Net migration rate:-1.31 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: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 71.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 78.01 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 65.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 53.23 yearsmale: 51.89 yearsfemale: 54.6 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:280,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:24,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups:black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Languages:French (official), Creole (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 52.9%male: 54.8%female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Government Haiti
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Haiticonventional short form: Haitilocal long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayitilocal short form: Haiti/Ayiti
Government type:elected government
Capital:name: Port-au-Princegeographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud,Sud-Est
Independence:1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution:approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articlesreinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in amilitary coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, militarygovernment claimed to be observing the constitution; returned toconstitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technicallyin force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned toconstitutional rule in May 2006
Legal system:based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since 30May 2006)cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation withthe presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February2006 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by thepresident, ratified by the National Assemblyelection results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote -Rene PREVAL 51%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of theSenate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-yearterms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber ofDeputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefour-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidatein each department receiving the most votes in the last electionserves six years, the candidate with the second most votes servesfour years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves twoyearselections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006, with run-off electionson 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats,to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006,with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election tobe held in 2010)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - L'ESPWA 11, OPL 4, FL 3, FUSION 5, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, ALYANS1, PONT 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - L'ESPWA 21, FUSION 15, ALYANS 11, OPL 8, FL 6,UNCRH 6, MPH 4, RDNP 4, LAAA 4,KONBA 3, FRN 2, MOCHRENHA 1, MRN 1,Tet-Ansanm 1, MIRN 1, JPDN 1, UNITE 1, PLH 1; results for six otherseats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly ofProgressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Conventionfor Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action toBuild Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance orALYANS (coalition composed of KID and PPRH) [Evans PAUL]; Effort andSolidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [JosephJASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope orLESPWA (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizationsGrand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants'Group, and Kombit Sudest) [Rene PREVAL]; Haitian ChristianDemocratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE];Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINTand Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. GerardBLOT]; Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [LucFLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN[Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Partyof Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social DemocraticParties or FUSION or FPSDH (coalition of Ayiti Capable, HaitianNational Revolutionary Party, and National Congress of DemocraticMovements) [Serge GILLES]; Mobilization for Haiti's Development orMPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN[Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN[Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy inHaiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for theReconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; NationalFront for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; NewChristian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Openthe Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal ofHaiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization orOPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitiansor UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [FignoleST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation ofWorkers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of IndependentHaitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, orKOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movementor MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations GatheringPower or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0200 FAX: [509] 223-9038
Flag description:two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centeredwhite rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm treeflanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the mottoL'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy Haiti
Economy - overview:Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% ofthe population living under the poverty line and 54% in abjectpoverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculturesector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remainvulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated bythe country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic programdeveloped in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fundhelped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-incomecountries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way forreengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formalinternational economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. In2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the totalaid pledged exceeded Haiti's request. Remittances are the primarysource of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$14.56 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$5.947 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,800 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 20% services: 52% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 9% services: 25%
Unemployment rate:widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirdsof the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:80% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):14.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $385 millionexpenditures: $807.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Industries:sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assemblyindustries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:536.2 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:498.6 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-58.72 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$443.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes
Exports - partners:US 80.9%, Dominican Republic 6.9%, Canada 4% (2005)
Imports:$1.721 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,raw materials
Imports - partners:US 48.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.9%, Brazil 3.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$123.4 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$1.309 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$153 million (FY05 est.)
Currency (code):gourde (HTG)
Currency code:HTG
Exchange rates:gourdes per US dollar - 45.189 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352(2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Haiti
Telephones - main lines in use:140,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:400,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;international facilities slightly betterdomestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk serviceinternational: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios:415,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Televisions:38,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ht
Internet hosts:6 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:500,000 (2005)
Transportation Haiti
Airports:12 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 8914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Roadways:total: 4,160 kmpaved: 1,011 kmunpaved: 3,149 km (1999)
Ports and terminals:Cap-Haitien
Military Haiti
Military branches:the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force- have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they areconstitutionally abolished
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force(2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,626,491females age 18-49: 1,637,657 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 948,320females age 18-49: 931,972 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 98,554females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$25.96 million (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Haiti
Disputes - international:since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN StabilizationMission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despiteefforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economicprivation and civil unrest continue to cross into the DominicanRepublic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claimsUS-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs:Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US andEurope; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcoticstraffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions;pervasive corruption
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Background:These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferredfrom the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of sealand bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.
Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Location:islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way fromMadagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 412 sq kmland: 412 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:101.9 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated bya large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island
Environment - current issues:NA
People Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Population: uninhabited (July 2006 est.)
Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonaldIslandsconventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islandsabbreviation: HIMI
Dependency status:territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by theAustralian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environmentand Heritage
Legal system:the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:the flag of Australia is used
Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Economy - overview:No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Governmentallows limited fishing around the islands.
Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Internet country code: .hm
Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conductsfisheries patrols
Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Holy See (Vatican City)
Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)
Background:Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsulafor more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when manyof the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom ofItaly. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed whenRome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,which established the independent state of Vatican City and grantedRoman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordatbetween the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earliertreaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as theItalian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See includereligious freedom, international development, the Middle East,terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and theapplication of church doctrine in an era of rapid change andglobalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholicfaith.
Geography Holy See (Vatican City)
Location:Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates:41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 0.44 sq kmland: 0.44 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, drysummers (May to September)
Terrain:urban; low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: none of the selected agreementssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note:landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyondthe territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Romeand five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at CastelGandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)
People Holy See (Vatican City)
Population:932 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.01% (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: noneadjective: none
Ethnic groups:Italians, Swiss, other
Religions:Roman Catholic
Languages:Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Government Holy See (Vatican City)
Country name:conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Government type:ecclesiastical
Capital:name: Vatican Citygeographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 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:none
Independence:11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signedwith Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, thefull sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorialextent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over theyears have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the8th century
National holiday:Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
Constitution:new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Lawof 1929)
Legal system:based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Suffrage:limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE(since 15 September 2006)cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the popeelections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death ofthe current pope); secretary of state appointed by the popeelection results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI
Legislative branch:unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch:there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminalmatters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issuespertaining to the Holy Seenote: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of PopePIUS XII on 1 May 1946
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: CE (observer), IAEA, IOM (observer), ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Flag description:two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the armsof the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Petersurmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the whiteband
Economy Holy See (Vatican City)
Economy - overview:This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by anannual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout theworld (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps,coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission tomuseums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and realestate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. Theincomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to thoseof counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$NA
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:note: essentially services with a small amount of industry;dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers liveoutside the Vatican
Population below poverty line:NA%
Budget:revenues: $247 millionexpenditures: $243 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005)
Industries:printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a smallamount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking andfinancial activities
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh
Electricity - imports:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Economic aid - recipient:$0
Currency (code):euro (EUR)
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Holy See (Vatican City)
Telephones - main lines in use:5,120 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: automatic digital exchangedomestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia networkinternational: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (2005)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.va
Internet hosts:45 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:93 (2000)
Military Holy See (Vatican City)
Military branches:Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limitedsecurity duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard
Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Honduras
Introduction Honduras
Background:Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras becamean independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades ofmostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came topower in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven foranti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Governmentand an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftistguerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billionin damage.
Geography Honduras
Location:Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala andNicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates:15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 112,090 sq kmland: 111,890 sq kmwater: 200 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:total: 1,520 kmborder countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua922 km
Coastline:820 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
Climate:subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain:mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources:timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 9.53% permanent crops: 3.21% other: 87.26% (2005)
Irrigated land:800 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible todamaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast
Environment - current issues:urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging andthe clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further landdegradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled developmentand improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largestsource of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, withheavy metals
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
People Honduras
Population:7,326,496note: 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: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816)15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975)65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 19.5 yearsmale: 19.1 yearsfemale: 19.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.16% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:28.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.39 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: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 25.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 69.33 yearsmale: 67.75 yearsfemale: 70.98 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:63,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:4,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Honduran(s)adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups:mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black2%, white 1%
Religions:Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
Languages:Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 76.2%male: 76.1%female: 76.3% (2003 est.)
