRepublic of the Congo) 3,036 (Somalia) (2005)
Illicit drugs:growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asianheroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound forsouthern Africa; money laundering remains a problem
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Thailand
Introduction Thailand
Background:A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asiancountry never to have been taken over by a European power. Abloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. Inalliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US allyfollowing the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violencein its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.
Geography Thailand
Location:Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf ofThailand, southeast of Burma
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 100 00 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 514,000 sq kmland: 511,770 sq kmwater: 2,230 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries:total: 4,863 kmborder countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,Malaysia 506 km
Coastline:3,219 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May toSeptember); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);southern isthmus always hot and humid
Terrain:central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 mhighest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Natural resources:tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
Land use: arable land: 27.54% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005)
Irrigated land:49,860 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of thewater table; droughts
Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
People Thailand
Population:64,631,595note: 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: 22% (male 7,284,068/female 6,958,632)15-64 years: 70% (male 22,331,312/female 22,880,588)65 years and over: 8% (male 2,355,190/female 2,821,805) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 31.9 yearsmale: 31.1 yearsfemale: 32.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.68% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:13.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.04 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: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.25 yearsmale: 69.95 yearsfemale: 74.68 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:570,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:58,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis Avectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,and plague are high risks in some locationsanimal contact disease: rabieswater contact disease: leptospirosisnote: at present, H5N1 avian influenza poses a minimal risk; duringoutbreaks among birds, rare cases could occur among US personnel whohave close contact with infected birds or poultry (2005)
Nationality:noun: Thai (singular and plural)adjective: Thai
Ethnic groups:Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
Religions:Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000census)
Languages:Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic andregional dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.6%male: 94.9%female: 90.5% (2002)
Government Thailand
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailandconventional short form: Thailandlocal long form: Ratcha Anachak Thailocal short form: Prathet Thaiformer: Siam
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Bangkokgeographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 Etime difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, AngThong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, KamphaengPhet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, MahaSarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, RoiEt, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, SamutSongkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, UbonRatchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon
Independence:1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
National holiday:Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)
Constitution:constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogatedon 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promulgated on1 October 2006; junta has promised new constitution by October 2007
Legal system:based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)head of government: Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1October 2006); Interim Deputy Prime Ministers KHOSIT Panpiamrat(since 9 October 2006); PRIDIYATHON Thewakun (since 9 October 2006)note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat was overthrown on 19September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglincabinet: Council of Ministersnote: there is also a Privy Councilelections: none; monarch is hereditary; according to 1997constitution, prime minister was designated from among members ofHouse of Representatives; following national elections for House ofRepresentatives, leader of party that could organize a majoritycoalition usually was appointed prime minister by king
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senateor Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to servesix-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha PhuthaenRatsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); after coup in September 2006, junta appointed aninterim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate andHouse of Representatives; body has no vote on government matterselections: Senate - last held 19 April 2006; House ofRepresentatives - last held 6 February 2005; junta scheduled nextgeneral election by October 2007election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - NA; House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent ofvote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa];People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; ThaiNation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; ThaiRak Thai Party or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU,MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Virasakdi FUTRAKULchancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC20007-3681telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCEembassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330mailing address: APO AP 96546telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
Flag description:five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),white, and red
Economy Thailand
Economy - overview:With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy,and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fullyrecovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country wasone of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Boosted by increasedconsumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok haspursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners inan effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In 2004,Thailand and the US began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement. Inlate December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand andcaused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces ofKrabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. Growth slowed to 4.4% in 2005. Thedownturn can be attributed to high oil prices, weaker demand fromWestern markets, severe drought in rural regions, tsunami-relateddeclines in tourism, and lower consumer confidence. Moreover, theTHAKSIN administration's expansionist economic policies, includingplans for multi-billion-dollar mega-projects in infrastructure andsocial development, has raised concerns about fiscal discipline andthe health of financial institutions. On the positive side, the Thaieconomy performed well beginning in the third quarter of 2005.Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production- and farm output are driving these gains. In 2006, the economyshould benefit from an influx of investment and a revived tourismsector; however, a possible avian flu epidemic could significantlyharm economic prospects throughout the region.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$550.2 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$183.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.9% industry: 44.1% services: 46% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 35.36 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 49% industry: 14% services: 37% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:1.8% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:10% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:51.1 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.5% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):29% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $30.64 billionexpenditures: $31.76 billion; including capital expenditures of $5billion (2005 est.)
