Economy Antarctica
Economy - overview:Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account forAntarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in2003-04 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 136,262 metric tons(estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on theConservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), whichextends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulatedfishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marinespecies. A total of 23,175 tourists visited in the 2004-05 Antarcticsummer, up from the 19,486 visitors the previous year. Nearly all ofthem were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships andseveral yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist tripslast approximately two weeks.
Communications Antarctica
Telephones - main lines in use:0; note - information for US bases only (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: local systems at some research stationsdomestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small numberof locationsinternational: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobileInmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,aircraft, and most field parties
Radio broadcast stations:AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1, note - information for US bases only(2002)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces AntarcticNetwork-McMurdo)note: information for US bases only (2002)
Televisions:several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)note: information for US bases only (2001)
Internet country code:.aq
Internet hosts:7,757 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Transportation Antarctica
Airports: 20 note: there are no developed public access airports or landing facilities; 28 stations or remote field locations, operated by 11 National Antarctic Programs from nations party to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities comprising a total of 11 runways and 22 skiways for fixed-wing aircraft; some stations have both runways and skiways; commercial enterprises operate two aircraft landing facilities at one station; helicopter pads are available at all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated by National Antarctic Programs; the 11 runways are suitable for wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft: three are gravel, four blue-ice, two sea-ice and two compacted snow; of these, five are 3 km in length, two are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three are between 1 km and 2 km in length and one is less than 1 km in length; the 22 snow surface skiways are limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, three are equal to or greater than 3 km in length, one is between 2 km and 3 km in length, nine are between 1 km and 2 km in length, five are less than 1 km in length, and four are of unknown or variable length; snow surface skiways are generally prepared and maintained during specific periods only and during summer; all aircraft landing facilities subject to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for using their facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica were adopted in 2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be complied with (see information under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight Information Manual (AFIM) providing up-to-date details of Antarctic air facilities and procedures is maintained and published by the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 length unknown or variable: 4 (2006)
Heliports:37note: all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated byNational Antarctic Programs stations have restricted helicopterlanding facilities (helipads) (2006)
Ports and terminals:there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; mostcoastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies aretransferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, andhelicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastalstations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), and Palmer (64 43 S,64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Officeunder "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspectionin accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorageis sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments andauthorization procedures adopted by the states parties to theAntarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, toall areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to becomplied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Committee onAntarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of InternationalHydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographicsurveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; itcoordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriatecharts and other aids to navigation in support of safety ofnavigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO MemberState whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and whichcontributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area;members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France,Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa,Spain, and the UK (2005)
Military Antarctica
Military - note:the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, thecarrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type ofweapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment forscientific research or for any other peaceful purposes
Transnational Issues Antarctica
Disputes - international:Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary ingovernment type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ,Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some overlapping)for a large portion of the continent; the US and many other statesdo not recognize these territorial claims and have made no claimsthemselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claimshave been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degreeswest; several states with territorial claims in Antarctica haveexpressed their intention to submit data to the UN Commission on theLimits of the Continental Shelf to extend their continental shelfclaims to adjoining undersea ridges
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@Antigua and Barbuda
Introduction Antigua and Barbuda
Background:The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua andBarbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands whenColumbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements bythe Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed acolony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations onAntigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independentstate within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.
Geography Antigua and Barbuda
Location:Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:17 03 N, 61 48 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)land: 442.6 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:153 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:tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some highervolcanic areas
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
Natural resources:NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use:arable land: 18.18%permanent crops: 4.55%other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harborsand beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor
People Antigua and Barbuda
Population:69,108 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.6% (male 9,716/female 9,375)15-64 years: 68.5% (male 23,801/female 23,524)65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,020/female 1,672) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 30 yearsmale: 29.5 yearsfemale: 30.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.55% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-6.08 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: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 22.71 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 14.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.16 yearsmale: 69.78 yearsfemale: 74.66 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.24 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: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups:black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian
Religions:Christian (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and someRoman Catholic)
Languages:English (official), local dialects
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years ofschoolingtotal population: 85.8%male: NA%female: NA% (2003 est.)
