Infant mortality rate:total: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.79 yearsmale: 75.49 yearsfemale: 80.22 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Dane(s)adjective: Danish
Ethnic groups:Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Religions:Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%,Muslim 2%
Languages:Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (smallminority)note: English is the predominant second language
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government Denmark
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmarkconventional short form: Denmarklocal long form: Kongeriget Danmarklocal short form: Danmark
Government type:constitutional monarchy
Capital:name: Copenhagengeographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm,Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn(Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde,Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborgnote: as a result of an extensive 2005 local government reform, with2006 being a transition year, 271 municipalities will be merged to98 by 1 January 2007, and the 14 counties will be reorganized intofive regions
Independence:first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 becamea constitutional monarchy
National holiday:none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generallyviewed as the National Day
Constitution:5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chiefof state
Legal system:civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); HeirApparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26May 1968)head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27November 2001)cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarchelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch:unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected bypopular vote on the basis of proportional representation to servefour-year terms)elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%,Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, ConservativeParty 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%,Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social LiberalParty 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does notinclude the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the FaroeIslands
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democrats (was Christian People's Party) [Bodil KORNBEK];Conservative Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party)[Bendt BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; LiberalParty [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includesLeft Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers'Party) [collective leadership]; Social Democratic Party [HelleTHORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called theRadical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman];Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO,NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU(observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSENchancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAINembassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagenmailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23
Flag description:red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; thevertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and thatdesign element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequentlyadopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway,and Sweden
Economy Denmark
Economy - overview:The Danish economy is undergoing strong expansion fueled by privateconsumption growth, low unemployment, rising real wages, and astrong increase in house prices. This thoroughly modern marketeconomy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale andcorporate industry, extensive government welfare measures,comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependenceon foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy andenjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. Governmentobjectives include streamlining the bureaucracy and furtherprivatization of state assets. The government has been successful inmeeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria forparticipating in the third phase (a common European currency) of theEuropean Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decidednot to join 12 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danishkrone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. Because of high GDP percapita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability,the Danish people enjoy living standards topped by no other nation.A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio ofworkers to retirees.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$198.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$256.3 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$37,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24.6% services: 74% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.91 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:23.2 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $147 billionexpenditures: $138.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $4.6billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:28.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish
Industries:iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medicalequipment
Industrial production growth rate:2.5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:38.02 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:32.56 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:11.5 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:8.7 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:391,400 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:185,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:332,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:195,000 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:9.43 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:5.171 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:4.099 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:99.99 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$4.941 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$93.93 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills
Exports - partners:Germany 17.6%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 6.4%, France 5.5%,Netherlands 5.3%, Norway 5.1% (2005)
Imports:$89.32 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures forindustry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:Germany 20.5%, Sweden 13.8%, Norway 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%, UK5.9%, China 4.7%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$30.38 billion (August 2006 est.)
Debt - external:$405 billion (30 June 2006)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $2 billion (2004)
Currency (code):Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code:DKK
Exchange rates:Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911(2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Denmark
Telephones - main lines in use:3.35 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:5.469 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph servicesdomestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay formtrunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systemsinternational: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cableslinking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earthstations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth stationand the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:6.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)
Televisions:3.121 million (1997)
Internet country code:.dk
Internet hosts:2,415,530 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):13 (2000)
Internet users:3,762,500 (2005)
Transportation Denmark
Airports: 92 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2 km(2006)
Railways:total: 2,673 kmstandard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 72,257 kmpaved: 72,257 km (including 1,032 km of expressways) (2005)
Waterways:400 km (2001)
Merchant marine:total: 293 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,986,735 GRT/9,936,431 DWTby type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 63, chemical tanker 48, container 86,liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo40, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,specialized tanker 4foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 5, Greenland 1,Norway 3, Sweden 1, UK 1)registered in other countries: 409 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Bahamas59, Belgium 4, Cayman Islands 5, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2,France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Gibraltar 1, HongKong 6, Isle of Man 53, North Korea 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 10,Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 2, Netherlands 9, NetherlandsAntilles 1, Norway 32, Panama 34, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines 14, Singapore 52, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, UK46, US 24, Vanuatu 6, Venezuela 3, Vietnam 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted,Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne
Military Denmark
Military branches:Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet,Tactical Air Command (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from four to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,175,108females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 955,168females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 31,317females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$3,271.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (2004)
Transnational Issues Denmark
Disputes - international:Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland,the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands'continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to studyproposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty disputewith Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel betweenEllesmere Island and Greenland
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Dhekelia
Introduction Dhekelia
Background:By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created theindependent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty andjurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia SovereignBase Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign BaseArea.