Public debt:47.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans
Industries:tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electricappliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture,plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largesttungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
Industrial production growth rate:9.1% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:114.7 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% nuclear: 0% other: 2.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:107.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:315 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:980 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production:230,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:851,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:583 million bbl (November 2003)
Natural gas - production:22.28 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:29.15 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:377.7 billion cu m (November 2003)
Current account balance:$-3.689 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$105.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry,automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
Exports - partners:US 15.5%, Japan 13.7%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.8%, Hong Kong 5.6%,Malaysia 5.2% (2005)
Imports:$107 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumergoods, fuels
Imports - partners:Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4.8%, Singapore4.5% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$52.07 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$52.46 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$72 million (2002)
Currency (code):baht (THB)
Currency code:THB
Exchange rates:baht per US dollar - 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003),42.96 (2002), 44.432 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Thailand
Telephones - main lines in use:7.035 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:27.379 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areaslike Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector isplanned to be complete by 2006domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned andcommercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly andoutpacing fixed linesinternational: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country forAPCN submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios:13.96 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:111 (2006)
Televisions:15.19 million (1997)
Internet country code:.th
Internet hosts:938,784 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):15 (2000)
Internet users:8.42 million (2005)
Transportation Thailand
Airports: 108 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 26 (2006)
Heliports:3 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 3,760 km; refined products 379 km (2006)
Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 57,403 km paved: 56,542 km unpaved: 861 km (2000)
Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 400 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,808,509 GRT/4,317,320 DWTby type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 145, chemical tanker 14, container21, liquefied gas 29, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleumtanker 91, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 45 (China 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway30, Singapore 6, UK 2)registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 9,Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha
Military Thailand
Military branches:Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal ThaiMarine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - two years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 21-49: 14,903,855females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 21-49: 10,396,032females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 526,276females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.775 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Thailand
Disputes - international:separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southernprovinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stemterrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced bordersurveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue oncompletion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain overseveral areas along Mekong River and Thai squatters; despitecontinuing border committee talks, significant differences remainwith Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnicrebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia andThailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers;Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory andobstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodiaby ICJ decision in 1962; ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand- to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops -resulting in Thailand sheltering about 120,000 Burmese refugees in2005; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectricdam construction on the Salween River near the border;environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned aboutChina's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on theNujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 120,814 (Burma)IDPs: 6,000 (26 December 2004 tsunami) (2005)
Illicit drugs:a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transitpoint for heroin en route to the international drug market fromBurma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area ofcannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboringcountries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradicationefforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role inmethamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumerof methamphetamine since the 1990s
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Togo
Introduction Togo
Background:French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections institutedin the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated byPresident EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) partyhas maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has comeunder fire from international organizations for human rights abusesand is plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral andmultilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partialresumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004based upon commitments by Togo to expand opportunities for politicalopposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death inFebruary 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son FaureGNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military and incontravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged bypopular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders.GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held electionsthat legitimized his succession.
Geography Togo
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin andGhana
Geographic coordinates:8 00 N, 1 10 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 56,785 sq kmland: 54,385 sq kmwater: 2,400 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
Coastline: 56 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain:gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mont Agou 986 m
Natural resources:phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
Land use: arable land: 44.2% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005)
Irrigated land:70 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north duringwinter; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and theuse of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards andhinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinctgeographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
People Togo
Population:5,548,702note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,177,141/female 1,169,321)15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,485,621/female 1,570,117)65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,870/female 86,632) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.3 yearsmale: 17.8 yearsfemale: 18.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.72% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:37.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.63 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 52.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 57.42 yearsmale: 55.41 yearsfemale: 59.49 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:110,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:10,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A, and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasisrespiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)
Nationality:noun: Togolese (singular and plural)adjective: Togolese
Ethnic groups:African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, andKabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
Religions:indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%
Languages:French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (thetwo major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelledKabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 60.9%male: 75.4%female: 46.9% (2003 est.)