Government Antigua and Barbuda
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Government type:constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Saint John'sgeographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George,Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip
Independence:1 November 1981 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)
Constitution:1 November 1981
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June1993)head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24March 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general onthe advice of the prime ministerelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosenby the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; followinglegislative elections, the leader of the majority party or theleader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime ministerby the governor general
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member bodyappointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives(17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation toserve five-year terms)elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (nextto be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -ALP 4, UPP 13
Judicial branch:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge ofthe Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over theCourt of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for aBetter Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM[Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [ArthurNIBBS]; National Democratic Congress [Tillman THOMAS]; UnitedProgressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of threeparties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, ProgressiveLabor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)
Political pressure groups and leaders:Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People'sDemocratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the USAmbassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
Flag description:red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge ofthe flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black(top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the blackband
Economy Antigua and Barbuda
Economy - overview:Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more thanhalf of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 haveslowed the economy and pressed the government into a tight fiscalcorner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focusedon the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply anda labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourismand construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly forexport with major products being bedding, handicrafts, andelectronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the mediumterm will continue to depend on income growth in the industrializedworld, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more thanone-third of tourist arrivals.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$750 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$905 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$10,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 30,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983)
Unemployment rate:11% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0.9% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $123.7 millionexpenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes,sugarcane; livestock
Industries:tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol,household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:105 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:97.65 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-83.4 million (2004)
Exports:$46.81 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transportequipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%
Exports - partners:Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)
Imports:$378 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment,manufactures, chemicals, oil
Imports - partners:US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5%(2005)
Debt - external:$427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not totalexternal debt (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.65 million (2004)
Currency (code):East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:XCD
Exchange rates:East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Antigua and Barbuda
Telephones - main lines in use:38,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:54,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: good automatic telephone systeminternational: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:36,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (1997)
Televisions:31,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ag
Internet hosts:2,231 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):16 (2000)
Internet users:20,000 (2005)
Transportation Antigua and Barbuda
Airports:3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 1under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:total: 1,165 kmpaved: 384 kmunpaved: 781 km (2002)
Merchant marine:total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWTby type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1,refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle ofMan 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11,NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4,Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Saint John's
Military Antigua and Barbuda
Military branches:Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 18,952females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 14,859females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 507females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for theUS and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Arctic Ocean
Background:The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (afterthe Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recentlydelimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) andNorthern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonalwaterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routescircumscribes the Arctic Ocean.
Geography Arctic Ocean
Location:body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly northof the Arctic Circle
Geographic coordinates:90 00 N, 0 00 E
Map references:Arctic Region
Area:total: 14.056 million sq kmnote: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, KaraSea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Coastline:45,389 km
Climate:polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relativelynarrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized bycontinuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clearskies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggyweather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
Terrain:central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that,on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may bethree times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the BeaufortGyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the NewSiberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland andIceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer,but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to theencircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continentalshelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a centralbasin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera,Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 mhighest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
Natural hazards:ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extremenortheastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice lockedfrom October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing fromOctober to May
Environment - current issues:endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragileecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions ordamage; thinning polar icepack
Geography - note:major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access tothe Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location betweenNorth America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremesof eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operatedby the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10months
Economy Arctic Ocean
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of naturalresources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.
Transportation Arctic Ocean
Ports and terminals:Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Transportation - note:sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the NorthwestPassage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) areimportant seasonal waterways
Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean
Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
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@Argentina
Introduction Argentina
Background:In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared theirindependence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguaywent their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. Thecountry's population and culture were subsequently heavily shaped byimmigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy andSpain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina'shistory was dominated by periods of internal political conflictbetween Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and militaryfactions. After World War II, an era of Peronist authoritarian ruleand interference in subsequent governments was followed by amilitary junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983,and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidableof which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violentpublic protests and the resignation of several interim presidents.The economy has since recovered strongly since bottoming out in2002. The government renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paidoff its remaining obligations to the IMF in early 2006.