Geography Dhekelia
Location:on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta
Geographic coordinates:34 59 N, 33 45 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 130.8 sq kmnote: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area - comparative:about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed
Coastline:27.5 km
Climate:temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues:netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring andautumn
Geography - note:British extraterritorial rights also extended to several smalloff-post sites scattered across Cyprus
People Dhekelia
Population:no indigenous personnelnote: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; thereare another 5,000 British citizens who are families of militarypersonnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri andDhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there
Languages:English, Greek
Government Dhekelia
Country name:conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areaconventional short form: Dhekelia
Dependency status:overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who isalso the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital:name: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotirigeographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Constitution:Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council1960, effective 16 August 1960
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: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry ofDefenceelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator isappointed 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:the flag of the UK is used
Economy Dhekelia
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to providing services to the militaryand their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufacturedgoods must be imported.
Industries:none
Currency (code):Cypriot pound (CYP)
Exchange rates:Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005),0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002)
Communications Dhekelia
Radio broadcast stations: FM 1 (located in Akrotiri) note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)
Television broadcast stations: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)
Military Dhekelia
Military - note:includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected bya roadway
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Djibouti
Introduction Djibouti
Background:The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-partystate and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest amongthe Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebelsand the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's firstmulti-party presidential elections resulted in the election ofIsmail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouthof the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location forgoods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The presentleadership favors close ties to France, which maintains asignificant military presence in the country, but is also developingstronger ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military basein sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war onterrorism.
Geography Djibouti
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, betweenEritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates:11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 23,000 sq kmland: 22,980 sq kmwater: 20 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline: 314 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:desert; torrid, dry
Terrain:coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Lac Assal -155 mhighest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m
Natural resources:geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt,diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from theIndian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
Environment - current issues:inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;desertification; endangered species
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close toArabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostlywasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa
People Djibouti
Population:486,530 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 43.3% (male 105,760/female 105,068)15-64 years: 53.3% (male 135,119/female 124,367)65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,183/female 8,033) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.2 yearsmale: 18.7 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.02% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:39.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:19.31 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: 1.09 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 94.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 43.17 yearsmale: 41.86 yearsfemale: 44.52 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.31 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:2.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:9,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:690 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fevervectorborne disease: malarianote: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identifiedamong birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses anegligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizenswho have close contact with birds (2007)
Nationality:noun: Djiboutian(s)adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic groups:Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Religions:Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages:French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 67.9%male: 78%female: 58.4% (2003 est.)
Government Djibouti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Djibouticonventional short form: Djiboutilocal long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibutilocal short form: Djibouti/Jibutiformer: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Djiboutigeographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 15 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil,Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
Independence:27 June 1977 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution:multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992
Legal system:based on French civil law system, traditional practices, andIslamic law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4March 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (nextto be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percentof vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%
Legislative branch:unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008)election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; DemocraticRenewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti DevelopmentParty or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration del'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's ProgressAssembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); PeoplesSocial Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; RepublicanAlliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union forDemocracy and Justice or UDJ
Political pressure groups and leaders:Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD,PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (oppositioncoalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory),UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudinechancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green witha white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a redfive-pointed star in the center
Economy Djibouti
Economy - overview:The economy is based on service activities connected with thecountry's strategic location and status as a free trade zone innortheast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capitalcity; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfalllimits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food mustbe imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port forthe region and an international transshipment and refueling center.Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nationis, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to helpsupport its balance of payments and to finance development projects.An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a majorproblem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie ofthe Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high valueof the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance ofpayments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over thelast seven years because of recession, civil war, and a highpopulation growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Facedwith a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallenin arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling tomeet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$619 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$702 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.9% industry: 22.5% services: 59.6% (2003 est.)
Labor force: 282,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:50% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:50% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $135 millionexpenditures: $182 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(1999 est.)