Government Honduras
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Hondurasconventional short form: Honduraslocal long form: Republica de Honduraslocal short form: Honduras
Government type:democratic constitutional republic
Capital:name: Tegucigalpageographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 Wtime difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; endsfirst Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in2007
Administrative divisions:18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, FranciscoMorazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence:15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995
Legal system:rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence ofEnglish common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoningNapoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President(vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and headof governmenthead of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez(since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third VicePresident (vacant)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president -49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;members are elected proportionally to the number of votes theirparty's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges areelected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)
Political parties and leaders:Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Arturo CORRALES]; DemocraticUnification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or PL[Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [OlbanF. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee ofPopular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; NationalAssociation of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union ofCampesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation ofHonduran Workers or CUTH
International organization participation:BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM,OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 236-9320, 238-5114 FAX: [504] 236-9037
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue withfive blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered inthe white band; the stars represent the members of the formerFederal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of ElSalvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the wordsREPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the whiteband; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features atriangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top andAMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy Honduras
Economy - overview:Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and one ofthe poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with anextraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massiveunemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-CentralAmerica Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under theHeavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country hasmet most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMFPoverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February2004. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports,notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to naturaldisasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years hasexperienced a rapid rise in exports of light manufacturers. Growthremains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest tradingpartner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means ofattracting and maintaining investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$22.13 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$8.414 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$3,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 31.4% services: 55% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.589 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 34% industry: 23% services: 43% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:27.9% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:53% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:55 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.7% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.002 billionexpenditures: $2.028 billion; including capital expenditures of $106million (2006 est.)
Public debt:67.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Industries:sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate:7.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:4.805 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.824 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:356 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-160 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$1.947 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber
Exports - partners:US 73.3%, Guatemala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005)
Imports:$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)
Imports - partners:US 52.6%, Guatemala 6.4%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.778 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$5.587 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$557.8 million (1999)
Currency (code):lempira (HNL)
Currency code:HNL
Exchange rates:lempiras per US dollar - 18.9278 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206(2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Honduras
Telephones - main lines in use:494,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.282 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: inadequate systemdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American MicrowaveSystem
Radio broadcast stations:AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)
Radios:2.45 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:570,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.hn
Internet hosts:3,973 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):8 (2000)
Internet users:223,000 (2005)
Transportation Honduras
Airports: 116 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 84 (2006)
Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999)
Waterways:465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWTby type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chemical tanker 5, container 1,liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4,specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1,Singapore 11, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela
Military Honduras
Military branches:Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Honduran Air Force (FuerzaAerea Hondurena, FAH) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,537,232females age 18-49: 1,515,120 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,100,991females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 82,105females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$52.8 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.55% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Honduras
Disputes - international:in 1992, International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on thedelimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the ElSalvador-Honduras border, 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 with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; ElSalvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in theICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claimsSapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of ajoint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean inthe failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS isattempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex disputeover islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer ofcannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for localconsumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-launderingactivity
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Hong Kong
Introduction Hong Kong
Background:Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by Chinathe following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong SpecialAdministrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In thisagreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, twosystems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not beimposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree ofautonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for thenext 50 years.
Geography Hong Kong
Location:Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 1,092 sq kmland: 1,042 sq kmwater: 50 sq km
Area - comparative:six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km
Coastline:733 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate:subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy fromspring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain:hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use: arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)
Irrigated land:20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues:air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements:party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)
Geography - note:more than 200 islands
People Hong Kong
Population:6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 40.7 yearsmale: 40.4 yearsfemale: 40.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.59% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.08 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 81.59 yearsmale: 78.9 yearsfemale: 84.5 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Chinese/Hong Kongeradjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Ethnic groups:Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions:eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages:Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 93.5%male: 96.9%female: 89.6% (2002)
Government Hong Kong
Country name:conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Regionconventional short form: Hong Konglocal long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqulocal short form: Xianggangabbreviation: HK