Government Togo
Country name:conventional long form: Togolese Republicconventional short form: Togolocal long form: Republique togolaiselocal short form: noneformer: French Togoland
Government type:republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Capital:name: Lomegeographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 Etime difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime,Plateaux, Savanes
Independence:27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Constitution:multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of theRepublic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Legal system:French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,with reservations
Suffrage:NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005);note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeededby his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April 2005validated the successionhead of government: Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16September 2006)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and theprime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be heldNA); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent ofvote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, NicolasLAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held in 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union ofthe Forces for Change and the Action Committee for Renewal
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace andEquality or MOCEP; Rally for the Support for Development andDemocracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People orRPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress orUDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI,UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52
Flag description:five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternatingwith yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square inthe upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors ofEthiopia
Economy Togo
Economy - overview:This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on bothcommercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employmentfor 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still beimported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of exportearnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo isthe world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government'sdecade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, toimplement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment,and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly.Progress depends on follow-through on privatization, increasedopenness in government financial operations, progress towardlegislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventuallylead to a debt reduction plan.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$8.802 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$1.999 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.5% industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 1.302 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:32% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $251.3 millionexpenditures: $292.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice,millet, sorghum; livestock; fish
Industries:phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts,textiles, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:165.9 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:654.3 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:500 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:8,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-199 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$768 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa
Exports - partners:Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005)
Imports:$1.047 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
Imports - partners:France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%, Spain4.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$318 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$2 billion (2005)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $80 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47(2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Togo
Telephones - main lines in use:58,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:443,600 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwaveradio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobilecellular systemdomestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventionalsysteminternational: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:73,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tg
Internet hosts:520 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2001)
Internet users:300,000 (2005)
Transportation Togo
Airports: 9 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Railways: total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999)
Waterways:50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWTby type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Kpeme, Lome
Military Togo
Military branches:Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie(2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,102,661females age 18-49: 1,124,463 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 696,933females age 18-49: 707,821 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$29.98 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.6% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Togo
Disputes - international: in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Togo is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for children, women, and men trafficked for forced labor andsexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, andtrafficking within the country is more prevalent than internationaltrafficking; children are trafficked to work as domestic servants,produce porters, roadside sellers, agricultural laborers, and forsexual exploitation; Togolese women may be trafficked to Europe forforced labor and sexual exploitationtier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Togo is placed on the Tier 2 WatchList for failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combattrafficking over the past year, particularly in the areas ofprosecution and protection
Illicit drugs:transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; moneylaundering not a significant problem
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Tokelau
Introduction Tokelau
Background:Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding islandgroups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.
Geography Tokelau
Location:Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, aboutone-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:9 00 S, 172 00 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 10 sq kmland: 10 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:101 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain:low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues:very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing toemigration to New Zealand
Geography - note:consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a numberof reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over threemeters above sea level
People Tokelau
Population: 1,392 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.01% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:NA
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate:NA
Sex ratio:NA
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Total fertility rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Tokelauan(s)adjective: Tokelauan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian
Religions:Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; onNukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, withthe Congregational Christian Church predominant
Languages:Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Literacy:NA
Government Tokelau
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau
Dependency status:self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and NewZealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves towardfree association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum onself-governance, in February 2006, did not produce the two thirdsmajority vote necessary for changing the current political status
Government type:NA
Capital:none; each atoll has its own administrative centertime difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence:none (territory of New Zealand)
National holiday:Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereigntyover New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970
Legal system:New Zealand and local statutes
Suffrage:21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND(since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by AdministratorDavid PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotatesannually among the three Faipule (village leaders)cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku(village mayors), functions as a cabinetelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointedby the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; thehead of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and servesa one-year term
Legislative branch:unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportionalrepresentation from the three islands elected by popular vote toserve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 conferslimited legislative power on the General Fonoelections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminaljurisdiction in Tokelau
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag description:the flag of New Zealand is used
Economy Tokelau
Economy - overview:Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack ofresources greatly restrain economic development and confineagriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aidfrom New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain publicservices, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. Theprincipal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postagestamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted tofamilies from relatives in New Zealand.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.5 million (1993 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:440
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%
Budget:revenues: $430,800expenditures: $2.8 million; including capital expenditures of NA(1987 est.)
Agriculture - products:coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry,goats; fish
Industries:small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaitedcraft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Exports:$0 f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:stamps, copra, handicrafts
Exports - partners:New Zealand (2004)
Imports:$969,200 c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, building materials, fuel
Imports - partners:New Zealand (2004)
Debt - external:$0
Economic aid - recipient:about $4 million annually from New Zealand
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 April - 31 March
Communications Tokelau
Telephones - main lines in use:300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;domestic: radiotelephone service between islandsinternational: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satelliteearth stations