Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:940,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.ba
Internet hosts:31,490 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:806,400 (2005)
Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina
Airports:28 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 82,438 to 3,047 m: 41,524 to 2,437 m: 1under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 201,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 7under 914 m: 12 (2006)
Heliports:5 (2006)
Railways:total: 608 km (777 km electrified)standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 21,846 kmpaved: 11,425 km (4,686 km of interurban roads)unpaved: 10,421 km (2005)
Waterways:Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (allinland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje
Military Bosnia and Herzegovina
Military branches:VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commandswithin the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces aresubordinate commands within the Army)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is four months (July 2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,119,508females age 18-49: 1,079,435 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 910,539females age 18-49: 881,446 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 32,942females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$234.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.5% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina
Disputes - international:Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimitedmost of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain indispute; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputedsections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinderratification of the 1999 border agreement
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 7,458 (Croatia)IDPs: 180,251 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in1992-95 war) (2006)
Illicit drugs:minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes toWestern Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money-launderingactivity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weaklaw enforcement, and instances of corruption
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Botswana
Introduction Botswana
Background:Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adoptedits new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades ofuninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, andsignificant capital investment have created one of the most dynamiceconomies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector dueto the country's conservation practices and extensive naturepreserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates ofHIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive andcomprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Geography Botswana
Location:Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 600,370 sq kmland: 585,370 sq kmwater: 15,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,013 kmborder countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe813 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain:predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert insouthwest
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 mhighest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Natural resources:diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,silver
Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2005)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscurevisibility
Environment - current issues:overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
People Botswana
Population:1,639,833note: 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: 38.3% (male 319,531/female 309,074)15-64 years: 57.9% (male 460,692/female 488,577)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,374/female 38,585) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 19.4 yearsmale: 18.8 yearsfemale: 20 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.04% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:23.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:29.5 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:6.07 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: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 54.92 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 52.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 33.74 yearsmale: 33.9 yearsfemale: 33.56 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:37.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:350,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:33,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malaria (2007)
Nationality:noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups:Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, includingKgalagadi and white 7%
Religions:Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none20.6% (2001 census)
Languages:Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1%(official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 79.8%male: 76.9%female: 82.4% (2003 est.)
Government Botswana
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Botswanaconventional short form: Botswanalocal long form: Republic of Botswanalocal short form: Botswanaformer: Bechuanaland
Government type:parliamentary republic
Capital:name: Gaboronegeographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*,Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast,Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern
Independence:30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
Constitution:March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial reviewlimited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) andVice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004(next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the presidentelection results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent ofNational Assembly vote - 52%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largelyadvisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of thechiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 membersselected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 areappointed by the majority party, and 2, the President andAttorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members servefive-year terms)elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004(next to be held October 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%,BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1
Judicial branch:High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in eachdistrict)
Political parties and leaders:Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO];Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; BotswanaDemocratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Frontor BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELSMovement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDFnote: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form theBAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes theUnited Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the IndependenceFreedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union[D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOAchancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
Economy Botswana
Economy - overview:Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growthrates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline andsound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of thepoorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a percapita GDP of $11,200 in 2006. Two major investment services rankBotswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining hasfueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more thanone-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising areother key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal withhigh rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%.HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world andthreaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected levelingoff in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$18.72 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$9.697 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$11,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining) services: 50.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:23.8% (2004)
Population below poverty line:30.3% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:63 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.256 billionexpenditures: $3.968 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:7.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts
Industries:diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestockprocessing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate:6.3% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:823 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.464 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:1.699 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:16,000 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$1.698 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$4.836 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
Exports - partners:European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern AfricanCustoms Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004)
Imports:$3.034 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,metal and metal products
Imports - partners:Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$7.445 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$520 million (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$73 million (1995)
Currency (code):pula (BWP)
Currency code:BWP
Exchange rates:pulas per US dollar - 5.90646 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004),4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Botswana
Telephones - main lines in use:132,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:823,100 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth ofmobile cellular service and participation in regional developmentdomestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relaylinks, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobilecellular service is growing fastinternational: country code - 267; two international exchanges;digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:252,720 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:31,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bw
Internet hosts:5,499 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2001)
Internet users:60,000 (2002)
Transportation Botswana
Airports: 85 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 102,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 7914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 751,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 55under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 24,455 km paved: 8,914 km unpaved: 15,441 km (2004)
Military Botswana
Military branches:Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the officialqualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 350,649females age 18-49: 361,642 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 136,322females age 18-49: 136,315 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 21,103females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$325.5 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Botswana
Disputes - international:commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve smallresidual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngumarshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residentsprotest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectricdam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric fences tostem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escapepolitical persecution; Namibia has long supported and in 2004Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia tobuild a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizingtheir short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Bouvet Island
Introduction Bouvet Island
Background:This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered byglaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 bya French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim wasmade until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UKwaived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the islandthe previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacentterritorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.
