This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Mayotte
Introduction Mayotte
Background:Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of theComoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelagothat voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and foregoindependence.
Geography Mayotte
Location:Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-halfof the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 374 sq kmland: 374 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:185.2 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeasternmonsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Benara 660 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: NA%permanent crops: NA%other: NA%
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands
People Mayotte
Population:201,234 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 46% (male 46,512/female 46,067)15-64 years: 52.3% (male 56,899/female 48,274)65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,756/female 1,726) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 17 yearsmale: 18 yearsfemale: 16 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:3.77% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:40.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:4.48 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: 1.18 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 61.76 yearsmale: 59.57 yearsfemale: 64.02 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.79 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: Mahorais (singular and plural)adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups:NA
Religions:Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Languages:Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by35% of the population
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Mayotte
Country name:conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotteconventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:departmental collectivity of France
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Mamoudzougeographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence:none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:French law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI(since 8 April 2004)cabinet: NAelections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of theFrench Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Councilelected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;next election to be held in 2010
Legislative branch:unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%,PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections lastheld 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results -percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte alsoelects one member to the French National Assembly; elections lastheld 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent ofvote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movementor MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR (UMP) [MansourKAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy orFRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [MouhoutarSALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA];Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste)[Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [HenriJEAN-BAPTISTE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered ona white field, above which the name of the island appears in redcapital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked oneither side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RAHACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the nationalflag of France
Economy Mayotte
Economy - overview:Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is notself-sufficient and must import a large portion of its foodrequirements, mainly from France. The economy and future developmentof the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is anobstacle to the development of tourism.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$466.8 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force:44,560 (2002)
Unemployment rate:32.8% (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%
Budget:revenues: $NAexpenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(1991 est.)
Agriculture - products:vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra
Industries:newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%
Electricity - consumption:87.79 million kWh (2001)
Exports:$4.85 million f.o.b. (2004)
Exports - commodities:ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,cinnamon
Exports - partners:France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2004)
Imports:$256.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - commodities:food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,chemicals
Imports - partners:France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2004)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$208 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2004)
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 Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use:10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:48,100 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: small system administered by French Departmentof Posts and Telecommunicationsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HFradiotelephone communications to Comoros
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:3 (2001)
Televisions:3,500 (1994)
Internet country code:.yt
Internet hosts:1 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Mayotte
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km
Ports and terminals:Dzaoudzi
Military Mayotte
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of Frenchforces stationed on the island
Transnational Issues Mayotte
Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Mexico
Introduction Mexico
Background:The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came underSpanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence earlyin the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threwMexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in overhalf a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitableincome distribution, and few advancement opportunities for thelargely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party ingovernment, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOXof the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.
Geography Mexico
Location:Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,between Guatemala and the US
Geographic coordinates:23 00 N, 102 00 W
Map references:North America
Area:total: 1,972,550 sq kmland: 1,923,040 sq kmwater: 49,510 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Coastline: 9,330 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:varies from tropical to desert
Terrain:high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m
Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 12.66% permanent crops: 1.28% other: 86.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:63,200 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructiveearthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
Environment - current issues:scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urbanmigration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted innorth, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extremesoutheast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers inurban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution inthe national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; landsubsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletionnote: the government considers the lack of clean water anddeforestation national security issues
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one ofthe world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated inMexico
People Mexico
Population:107,449,525 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30.6% (male 16,770,957/female 16,086,172)15-64 years: 63.6% (male 33,071,809/female 35,316,281)65 years and over: 5.8% (male 2,814,707/female 3,389,599) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 25.3 yearsmale: 24.3 yearsfemale: 26.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.16% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:20.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.32 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 18.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 75.41 yearsmale: 72.63 yearsfemale: 78.33 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.42 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:160,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:5,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Mexican(s)adjective: Mexican
Ethnic groups:mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantlyAmerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
Religions:nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Languages:Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenouslanguages
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.2%male: 94%female: 90.5% (2003 est.)
