GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,500 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 30.9% services: 48% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 9.4 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:21% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:39.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):21.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.391 billionexpenditures: $1.822 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:23.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;beef, poultry
Industries:food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:3.4% (2000)
Electricity - production:11.58 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:9.592 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:8.75 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:7.576 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:80 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:80 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-444.4 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$2.429 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulkelectricity
Exports - partners:Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa 16.2%, Zimbabwe 2.9% (2005)
Imports:$2.815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:South Africa 42.9%, Netherlands 11.5%, Portugal 3.6% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$1.353 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$2.392 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$632.8 million (2001)
Currency (code):metical (MZM)
Currency code:MZM
Exchange rates:meticais per US dollar - 24.9245 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581(2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:69,700 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.22 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: fair system but not available generally(extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100 persons)domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunkconnection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatterinternational: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:730,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:67,600 (2000)
Internet country code:.mz
Internet hosts:6,985 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2002)
Internet users:138,000 (2005)
Transportation Mozambique
Airports: 158 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006)
Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999)
Waterways:460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora BassaLake) (2002)
Merchant marine:total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWTby type: cargo 2foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Military Mozambique
Military branches:Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, MozambiqueNavy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea deMocambique, FAM) (2006)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$78.03 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Mozambique
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin,and South American cocaine probably destined for the European andSouth African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption)and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poorregulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to moneylaundering, but the lack of a well-developed financialinfrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-launderingcenter
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@Namibia
Introduction Namibia
Background:South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa duringWorld War I and administered it as a mandate until after World WarII, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-WestAfrica People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a warof independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it wasnot until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration inaccordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia wonits independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in alandslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country duringits first 14 years of self rule.
Geography Namibia
Location:Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angolaand South Africa
Geographic coordinates:22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 825,418 sq kmland: 825,418 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:total: 3,936 kmborder countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa967 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline:1,572 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert ineast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Natural resources:diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,salt, hydropower, fishnote: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Land use:arable land: 0.99%permanent crops: 0.01%other: 99% (2005)
Irrigated land:80 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:first country in the world to incorporate the protection of theenvironment into its constitution; some 14% of the land isprotected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip
People Namibia
Population:2,044,147note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 38.2% (male 393,878/female 387,147)15-64 years: 58.1% (male 596,557/female 591,350)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 34,245/female 40,970) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20 yearsmale: 19.8 yearsfemale: 20.1 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.59% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:24.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 48.1 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 51.99 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 44.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 43.39 yearsmale: 44.46 yearsfemale: 42.29 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:21.3% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:210,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:16,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malariawater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
Nationality:noun: Namibian(s)adjective: Namibian
Ethnic groups:black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups includes Herero 7%,Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions:Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs10% to 20%
Languages:English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of thepopulation and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 84%male: 84.4%female: 83.7% (2003 est.)
Government Namibia
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Namibiaconventional short form: Namibialocal long form: Republic of Namibialocal short form: Namibiaformer: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Windhoekgeographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 06 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; endsfirst Sunday in April
Administrative divisions:n13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence:21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof the National Assemblyelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004(next to be held November 2009)election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent ofvote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%
Legislative branch:bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; 2members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-yearterms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, todetermine members of the National Council, held 29-30 November 2004(next to be held November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%; seats by party - SWAPO24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3,UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on therecommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic TurnhalleAlliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; MonitorAction Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movementfor Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO[Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South WestAfrica National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KANDANDO]; South WestAfrica People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA];United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792
Flag description:a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper leftsection and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower rightsection; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that iscontrasted by two narrow white-edge borders
Economy Namibia
Economy - overview:The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processingof minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Richalluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source forgem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter ofnonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer ofuranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of thepopulation while about half of the population depends on subsistenceagriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are amajor problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to theregion, hides the world's worst inequality of income distribution.The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with theNamibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulatelong-run foreign investment. Increased fish production and mining ofzinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-06.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$15.04 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$5.304 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$7,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.8% industry: 30.2% services: 58.1% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 653,000 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.3% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% ofthe population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 0.5%highest 10%: 64.5%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:70.7 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):25% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $2.233 billionexpenditures: $2.214 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:31.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Industries:meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds,lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:1.397 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source:NA
Electricity - consumption:2.819 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:80 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:1.6 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:18,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:12,770 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$572 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$2.321 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processedfish, karakul skins
Exports - partners:South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2004)
Imports:$2.456 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,chemicals
Imports - partners:South Africa 85.2%, US (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$480 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$887 million (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $160 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:NAD; ZAR
Exchange rates:Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597(2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:127,900 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:495,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100personsdomestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radiorelay links major towns; connections to other populated places areby open wire; 100% digitalinternational: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to SouthAfrica, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links toother neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and SouthAfrican Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:232,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:60,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.na
Internet hosts:3,527 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:75,000 (2005)
Transportation Namibia
Airports: 137 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 21over 3,047 m: 32,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 13914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1162,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 22914 to 1,523 m: 72under 914 m: 20 (2006)
Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWTby type: cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military Namibia
Military branches:Namibian Defense Force: Army, Air Wing, Navy (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$149.5 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.3% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Namibia
Disputes - international:concerns from international experts and local populations over theOkavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttledNamibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls alongthe Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa overthe location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia hassupported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans betweenBotswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River,thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited,Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 11,900 (Angola) (2006)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@Nauru
Introduction Nauru
Background:The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their languagedoes not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexedby Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be minedearly in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru wasoccupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently becamea League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and abrutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. Itachieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as theworld's smallest independent republic.
