Legislative branch:a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 createda bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives(301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National ArabSocialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some ofthe more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [PresidentAli Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [ShaykhAbdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malikal-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM];Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS(observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKIembassy: Sa'awan Street, Sanaamailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaatelephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266FAX: [967] (1) 303-182
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and ofIraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription), in ahorizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flagof Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
Economy Yemen
Economy - overview:Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, has reportedmeager growth since 2000. Its economic fortunes depend mostly onoil. Oil revenues increased in 2005 due to higher prices. Yemen wason an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed tomodernize and streamline the economy, which led to substantialforeign debt relief and restructuring. However, governmentdedication to the program waned in 2001 for political reasons. Yemenis struggling to control excessive spending and rampant corruption.The people have grown increasingly upset over the economicsituation. In July 2005, a reduction in fuel subsidies sparkedriots; over 20 Yemenis were killed and hundreds were injured.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$19.36 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$14.34 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.5% industry: 47.2% services: 39.3% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 5.83 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: note: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force
Unemployment rate:35% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:45.2% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 3%highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:33.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11.8% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):14.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.616 billionexpenditures: $5.719 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:34.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairyproducts, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish
Industries:crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale productionof cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:3.848 billion kWh (2003 est.)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.827 billion kWh (2003 est.)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:80,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:370,300 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:4.37 billion bbl (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:478.6 billion cu m (2005)
Current account balance:$1.224 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$6.387 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish
Exports - partners:China 36.5%, Chile 19.2%, Thailand 12.5%, Japan 5.4%, South Korea4.4%, US 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$4.19 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:UAE 14.6%, Saudi Arabia 11.6%, China 9.1%, Kuwait 5%, India 4.5%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$6.143 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$5.347 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)
Currency (code):Yemeni rial (YER)
Currency code:YER
Exchange rates:Yemeni rials per US dollar - 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45(2003), 175.63 (2002), 168.67 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Yemen
Telephones - main lines in use:798,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have beenmade to create a national telecommunications networkdomestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephonesystemsinternational: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik(Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay toSaudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations:AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:1.05 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:470,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ye
Internet hosts:171 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:220,000 (2005)
Transportation Yemen
Airports: 46 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 16over 3,047 m: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 81,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 30over 3,047 m: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 11under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006)
Roadways:total: 71,300 kmpaved: 6,200 kmunpaved: 65,100 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,400 GRT/18,072 DWTby type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1, rollon/roll off 1registered in other countries: 9 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea2, Panama 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Aden, Nishtun
Military Yemen
Military branches:Army (includes Special Forces), Navy (includes Marines), UnifiedYemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: in May 2001, Yemen's National Defense Council abolished compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary program for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 4,058,223females age 18-49: 3,868,112 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 2,790,705females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 236,517females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$992.2 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:6.4% (2005 est.)
Military - note:a Coast Guard was established in 2002
Transnational Issues Yemen
Disputes - international:Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded toYemen by the ICJ in 1999; Saudi Arabia still maintains theconcrete-filled pipe as a security barrier along sections of theborder with Yemen in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities;Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as asecurity barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities insections of the boundary
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 63,511 (Somalia) (2005)
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Zambia
Introduction Zambia
Background:The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the[British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over bythe UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in miningspurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambiaupon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copperprices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing alegal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidateLevy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anti-corruptioncampaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of formerPresident Frederick CHILUBA and some officials of his administration.
Geography Zambia
Location:Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates:15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 752,614 sq kmland: 740,724 sq kmwater: 11,890 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 5,664 kmborder countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain:mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Zambezi river 329 mhighest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources:copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6.99% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,560 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)
Environment - current issues:air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction andrefining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriouslythreatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate watertreatment presents human health risks
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary withZimbabwe
People Zambia
Population:11,502,010note: 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: 46.3% (male 2,673,891/female 2,656,268)15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,925,910/female 2,969,324)65 years and over: 2.4% (male 117,877/female 158,740) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 16.5 yearsmale: 16.3 yearsfemale: 16.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.11% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:19.93 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: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 94.08 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 79.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 40.03 yearsmale: 39.76 yearsfemale: 40.31 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.39 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:16.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:920,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:89,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in somelocationswater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
Nationality:noun: Zambian(s)adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups:African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions:Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Englishtotal population: 80.6%male: 86.8%female: 74.8% (2003 est.)
Government Zambia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zambiaconventional short form: Zambiaformer: Northern Rhodesia
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Lusakageographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence:24 October 1964 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Constitution:24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential termlimits
Legal system:based on English common law and customary law; judicial review oflegislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof the National Assemblyelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 28 September 2006(next to be held 2011); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president; percent ofvote - Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA 29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%, Winright NGONDO 0.8%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected bypopular vote, eight members are appointed by the president, to servefive-year terms)elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP1, independents 1; seats not determined 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed bythe president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civiland criminal cases)
Political parties and leaders:Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum forDemocracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party orHP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [RogerCHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [LevyMWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development orNLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP[Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP[Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Developmentor UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [BenjaminMWILA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen M. MARTINEZ embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225
Flag description:green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side),black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge ofthe flag
Economy Zambia
Economy - overview:Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia'seconomic growth remains somewhat below the 6%-7% needed to reducepoverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned coppermines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generatedby the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper miningto return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper outputhas increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices andthe opening of new mines. The maize harvest was again good in 2005,helping boost GDP and agricultural exports. Cooperation continueswith international bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including anew lending arrangement with the IMF in the second quarter of 2004.A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia stillhas a serious problem with high public debt.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$10.63 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$5.351 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 29% services: 48.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.8 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: 6% services: 9%
Unemployment rate:50% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:86% (1993)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:52.6 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):18.3% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.688 billionexpenditures: $1.866 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:71.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers,tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), coffee; cattle,goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides
Industries:copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages,chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture
Industrial production growth rate:7.9% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:8.347 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.5% hydro: 99.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:5.345 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:130.2 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:12,250 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-420 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$1.947 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton
Exports - partners:Switzerland 28.7%, South Africa 18.6%, UK 14.4%, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo 5.4%, Tanzania 5.1%, Zimbabwe 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$1.934 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:South Africa 47.6%, UK 12.6%, Zimbabwe 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$559.8 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$4.641 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$640.6 million (2002)
Currency (code):Zambian kwacha (ZMK)
Currency code:ZMK
Exchange rates:Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9 (2004),4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002), 3,610.9 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Zambia
Telephones - main lines in use:94,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:946,600 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the bestin Sub-Saharan Africadomestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most largertowns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal(VSAT) networks are operated by private firmsinternational: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:1.2 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:9 (2002)
Televisions:277,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.zm
Internet hosts:3,227 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):5 (2001)
Internet users:231,000 (2005)
Transportation Zambia
Airports: 111 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 10over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 31,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1012,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 64under 914 m: 32 (2006)
Pipelines:oil 771 km (2006)
Railways:total: 2,173 kmnarrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gaugenote: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority(TAZARA) (2005)
Roadways:total: 91,440 kmpaved: 20,117 kmunpaved: 71,323 km (2001)
Waterways:2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapularivers) (2005)
Ports and terminals:Mpulungu
Military Zambia
Military branches:Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police,National Service
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,219,739females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,043,702females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$121.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Zambia
Disputes - international:in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana andZambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de factorecognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambiaboundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 88,842 (Angola) 66,248 (DemocraticRepublic of the Congo) 5,791 (Rwanda) (2005)
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, smallamounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa andpossibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupledwith a government commitment to combating money laundering make itan unattractive venue for money launderers
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Zimbabwe
Introduction Zimbabwe
Background:The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South AfricaCompany in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favoredwhites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared itsindependence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded morecomplete voting rights for the black African majority in the country(then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprisingfinally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has beenthe country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominatedthe country's political system since independence. His chaotic landredistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus ofwhite farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespreadshortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation,MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure hisreelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessfulin pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continuedtheir brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PFparty used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority inthe March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend theconstitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had beenabolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked onOperation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalizationprogram, which resulted in the destruction of the homes orbusinesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition,according to UN estimates.