Geography Bouvet Island
Location:island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of GoodHope (South Africa)
Geographic coordinates:54 26 S, 3 24 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 49 sq kmland: 49 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:29.6 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve
People Bouvet Island
Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)
Government Bouvet Island
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bouvet Island
Dependency status:territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of theMinistry of Justice and Police from Oslo
Legal system:the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of Norway is used
Economy Bouvet Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve
Communications Bouvet Island
Internet country code:.bv
Internet hosts:6 (2006)
Communications - note:automatic meteorological station
Transportation Bouvet Island
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Bouvet Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues Bouvet Island
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Brazil
Introduction Brazil
Background:Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil becamean independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far thelargest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcamemore than half a century of military intervention in the governanceof the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully cededpower to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial andagricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vastnatural resources and a large labor pool, it is today SouthAmerica's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highlyunequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.
Geography Brazil
Location:Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Geographic coordinates:10 00 S, 55 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 8,511,965 sq kmland: 8,456,510 sq kmwater: 55,455 sq kmnote: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e SaoPaulo
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:total: 16,885 kmborder countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia1,644 km, French Guiana 730.4 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela2,200 km
Coastline:7,491 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Climate:mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Terrain:mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,mountains, and narrow coastal belt
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Natural resources:bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum,tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber
Land use: arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:29,200 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost insouth
Environment - current issues:deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers amultitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; thereis a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution inRio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; landdegradation and water pollution caused by improper miningactivities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:largest country in South America; shares common boundaries withevery South American country except Chile and Ecuador
People Brazil
Population:188,078,227note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported apopulation of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower thanprojections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the impliedunderenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for thiscountry explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortalitydue to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infantmortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, andchanges in the distribution of population by age and sex than wouldotherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.8% (male 24,687,656/female 23,742,998)15-64 years: 68.1% (male 63,548,331/female 64,617,539)65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,712,675/female 6,769,028) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 28.2 yearsmale: 27.5 yearsfemale: 29 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.04% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.56 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.03 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: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.97 yearsmale: 68.02 yearsfemale: 76.12 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:660,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:15,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Brazilian(s)adjective: Brazilian
Ethnic groups:white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%,other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7%(2000 census)
Religions:Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4%(2000 census)
Languages:Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 86.4%male: 86.1%female: 86.6% (2003 est.)
Government Brazil
Country name:conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazilconventional short form: Brazillocal long form: Republica Federativa do Brasillocal short form: Brasil
Government type:federative republic
Capital:name: Brasiliageographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 Wtime difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins third Sunday in October; endsthird Sunday in Februarynote: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for theFernando de Noronha islands
Administrative divisions:26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*(distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso,Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco,Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
Independence:7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
National holiday:Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Constitution:5 October 1988
Legal system:based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsoryover 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do notvote
Executive branch:chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010)election results: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) reelected president- 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of theFederal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from eachstate and federal district elected according to the principle ofmajority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after afour-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-yearperiod) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513seats; members are elected by proportional representation to servefour-year terms)elections: Federal Senate - last held 1 October 2006 for one-thirdof the Senate (next to be held October 2010 for two-thirds of theSenate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 1 October 2006 (next to beheld October 2010)election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;seats by party - PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1,PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; total seats following election -PFL 18, PMDB 15, PSDB 15, PT 10, PDT 5, PTB 4, PSB 3, PL 3, PCdoB 2,PRB 2, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PSOL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent ofvote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13,PSC 9, other 17
Judicial branch:Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life bythe president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal ofJustice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federalemployees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70
Political parties and leaders:Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy MichelTEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Flavio de CASTRO MARTINEZ];Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy Fidelix DA CRUZ];Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS];Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Tasso JEREISSATI];Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy Eduardo HenriqueAccioly CAMPOS]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose RenatoRABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI];Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES]; Green Partyor PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity orPHS [leader NA]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTANeto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal DeputyDr. Eneas Ferreira CARNEIRO]; Partido Municipalista Renovador or PMR[Natal Wellington Rodrigues FURUCHO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS[Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [FederalDeputy Pedro CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor JorgeABDALA NOSSEIS]; Workers' Party or PT [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations; largefarmers' associations; religious groups including evangelicalChristian churches and the Catholic Church
International organization participation:AfDB, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife
Flag description:green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a bluecelestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each stateand the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the nightsky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with themotto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
Economy Brazil