Geography Nauru
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the MarshallIslands
Geographic coordinates:0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 21 sq kmland: 21 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:30 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November toFebruary)
Terrain:sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs withphosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources:phosphates, fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collectrainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalinationplant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainlyby a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% ofNauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati andMakatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
People Nauru
Population:13,287 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 36.9% (male 2,507/female 2,391)15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,004/female 4,123)65 years and over: 2% (male 139/female 123) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.6 yearsmale: 20 yearsfemale: 21.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.81% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:24.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 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: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 9.78 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.08 yearsmale: 59.5 yearsfemale: 66.84 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.11 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: Nauruan(s)adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Languages:Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), Englishwidely understood, spoken, and used for most government andcommercial purposes
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Nauru
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Nauruconventional short form: Naurulocal long form: Republic of Naurulocal short form: Nauruformer: Pleasant Island
Government type:republic
Capital:no official capital; government offices in Yaren Districttime difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence:31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UNtrusteeship)
National holiday:Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution:29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Legal system:acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the membersof Parliamentelections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentaryelections for president
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve three-year terms)elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than2007)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,independents 15note: the president dissolved parliament on 30 September 2004 andset new elections for 23 October 2004
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; NauruParty (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description:blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center anda large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 originaltribes of Nauru
Economy Nauru
Economy - overview:Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exportsof phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remainingsupplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities beingimported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later majorsource of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and thereplacement of income from phosphates are serious long-termproblems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphatedeposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested intrust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru'seconomic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds,the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the governmenthas frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments.In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capitalplant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the governmentand economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statisticson the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varyingwidely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$60 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$5,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force - by occupation: note: 0.1% employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
Unemployment rate:90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):-3.6% (1993)
Budget:revenues: $13.5 millionexpenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:coconuts
Industries:phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:30 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:27.9 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,000 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.)
Exports:$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:phosphates
Exports - partners:South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005)
Imports:$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners:South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)
Debt - external:$33.3 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)
Currency (code):Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004),1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Nauru
Telephones - main lines in use:1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephonecommunication provided via Australian facilitiesdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:500 (1997)
Internet country code:.nr
Internet hosts:52 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:300 (2002)
Transportation Nauru
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)
Ports and terminals:Nauru
Military Nauru
Military branches:no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues Nauru
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@Navassa Island
Introduction Navassa Island
Background:This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for itsguano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of NavassaIsland transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of theInterior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it asa unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year itbecame a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditionshave continued.
Geography Navassa Island
Location:Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of TiburonPeninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 5.4 sq kmland: 5.4 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:8 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:marine, tropical
Terrain:raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed byvertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources:guano
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Natural hazards:hurricanes
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at GuantanamoBay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to supportgoat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
People Navassa Island
Population:uninhabitednote: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island(July 2006 est.)
Government Navassa Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status:unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish andWildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the CaribbeanIslands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; inSeptember 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance ofNavassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southernside of the island; there has also been a private claim advancedagainst the island
Legal system:the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:the flag of the US is used
Economy Navassa Island
Economy - overview:Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refugewaters.
Transportation Navassa Island
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Navassa Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Navassa Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@Nepal
Introduction Nepal
Background:In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of ruleby hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system ofgovernment. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracywithin the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoistinsurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened tobring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-firebetween the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and weresubsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoinginsurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, theking in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected primeminister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citingdissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressingthe Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisonedparty leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequentlyreleased party leaders and officially ended the state of emergencyin May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by theseven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliamentto reconvene on 28 April 2006. In November 2006, the government andMaoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-yearinsurgency.
Geography Nepal
Location:Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates:28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 147,181 sq kmland: 143,181 sq kmwater: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropicalsummers and mild winters in south
Terrain:Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hillregion, rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 mhighest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits oflignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:11,700 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and faminedepending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summermonsoons
Environment - current issues:deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agriculturalrunoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicularemissions
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:landlocked; strategic location between China and India; containseight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest andKanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on theborders with China and India respectively
People Nepal
Population:28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 20.3 yearsmale: 20.1 yearsfemale: 20.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.17% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 60.18 yearsmale: 60.43 yearsfemale: 59.91 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:61,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:3,100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%(2001 census)note: only official Hindu state in the world
Languages:Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%,unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)note: many in government and business also speak English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 48.6%male: 62.7%female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)
Government Nepal
Country name:conventional long and short form: Nepallocal long and short form: Nepal
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Kathmandugeographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 Etime difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DCduring Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence:1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
National holiday:note - in 2006 Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA(7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays
Constitution:9 November 1990; the government began working on an interimconstitution in May 2006
Legal system:based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on therecommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime ministerselected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the politicalpartieselections: following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party or leader of a majority coalition historically hasbeen appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members electedevery two years to serve six-year terms) and the House ofRepresentatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened inApril 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed bythe monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; theother judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation ofthe Judicial Council)
Political parties and leaders:Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [MadhavKumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati ShumsherRANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, partypresident, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana(Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, partypresident]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI,president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan ManBIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya JanaMorcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP[Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged withPeople's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002