Agriculture - products:fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
Industries:construction, agricultural processing
Industrial production growth rate:3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:200 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:186 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:11,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:$250 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Exports - partners:Somalia 66.3%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2005)
Imports:$987 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners:Saudi Arabia 21.9%, India 18.7%, China 10.1%, Ethiopia 4.8%, France4.7%, US 4.3%, Japan 4.2% (2005)
Debt - external:$394 million (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$64.1 million (2004)
Currency (code):Djiboutian franc (DJF)
Currency code:DJF
Exchange rates:Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004),177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Djibouti
Telephones - main lines in use:11,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:34,500 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djiboutiare adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections tooutlying areas of the countrydomestic: microwave radio relay networkinternational: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regionalmicrowave radio relay telephone network
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:52,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:28,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.dj
Internet hosts:1,540 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:9,000 (2005)
Transportation Djibouti
Airports: 13 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 3over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 101,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Railways:total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gaugenote: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)
Roadways:total: 2,890 kmpaved: 364 kmunpaved: 2,526 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWTby type: cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Djibouti
Military Djibouti
Military branches:Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 95,328females age 18-49: 87,795 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 46,020females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$29.05 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.3% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Djibouti
Disputes - international:Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with"Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties tovarious factions in Somalia; thousands of Somali refugees awaitrepatriation in UNHCR camps in Djibouti
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 9,828 (Somalia) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Djibouti is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexualexploitation and possibly forced labor; small numbers are traffickedfrom Ethiopia and Somalia for sexual exploitation; economic migrantsfrom these countries also fall victim to trafficking upon reachingDjibouti City or the Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor; women andchildren from neighboring countries reportedly transit Djibouti toArab countries and Somalia for ultimate use in forced labor orsexual exploitationtier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Djibouti does not fully comply withthe minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however,it is making significant efforts to do so based partly on thegovernment's commitments to undertake future action
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Dominica
Introduction Dominica
Background:Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized byEuropeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs.France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made theisland a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence,Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannicaladministration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, thefirst female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in officefor 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica arethe only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Geography Dominica
Location:Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad andTobago
Geographic coordinates:15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 754 sq kmland: 754 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:148 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can beexpected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to itsspectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protectedby an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of theLesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters andinclude Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake inthe world
People Dominica
Population:68,910 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.1% (male 9,084/female 8,885)15-64 years: 66% (male 23,419/female 22,079)65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,186/female 3,257) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 30.1 yearsmale: 29.8 yearsfemale: 30.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.08% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:15.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.87 yearsmale: 71.95 yearsfemale: 77.93 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
Religions:Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%
Languages:English (official), French patois
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 94%male: 94%female: 94% (2003 est.)
Government Dominica
Country name:conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominicaconventional short form: Dominica
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Roseaugeographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,Saint Peter
Independence:3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution:3 November 1978
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October2003)head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8January 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of theprime ministerelections: president elected by the House of Assembly for afive-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be heldOctober 2008); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent oflegislative vote - NA%
Legislative branch:unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within fiveyears of the last election, but technically it is five years fromthe first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day graceperiodelection results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.07%, UWP 43.6%,DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
Judicial branch:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appealand the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judgesmust reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of SummaryJurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders:Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica LaborParty or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party orUWP [Earl WILLIAMS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne A.S. LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador toBarbados is accredited to Dominica
Flag description:green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the verticalpart is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontalpart is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the centerof the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars representthe 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy Dominica
Economy - overview:The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions andinternational economic developments. Tourism has increased as thegovernment seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination.Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, however,because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence ofan international airport. The government began a comprehensiverestructuring of the economy in 2003 - including elimination ofprice controls, privatization of the state banana company, and taxincreases - to address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMFtargets. In order to diversify the island's production base, thegovernment is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector andis planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of theisland.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$384 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$279 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:3.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$3,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 25,000 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 32% services: 28%
Unemployment rate:23% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:30% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-0.1% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $73.9 millionexpenditures: $84.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2001)
Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Industries:soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate:-10% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:83.88 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:78.01 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:$74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners:UK 26.8%, Jamaica 10%, South Korea 8.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%,Guyana 7.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4%, Saint Lucia 4% (2005)
Imports:$234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:US 25.5%, China 20.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%, South Korea 7.1%,Japan 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2005)
Debt - external:$213 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:$29.2 million (2004 est.)
Currency (code):East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:XCD
Exchange rates:East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7(2003), 2.7 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Dominica
Telephones - main lines in use:21,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:41,800 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: fully automatic networkinternational: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHFradiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHFradiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:46,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2004)
Televisions:6,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.dm
Internet hosts:263 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):16 (2000)
Internet users:20,500 (2005)
Transportation Dominica
Airports: 2 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWTby type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2,petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1,vehicle carrier 1foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3,UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Portsmouth, Roseau
Military Dominica
Military branches:no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force(includes coast guard)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Dominica
Disputes - international:Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela'ssovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other islandnations in challenging whether the feature sustains humanhabitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of theSea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its ExclusiveEconomic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a largeportion of the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering