Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 261 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products1,185 km (2006)
Railways:total: 966 kmnarrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 43,197 km paved: 6,467 km unpaved: 36,730 km (2004)
Waterways:1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWTby type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleumtanker 21, specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1)registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar
Military Ecuador
Military branches:Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard),Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month serviceobligation (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 2,792,770females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 2,338,428females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 133,922females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$650 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Ecuador
Disputes - international:organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate acrossEcuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee intoEcuador in 2004
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 9,851 (Colombia), note - UNHCRestimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum inEcuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear ofdeportation (2006)
Illicit drugs:significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia andPeru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicitnarcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drugtraffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weakanti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northernfrontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Egypt
Introduction Egypt
Background:The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupledwith semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,allowed for the development of one of the world's greatcivilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a seriesof dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The lastnative dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn werereplaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs whointroduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and whoruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, theMamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after theconquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following thecompletion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an importantworld transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control ofEgypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the OttomanEmpire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. Thecompletion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant LakeNasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in theagriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (thelargest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence onthe Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. Thegovernment has struggled to ready the economy for the new millenniumthrough economic reform and massive investment in communications andphysical infrastructure.
Geography Egypt
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya andthe Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes theAsian Sinai Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:27 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,001,450 sq kmland: 995,450 sq kmwater: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:total: 2,665 kmborder countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,Sudan 1,273 km
Coastline:2,450 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Terrain:vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 mhighest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc
Land use: arable land: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:34,220 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,sandstorms
Environment - current issues:agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, andindustrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resourcesaway from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapidgrowth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa andremainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea linkbetween Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtapositionto Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;prone to influxes of refugees
People Egypt
Population:78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32.6% (male 13,172,641/female 12,548,346)15-64 years: 62.9% (male 25,102,754/female 24,519,698)65 years and over: 4.5% (male 1,510,280/female 2,033,288) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 24 yearsmale: 23.6 yearsfemale: 24.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.75% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:22.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 31.33 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 30.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.29 yearsmale: 68.77 yearsfemale: 73.93 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:12,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:700 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Egyptian(s)adjective: Egyptian
Ethnic groups:Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek,Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%
Religions:Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages:Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educatedclasses
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 57.7%male: 68.3%female: 46.9% (2003 est.)
Government Egypt
Country name:conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egyptconventional short form: Egyptlocal long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyahlocal short form: Misrformer: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Cairogeographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends lastThursday in September
Administrative divisions:26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, AlIskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, AlQahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, As Suways, Ash Sharqiyah,Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ashShaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj
Independence:28 February 1922 (from UK)
National holiday:Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005
Legal system:based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (overseesvalidity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October1981)head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (noterm limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved aconstitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to amulticandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominatedby the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by anational, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%
Legislative branch:bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlisal-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed bythe president; members serve five-year terms) and the AdvisoryCouncil or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultativerole (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by thepresident; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for halfof the elected members)elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December2010); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be heldMay-June 2007)election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:Supreme Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governingparty)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [RifaatEL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party[Naji AL-GHATRIFI]note: formation of political parties must be approved by thegovernment
Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA,EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA,UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Nabil FAHMYchancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairomailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; thenational emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side witha shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the nameof the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design isbased on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plusan Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the whiteband, and Yemen, which has a plain white band
Economy Egypt
Economy - overview:Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt isbisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economicactivity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government hasreformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from PresidentNASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF reduced personal andcorporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatizedseveral enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 5%per year in 2005-06. Despite these achievements, the government hasfailed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and hashad to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. Thesubsidies have contributed to a growing budget deficit - more than10% of GDP each year - and represent a significant drain on theeconomy. Foreign direct investment remains low. To achieve higherGDP growth the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressivepursuit of reform, especially in the energy sector. Egypt's exportsectors - particularly natural gas - have bright prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$328.1 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$84.51 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$4,200 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.7% industry: 35.5% services: 49.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 21.8 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 32% industry: 17% services: 51% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.3% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:20% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34.4 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $21.32 billionexpenditures: $31.83 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.7billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:102.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, waterbuffalo, sheep, goats
Industries:textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures
Industrial production growth rate:5.1% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:91.72 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:84.49 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:200 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:700,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:590,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:134,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:2.6 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:32.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:31.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.657 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$2.697 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$24.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,chemicals
Exports - partners:US 13%, Italy 9.2%, Spain 7.7%, Syria 5.5%, France 4.9%, Germany4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, UK 4% (2005)
Imports:$35.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels
Imports - partners:US 10.5%, Germany 7%, China 6.4%, France 6.3%, Italy 5.7%, SaudiArabia 4.8% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$26.3 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$29.59 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)
Currency (code):Egyptian pound (EGP)
Currency code:EGP
Exchange rates:Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.75 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962(2004), 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Egypt
Telephones - main lines in use:10,396,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:14,045,134 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgradingduring 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellularservice are availabledomestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable andmicrowave radio relayinternational: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations:AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios:20.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:98 (September 1995)
Televisions:7.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:.eg
Internet hosts:2,254 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2000)
Internet users:5 million (2005)
Transportation Egypt
Airports: 88 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 72over 3,047 m: 132,438 to 3,047 m: 381,524 to 2,437 m: 16under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 162,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 3914 to 1,523 m: 5under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Heliports:3 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 464 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,021 km; liquidpetroleum gas 897 km; oil 5,120 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refinedproducts 897 km (2006)
Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 92,370 km paved: 74,820 km unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)
Waterways:3,500 kmnote: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km includingapproaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m(2005)
Merchant marine:total: 76 ships (1000 GRT or over) 987,524 GRT/1,467,139 DWTby type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 33, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2)registered in other countries: 49 (Bolivia 2, Cambodia 8, Georgia 8,Honduras 4, North Korea 2, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines 3, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Sierra Leone1, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit
Military Egypt
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for conscript military service; three-year serviceobligation (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 18,347,560females age 18-49: 17,683,904 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 15,540,234females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 802,920females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$2.44 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (2004)
Transnational Issues Egypt
Disputes - international:Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangularareas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary alongthe 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egyptis developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; sincethe attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea inOctober 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders withIsrael and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum tosome 70,000 persons who identify themselves as Palestinians but wholargely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognitionas refugees
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 100,000 (Iraq), 70,255 (PalestinianTerritories), 13,446 (Sudan) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women traffickedfrom Eastern Europe to Israel for the purpose of sexualexploitation; these women generally arrive as tourists and aresubsequently trafficked through the Sinai Desert by Bedouin tribes;men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are believed to betrafficked through the Sinai Desert to Israel and Europe for laborexploitation; some Egyptian children from rural areas are traffickedwithin the country to work as domestic servants or laborers in theagriculture industrytier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is placed on the Tier 2 WatchList for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts toaddress trafficking over the past year, particularly in the area oflaw enforcement
Illicit drugs:transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin andopium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop forNigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to laxenforcement of financial regulations
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@El Salvador
Introduction El Salvador
Background:El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from theCentral American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which costabout 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when thegovernment and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided formilitary and political reforms.
Geography El Salvador
Location:Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, betweenGuatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 21,040 sq kmland: 20,720 sq kmwater: 320 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November toApril); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain:mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources:hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use:arable land: 31.37%permanent crops: 11.88%other: 56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:450 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructiveearthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible tohurricanes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:smallest Central American country and only one without a coastlineon Caribbean Sea
People El Salvador
Population:6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.3% (male 1,265,080/female 1,212,216)15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,900,372/female 2,092,251)65 years and over: 5.2% (male 156,292/female 196,167) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 21.8 yearsmale: 20.7 yearsfemale: 22.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.72% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:26.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.61 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: 0.91 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 24.39 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 27.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 21.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.49 yearsmale: 67.88 yearsfemale: 75.28 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.12 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:2,200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughoutthe country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 millionProtestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Languages:Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy:definition: age 10 and over can read and writetotal population: 80.2%male: 82.8%female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
Government El Salvador
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of El Salvadorconventional short form: El Salvadorlocal long form: Republica de El Salvadorlocal short form: El Salvador
Government type:republic
Capital:name: San Salvadorgeographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 Wtime difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during StandardTime)
Administrative divisions:14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:23 December 1983
Legal system:based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicialreview of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21March 2004 (next to be held March 2009)election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, SchafikHANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-yearterms)elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by theLegislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER, secretarygeneral]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United DemocraticCenter or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Farabundo MartiNational Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ, coordinatorgeneral]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA,president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias AntonioSACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [ReneAGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio CesarHERNANDEZ Carcamo, coordinator general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI
International organization participation:BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguezchancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey),Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales(Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DCconsulate(s): Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 2278-4444 FAX: [503] 2278-5522
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue withthe national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat ofarms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE ELSALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua,which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - itfeatures a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA ontop and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag ofHonduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X patterncentered in the white band
Economy El Salvador
Economy - overview:The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the thirdlargest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hopingto stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving toopen new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernizethe tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of theCentral America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which ElSalvador was the first to ratify, has strenthened an alreadypositive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annualremittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than15% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar asits currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetarypolicy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscalpolicy. The current government has pursued economic diversification,with some success in promoting textile production, internationalport services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economyto trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave ofprivatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution,banking, and pension funds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$33.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$15.14 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$4,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.7% industry: 29.6% services: 60.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.856 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17.1% industry: 17.1% services: 65.8% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006est.)
Population below poverty line:36.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:52.5 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $356.6 millionexpenditures: $384.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef,dairy products; shrimp
Industries:food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer,textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate:2% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:4.174 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.229 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:109 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:456 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.059 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$3.686 billion (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles,chemicals, electricity
Exports - partners:US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2% (2005)
Imports:$7.326 billion (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs,petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners:US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.951 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:8.75 (2006), the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications El Salvador
Telephones - main lines in use:971,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2.412 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay systeminternational: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American MicrowaveSystem
Radio broadcast stations:AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:2.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:5 (1997)
Televisions:600,000 (1990)
Internet country code:.sv
Internet hosts:4,682 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):4 (2000)
Internet users:637,100 (2005)
Transportation El Salvador
Airports: 75 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 4over 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 711,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 56 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Railways:total: 283 kmnarrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gaugenote: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km bydisuse and lack of maintenance (2005)
Roadways:total: 10,029 kmpaved: 1,986 kmunpaved: 8,043 km (1999)
Waterways:Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)
Ports and terminals:Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco
Military El Salvador
Military branches:Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force(Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-monthservice obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,391,278females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 960,315females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 70,286females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$161.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues El Salvador
Disputes - international:in 1992, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on thedelimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the ElSalvador-Honduras boundary, but despite Organization of AmericanStates (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, fulldemarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ rulingadvised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulfof Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvadorcontinues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJdecision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuanaproduced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Equatorial Guinea
Introduction Equatorial Guinea
Background:Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years ofSpanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plusfive inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the Africancontinent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled thecountry since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Althoughnominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislativeelections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almosttotal control over the political system and has discouragedpolitical opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapideconomic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves,and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largestoil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oilproduction resulting in a massive increase in government revenue inrecent years, there have been few improvements in the population'sliving standards.
Geography Equatorial Guinea
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon andGabon
Geographic coordinates:2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 28,051 sq kmland: 28,051 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline: 296 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum,sand and gravel, clay
Land use:arable land: 4.63%permanent crops: 3.57%other: 91.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues:tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: insular and continental regions widely separated
People Equatorial Guinea
Population:540,109 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 41.7% (male 113,083/female 111,989)15-64 years: 54.5% (male 141,914/female 152,645)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,886/female 11,592) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.8 yearsmale: 18.2 yearsfemale: 19.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.05% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:15.06 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: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 49.54 yearsmale: 48 yearsfemale: 51.13 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:3.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5,900 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:370 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malaria (2007)
Nationality:noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups:Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarilyFang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish
Religions:nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, paganpractices
Languages:Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,Ibo
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.7%male: 93.3%female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Government Equatorial Guinea
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guineaconventional short form: Equatorial Guinealocal long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guineeequatorialelocal short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatorialeformer: Spanish Guinea
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Malabogeographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, BiokoNorte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Independence:12 October 1968 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Constitution:approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January1995
Legal system:partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMAMBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA(since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino OyonoNTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term(no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to beheld December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministersappointed by the presidentelection results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, CelestinoBonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
Legislative branch:unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara deRepresentantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PDGE 98, CPDS 2note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests allexecutive authority in the president
Judicial branch:Supreme Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKOAbogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [TeodoroOBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Party for Progress ofEquatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action ofEquatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDOchancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of Mont Febe; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 220 15 00 FAX: [237] 220 16 20
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with ablue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of armscentered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellowsix-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshoreislands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and belowwhich is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,Peace, Justice)
Economy Equatorial Guinea
Economy - overview:The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves havecontributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistencefarming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guineacounted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglectof the rural economy under successive regimes has diminishedpotential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated itsintention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A numberof aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have beencut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. Nolonger eligible for concessional financing because of large oilrevenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow"fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses,for the most part, are owned by government officials and theirfamily members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, ironore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strongin 2006, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the third highest percapita income in the world, after Luxembourg and Bermuda.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$25.69 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$7.644 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:18.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$50,200 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 2.8%industry: 92.6%services: 4.5% (2006 est.)