Geography Zimbabwe
Location:Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates:20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 390,580 sq kmland: 386,670 sq kmwater: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:total: 3,066 kmborder countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain:mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld);mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 mhighest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use: arable land: 8.24% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 91.43% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,740 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary withZambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls onthe river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water
People Zimbabwe
Population:12,236,805note: 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: 37.4% (male 2,307,170/female 2,265,298)15-64 years: 59.1% (male 3,616,528/female 3,621,190)65 years and over: 3.5% (male 199,468/female 227,151) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 19.9 yearsmale: 19.7 yearsfemale: 20 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.62% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:28.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africaand Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 51.71 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 54.5 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 48.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 39.29 yearsmale: 40.39 yearsfemale: 38.16 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.13 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:24.6% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.8 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:170,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoidvectorborne disease: malariawater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
Nationality:noun: Zimbabwean(s)adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups:African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%,white less than 1%
Religions:syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages:English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write Englishtotal population: 90.7%male: 94.2%female: 87.2% (2003 est.)
Government Zimbabwe
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabweconventional short form: Zimbabweformer: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Hararegeographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,Midlands
Independence:18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution:21 December 1979
Legal system:mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999)and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to theHouse of Assemblyelections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination papersigned by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from eachprovince) and elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no termlimits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the presidentelection results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percentof vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of a House of Assembly (150 seats -120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by thepresident, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers,and eight occupied by provincial governors appointed by thepresident) and a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular vote for afive-year term, six nominated by the president, 10 nominated by theCouncil of Chiefs)elections: House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to beheld in 2010), Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in2010)election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78,MDC 41, independents 1; Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party -ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic Change orMDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA;United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party [DanielSHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga[Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front orZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union orZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA
Political pressure groups and leaders:Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Wellington CHIBEBE]; NationalConstitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Zimbabwe Congressof Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796-488
Flag description:seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red,yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in blackwith its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representingthe long history of the country is superimposed on a redfive-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizespeace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red -blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the nativepeople
Economy Zimbabwe
Economy - overview:The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficulteconomic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscaldeficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bareshelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions ofdollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has beensuspended because of the government's arrears on past loans, whichit began repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rosefrom 32% in 1998, to 133% at the end of 2004, and 585% at the end of2005, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher.Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from 24 Zimbabweandollars per US dollar in 1998 to 96,000 in mid-January 2006. Thegovernment's land reform program, characterized by chaos andviolence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, thetraditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the providerof 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of foodproducts.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$25.69 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$3.207 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-7.7% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.9% industry: 24.3% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 3.94 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 10% services: 24% (1996)
Unemployment rate:80% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56.8 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 266.8% official data; private sector estimates are much higher (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):7.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.409 billionexpenditures: $1.905 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:109.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep,goats, pigs
Industries:mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerousmetallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement,chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:3.6% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:8.877 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:11.22 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:3.3 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:22,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:0 bbl/day
Oil - imports:23,000 bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Current account balance:$-519 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$1.644 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports - partners:South Africa 32.8%, China 7.4%, Japan 6.3%, Zambia 5.2%,Netherlands 5%, US 4.6%, Italy 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2005)
Imports:$2.059 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals,fuels
Imports - partners:South Africa 42.9%, China 4.6%, Botswana 3.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$160 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$5.216 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid onhumanitarian grounds (2000 est.)