Economy - overview:Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining,manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs thatof all other South American countries and is expanding its presencein world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economygrew, on average only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed aseries of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazilabsorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to theresiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put inplace by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULADA SILVA. Since 2004, Brazil has enjoyed more robust growth thatyielded increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars ofthe economic program are a floating exchange rate, aninflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, all reinforcedby a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current accountadjustment; from 2003 to 2006, Brazil ran record trade surpluses andrecorded its first current account surpluses since 1992.Productivity gains - particularly in agriculture - also contributedto the surge in exports. While economic management has been good,there remain important economic vulnerabilities. The mostsignificant are debt-related: the government's largely domestic debtincreased steadily from 1994 to 2003 - straining government finances- before falling as a percentage of GDP in 2005. Brazil has improvedits debt profile over the past year by shifting its debt burdentoward real denominated and domestically held instruments. LULA DASILVA restated his commitment to fiscal austerity by maintaining thecountry's primary surplus during the 2006 election and plans to passa package of further economic reforms upon entering office for hissecond term. Another challenge is maintaining economic growth over aperiod of time to generate employment and make the government debtburden more manageable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.616 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$620.7 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 38% services: 54% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 96.34 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:9.6% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:31% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 31.27% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:56.7 (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.2% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $140.6 billionexpenditures: $172.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2004)
Public debt:50.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Industries:textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel,aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
Industrial production growth rate:3.4% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:380.9 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4.4% other: 4.6% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:391.7 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:7 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:39 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2005)
Oil - production:2.09 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - consumption:2.194 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:241,700 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:572,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:12.22 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:9.66 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:17.28 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:7.62 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:250 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$5.81 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$138 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos
Exports - partners:US 19.2%, Argentina 8.4%, China 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5%, Germany4.2% (2005)
Imports:$95.83 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products,oil
Imports - partners:US 17.5%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.3%, Japan 4.6%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$77.27 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$177.7 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$30 billion (2002)
Currency (code):real (BRL)
Currency code:BRL
Exchange rates:reals per US dollar - 2.19132 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004),3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Brazil
Telephones - main lines in use:42.382 million (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:86.21 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: good working systemdomestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domesticsatellite system with 64 earth stationsinternational: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system toMercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AMstations) (1999)
Radios:71 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:138 (1997)
Televisions:36.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:.br
Internet hosts:6,508,431 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2000)
Internet users:25.9 million (2005)
Transportation Brazil
Airports: 4,276 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 714 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 164 914 to 1,523 m: 464 under 914 m: 54 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3,562 1,524 to 2,437 m: 81 914 to 1,523 m: 1,634 under 914 m: 1,847 (2006)
Heliports:417 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate/gas 244 km; gas 11,669 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km;oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2006)
Railways:total: 29,252 kmbroad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified)standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gaugenarrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 kmelectrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)
Waterways:50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 137 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,038,923 GRT/3,057,820 DWTby type: bulk carrier 21, cargo 21, chemical tanker 8, container 8,liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, rollon/roll off 8foreign-owned: 15 (Chile 1, Germany 7, Norway 2, Spain 4, UK 1)registered in other countries: 5 (Ghana 1, Liberia 3, MarshallIslands 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos,Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria
Military Brazil
Military branches:Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includesNaval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), BrazilianAir Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - nine to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 19-49: 45,586,036females age 19-49: 45,728,704 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 19-49: 33,119,098females age 19-49: 38,079,722 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 1,785,930females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9.94 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Brazil
Disputes - international:unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay bordersis locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcoticstrafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in theQuarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resultingtripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to extendits maritime continental margin
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Brazil is a source and destination country forwomen and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation within Brazil andto destinations in South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe,Japan, the US, and the Middle East, and for men trafficked withinthe country for forced agricultural labor; child sex tourism is aproblem within the country, particularly in the resort areas andcoastal cities of Brazil's northeast; foreign victims from Bolivia,Peru, China, and Korea are trafficked to Brazil for laborexploitation in factoriestier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Brazil has failed to show evidenceof increasing efforts to fight trafficking, specifically for itsfailure to apply effective criminal penalties against traffickerswho exploit forced labor
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation inthe Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has alarge-scale eradication program to control cannabis; importanttransshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaineheaded for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station fornarcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge indrug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market forColombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcoticsproceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financialsystem; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@British Indian Ocean Territory
Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory
Background:Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of theBritish Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred tothe Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently,BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising theChagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands,Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All ofthe remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers,earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily toMauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigrationorder that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld thespecial military status of Diego Garcia.
Geography British Indian Ocean Territory
Location:archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half theway from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Map references:Political Map of the World
Area:total: 54,400 sq kmland: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq kmwater: 54,340 sq kmnote: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative:land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:698 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmostisland, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; islandis site of joint US-UK military facility
People British Indian Ocean Territory
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident inthe Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by aBritish High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; inNovember 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US militarypersonnel and civilian contractors living on the island of DiegoGarcia (July 2006 est.)
Government British Indian Ocean Territory
Country name:conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territoryconventional short form: noneabbreviation: BIOT
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system:the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - bothreside in the UKcabinet: NAelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner andadministrator appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK isin the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palmtree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy British Indian Ocean Territory
Economy - overview:All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island ofDiego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.Construction projects and various services needed to support themilitary installations are done by military and contract employeesfrom the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are noindustrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Iloisreturn, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postagestamps.
Electricity - production:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military