Government Mexico
Country name:conventional long form: United Mexican Statesconventional short form: Mexicolocal long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanoslocal short form: Mexico
Government type:federal republic
Capital:name: Mexico (Distrito Federal)geographic coordinates: 19 24 N, 99 09 Wtime difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in Octobernote: Mexico is divided into four time zones
Administrative divisions:31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja CaliforniaSur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,Yucatan, Zacatecas
Independence:16 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday:Independence Day, 16 September (1810)
Constitution:5 February 1917
Legal system:mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicialreview of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since1 December 2006); note - the president is both the chief of stateand head of governmenthead of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa(since 1 December 2006)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment ofattorney general requires consent of the Senateelections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-yearterm; election last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012)election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote- Felipe CALDERON (PAN) 35.89%, Andres Manuel Lopez OBRADOR (PRD)35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO (PRI) 22.26%, other 6.54%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of theSenate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popularvote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis ofeach party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies orCamara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directlyelected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,also for three-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2006 for all of the seats (nextto be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2 July 2006(next to be held 5 July 2009)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 29, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 2, PNA 1; Chamberof Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAN206, PRD 127, PRI 103, PVEM 18, CD 17, PT 16, other 13
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional(justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consentof the Senate)
Political parties and leaders:Convergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas];Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Mariano PALACIOS Alcocer];Labor Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican GreenEcological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; NationalAction Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Manuel ESPINOBarrientos]; New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA[Miguel Angel JIMENEZ Godinez]; Party of the Democratic Revolution(Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano];Social Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido AlternativaSocialdemocrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessman's Coordinating Councilor CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic orCOPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of NationalChambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign TradeBusiness Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions ProvidingGoods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of TransformationIndustries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate ofEducation Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; PopularAssembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation:APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CDB, CE (observer), CSN(observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, NAFTA, NAM(observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto de ICAZA Gonzalezchancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,Nogales (Arizona), Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio,San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), EaglePass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), KansasCity (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland(Texas), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon),Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Paul (Minnesota), Salt Lake City,San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma(Arizona)
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr.embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,Distrito Federalmailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuanaconsulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in itsbeak) is centered in the white band
Economy Mexico
Economy - overview:Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trilliondollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industryand agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector.Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports,railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gasdistribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that ofthe US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with theUS and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994.Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countriesincluding, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free TradeArea, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free tradeagreements. The new Felipe CALDERON administration that took officein December 2006 faces many of the same challenges that formerPresident FOX tried to tackle, including the need to upgradeinfrastructure, modernize the tax system and labor laws, and allowprivate investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated thathis top priorities include reducing poverty and creating jobs. Thesuccess of his economic agenda will depend on his ability to garnersupport from the opposition.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.134 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$741.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$10,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 25.7% services: 70.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 38.09 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2003)
Unemployment rate:3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:40% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:54.6 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $196.5 billionexpenditures: $196.2 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:20.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
Industries:food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,tourism
Industrial production growth rate:3.6% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:242.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% nuclear: 4.2% other: 2.9% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:224.6 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:1.203 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:416 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:3.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.97 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:1.863 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:205,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:12.49 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:41.47 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:50.45 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:9.831 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:420.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-400.1 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$248.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,vegetables, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:US 85.7%, Canada 2%, Spain 1.4% (2005)
Imports:$253.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motorvehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Imports - partners:US 53.4%, China 8%, Japan 5.9% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$85.01 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$178.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.166 billion (1995)
Currency (code):Mexican peso (MXN)
Currency code:MXN
Exchange rates:Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.024 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286(2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Mexico
Telephones - main lines in use:19.512 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:47.462 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main linesper 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening tocompetition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, butTelmex remains dominantdomestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers faroutnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cableinternational: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to SouthAmerica, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancingdomestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earthstations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunkconnections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cablewith access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco,Spain, and Italy (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)
Radios:31 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:25.6 million (1997)
Internet country code:.mx
Internet hosts:3,426,680 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):51 (2000)
Internet users:18,622,500 (2005)
Transportation Mexico
Airports: 1,839 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 228over 3,047 m: 122,438 to 3,047 m: 281,524 to 2,437 m: 82914 to 1,523 m: 77under 914 m: 29 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1,611over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 68914 to 1,523 m: 460under 914 m: 1,081 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 22,705 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km;oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006)
Railways:total: 17,562 kmstandard gauge: 17,562 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 235,670 kmpaved: 116,751 km (including 6,144 km of expressways)unpaved: 118,919 km (2004)
Waterways:2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 751,607 GRT/1,129,234 DWTby type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 4foreign-owned: 5 (Denmark 2, France 1, Norway 1, UAE 1)registered in other countries: 15 (Belize 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 1,Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico,Topolobampo, Veracruz
Military Mexico
Military branches:Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional,Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana,FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): MexicanNavy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air Force (FAN) andMarines) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 24,488,008females age 18-49: 26,128,046 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 19,058,337females age 18-49: 21,966,796 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 1,063,233females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$6.07 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.8% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Mexico
Disputes - international:Abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-USborder region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharingarrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitorand control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commoditiesacross its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands ofimpoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross theporous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 10,000-12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Mexico is a source, transit, and destinationcountry for persons trafficked for sexual exploitation and labor;while the vast majority of victims are Central Americans traffickedalong Mexico's southern border, other source regions include SouthAmerica, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia; women andchildren are trafficked from rural regions to urban centers andtourist areas for sexual exploitation, often through fraudulentoffers of employment or through threats of physical violence; theMexican trafficking problem is often conflated with alien smuggling,and frequently the same criminal networks are involved; pervasivecorruption among state and local law enforcement often impedesinvestigationstier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mexico remains on the Tier 2 WatchList for the third consecutive year based on future commitments toundertake additional efforts in prosecution, protection, andprevention of trafficking in persons, and the failure of thegovernment to provide critical law enforcement data
Illicit drugs:major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2004amounted to 3,500 hectares, but opium cultivation stayed within therange - between 3,500 and 5,500 hectares - observed in nine of thelast 12 years; potential production of 9 metric tons of pure heroin,or 23 metric tons of "black tar" heroin, the dominant form ofMexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivationdecreased 23% to 5,800 hectares in 2004 after decade-highcultivation peak in 2003; potential production of 10,400 metric tonsof marijuana in 2004; government conducts the largest independentillicit-crop eradication program in the world; major supplier ofheroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamineto the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country forUS-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 90% ofestimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug syndicatescontrol majority of drug trafficking throughout the country;producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-launderingcenter
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Micronesia, Federated States of
Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of
Background:In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territoryunder US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association withthe US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concernsinclude large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence onUS aid.