Currency (code):Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)
Currency code:ZWD
Exchange rates:Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2005), 5,068.66(2004), 697.424 (2003), 55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001)note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates varysignificantly
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Zimbabwe
Telephones - main lines in use:328,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:699,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, butnow suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstandingrequests for connection despite an equally large number of installedbut unused main linesdomestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loopinstallations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internetconnection is available in Harare and planned for all major townsand for some of the smaller onesinternational: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare andGweru)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:1.14 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:16 (1997)
Televisions:370,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.zw
Internet hosts:7,954 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):6 (2000)
Internet users:1 million (2005)
Transportation Zimbabwe
Airports: 403 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 386 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 187 under 914 m: 194 (2006)
Pipelines: refined products 261 km (2006)
Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 97,440 km paved: 18,514 km unpaved: 78,926 km (2002)
Waterways:on Lake Kariba, length small (2005)
Ports and terminals:Binga, Kariba
Military Zimbabwe
Military branches:Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force ofZimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,778,404females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,304,424females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$124.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Zimbabwe
Disputes - international:Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has placedmilitary along the border to stem the flow of thousands ofZimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections toplans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the ZambeziRiver, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearlydelimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 400,000-450,000 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rightsviolations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2005)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for women and children trafficked for forced labor andsexual exploitation; children may be trafficked internally forforced agricultural labor, domestic servitude, and sexualexploitation; women and girls are lured out of the country to SouthAfrica, China, Egypt, and Zambia with false job or scholarshippromises that result in domestic servitude or commercial sexualexploitation; there are reports of South African employers demandingsex from undocumented Zimbabwean workers under threat ofdeportation; women and children from Malawi, Zambia, and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo transit Zimbabwe en route to SouthAfrica; small numbers of South African girls are trafficked toZimbabwe for domestic labortier rating: Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with theminimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is notmaking significant efforts to do so
Illicit drugs:transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,and methamphetamines destined for the South African and Europeanmarkets
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@2001 GDP (purchasing power parity)
Afghanistan$21.5 billion (2004 est.)
Albania$18.87 billionnote: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50%of official GDP (2005 est.)
Algeria$235.5 billion (2005 est.)
American Samoa$510.1 million (2003 est.)
Andorra$1.84 billion (2004)
Angola$45.32 billion (2005 est.)
Anguilla$108.9 million (2004 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda$750 million (2002 est.)
Argentina$543.4 billion (2005 est.)
Armenia$14.45 billion (2005 est.)
Aruba$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
Australia$635.5 billion (2005 est.)
Austria$265.8 billion (2005 est.)
Azerbaijan$42.99 billion (2005 est.)
Bahamas, The$6.105 billion (2005 est.)
Bahrain$15.9 billion (2005 est.)
Bangladesh$305.9 billion (2005 est.)
Barbados$4.815 billion (2005 est.)
Belarus$73.09 billion (2005 est.)
Belgium$322.3 billion (2005 est.)
Belize$1.778 billion (2004 est.)
Benin$8.419 billion (2005 est.)
Bermuda$4.5 billion (2004 est.)
Bhutan$2.9 billion (2003 est.)
Bolivia$25.82 billion (2005 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina$23.09 billionnote: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as muchas 50% of official GDP (2005 est.)
Botswana$17.53 billion (2005 est.)
Brazil$1.536 trillion (2005 est.)
British Virgin Islands$853.4 million (2004 est.)
Brunei$6.842 billion (2003 est.)
Bulgaria$71.67 billion (2005 est.)
Burkina Faso$16.66 billion (2005 est.)
Burma$80.11 billion (2005 est.)
Burundi$5.404 billion (2005 est.)
Cambodia$34.08 billion (2005 est.)
Cameroon$39.75 billion (2005 est.)
Canada$1.111 trillion (2005 est.)
Cape Verde$2.99 billion (2005 est.)
Cayman Islands$1.939 billion (2004 est.)
Central African Republic$4.677 billion (2005 est.)
Chad$13.98 billion (2005 est.)
Chile$189.9 billion (2005 est.)
China$8.883 trillion (2005 est.)
Christmas Island$NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands$NA
Colombia$341.1 billion (2005 est.)
Comoros$441 million (2002 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the$40.67 billion (2005 est.)
Congo, Republic of the$4.585 billion (2005 est.)
Cook Islands$183.2 million (2005 est.)