Geography Micronesia, Federated States of
Location:Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, aboutthree-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:6 55 N, 158 15 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 702 sq kmland: 702 sq kmwater: 0 sq km (fresh water only)note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,and Kosrae (Kosaie)
Area - comparative:four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:6,112 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the easternislands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt withoccasionally severe damage
Terrain:islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural resources:forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
Land use:arable land: 5.71%permanent crops: 45.71%other: 48.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues:overfishing, climate change, pollution
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:four major island groups totaling 607 islands
People Micronesia, Federated States of
Population:108,004 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391)15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659)65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.9 yearsmale: 20.5 yearsfemale: 21.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.11% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:NA
Infant mortality rate:total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 70.05 yearsmale: 68.24 yearsfemale: 71.95 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.16 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: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups:nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions:Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%
Languages:English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 89%male: 91%female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government Micronesia, Federated States of
Country name:conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesiaconventional short form: nonelocal long form: Federated States of Micronesialocal short form: noneformer: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, andYap Districtsabbreviation: FSM
Government type:constitutional government in free association with the US; theCompact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 andthe Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Capital:name: Palikirgeographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 Etime difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap
Independence:3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
Constitution:10 May 1979
Legal system:based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003)cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of theeight executive departmentselections: president and vice president elected by Congress fromamong the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible fora second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establishpopular elections for president and vice president failedelection results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent ofCongress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percentof Congress vote - NA%
Legislative branch:unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state toserve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districtsdelineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected bypopular vote)elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003(next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats lastheld 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:no formal parties
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAUchancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALEembassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Koloniamailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941telephone: [691] 320-2187FAX: [691] 320-2186
Flag description:light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the starsare arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy Micronesia, Federated States of
Economy - overview:Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming andfishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a touristindustry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequatefacilities, and limited air connections hinder development. TheAmended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees theFederated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annualaid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US andthe FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payoutsto the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-termeconomic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in USassistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$232 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:0.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:37,410 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%, 64.7%
Unemployment rate:22% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:26.7%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.2% (2005)
Budget:revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants)expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital expenditures of$17.9 million (FY05 est.)
Agriculture - products:black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava(tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish
Industries:tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture;craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:192 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:NA
Electricity - consumption:178.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Current account balance:$-34.3 million (FY05 est.)
Exports:$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports - partners:Japan, US, Guam (2004)
Imports:$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - commodities:food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners:US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)
Debt - external:$60.8 million (FY05 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$86.3 million under terms of the Compact of Free Association, theUS pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001;the level of aid has been subsequently reduced (2004)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Micronesia, Federated States of
Telephones - main lines in use:12,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:14,100 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate systemdomestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (usedmostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) groundstations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular serviceavailable on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yapinternational: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:3; note - cable TV also available (2004)
Televisions:2,800 (1999)
Internet country code:.fm
Internet hosts:550 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:14,000 (2005)
Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of
Airports:6 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 61,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways:total: 240 kmpaved: 42 kmunpaved: 198 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWTby type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Tomil Harbor
Military Micronesia, Federated States of
Military branches:no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; theparamilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit,is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within theOffice of the Attorney General (2003)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Moldova
Introduction Moldova
Background:Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the SovietUnion at the close of World War II. Although independent from theUSSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territoryeast of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majoritypopulation, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldovabecame the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as itspresident in 2001.
Geography Moldova
Location:Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates:47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 33,843 sq kmland: 33,371 sq kmwater: 472 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain:rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use: arable land: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:3,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks andminerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People Moldova
Population:4,466,706 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20% (male 455,673/female 438,934)15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,498,078/female 1,613,489)65 years and over: 10.3% (male 170,456/female 290,076) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 32.3 yearsmale: 30.3 yearsfemale: 34.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.28% (2006 est.)