Geography Argentina
Location:Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, betweenChile and Uruguay
Geographic coordinates:34 00 S, 64 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 2,766,890 sq kmland: 2,736,690 sq kmwater: 30,200 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Land boundaries:total: 9,861 kmborder countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km,Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km
Coastline:4,989 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:mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Terrain:rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateauof Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto SanJulian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of SantaCruz)highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwesterncorner of the province of Mendoza)
Natural resources:fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore,manganese, petroleum, uranium
Land use: arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:15,500 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject toearthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike thepampas and northeast; heavy flooding
Environment - current issues: environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategiclocation relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and theSouth Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, DrakePassage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropicalclimates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua isthe Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbonis the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
People Argentina
Population:39,921,833 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.2% (male 5,153,164/female 4,921,625)15-64 years: 64.1% (male 12,804,376/female 12,798,731)65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,740,118/female 2,503,819) (2006est.)
Median age: total: 29.7 years male: 28.8 years female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.96% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 14.73 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.12 yearsmale: 72.38 yearsfemale: 80.05 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:130,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:1,500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Argentine(s)adjective: Argentine
Ethnic groups:white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white andAmerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%
Religions:nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
Languages:Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.1%male: 97.1%female: 97.1% (2003 est.)
Government Argentina
Country name:conventional long form: Argentine Republicconventional short form: Argentinalocal long form: Republica Argentinalocal short form: Argentina
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Buenos Airesgeographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 27 Wtime difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 autonomouscity* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires CapitalFederal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, RioNegro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago delEstero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,Tucumannote: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica
Independence:9 July 1816 (from Spain)
National holiday:Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
Constitution:1 May 1853; revised August 1994
Legal system:mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); VicePresident Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president isboth the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president and vice president elected on the same ticketby popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held in 2007)election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo LopezMURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 wasawarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy onthe eve of the election
Legislative branch:bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of theSenate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presentlyone-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term)and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected bydirect vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to afour-year term)elections: Senate - last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in2007); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 23 October 2005(next to be held in 2007)election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote bybloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8, PJ9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges areappointed by the president with approval by the Senate)note: the Supreme Court currently has two unfilled vacancies, andthe Argentine Congress is considering a bill to reduce the number ofSupreme Court judges to five
Political parties and leaders:Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic or ARI [Elisa CARRIO];Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF(a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO);Justicialist Front or FJ [leader NA]; Justicialist Party or PJ(Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union orUCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO (including FederalRecreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitmentfor Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [RubenGIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincialparties
Political pressure groups and leaders:Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); ArgentineIndustrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine RuralConfederation or CRA (small to medium landowners' association);Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); businessorganizations; Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical unionfor employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Laboror CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization);Peronist-dominated labor movement; Piquetero groups (popular protestorganizations that can be either pro or anti-government); RomanCatholic Church; students
International organization participation:ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO,G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS,OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDONchancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNEembassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Airesmailing address: international mail: use street address; APOaddress: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and lightblue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with ahuman face known as the Sun of May
Economy Argentina
Economy - overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the twentieth century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. Beginning in 1998, with external debt equivalent to more than 400 percent of annual exports, economic growth slowed and ultimately fell into a full-blown depression, as investors' fears grew in the wake of Russia's debt default, political discord caused by then-President Carlos MENEM's unpopular efforts to run for a constitutionally prohibited third term, and Brazil's devaluation. The government of Fernando DE LA RUA, elected President in late 1999, tried several measures to cut the fiscal deficit and instill confidence and received large IMF credit facilities, but nothing worked to revive the economy. Depositors began withdrawing money from the banks in late 2001, and the government responded with strict limits on withdrawals. When street protests turned deadly, DE LA RUA was forced to resign in December 2001. Interim President Adolfo Rodriguez SAA declared a default, the largest in history, on Argentina's foreign debt, but he stepped down only a few days later when he failed to garner political support from the country's governors. Eduardo DUHALDE became President in January 2002 and announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar. When the peso depreciated and inflation rose, DUHALDE's government froze utility tariffs indefinitely, curtailed creditors' rights, and imposed high taxes on exports. The economy rebounded strongly from the crisis, inflation started falling, and DUHALDE called for special elections. Nestor KIRCHNER was elected President, taking office in May 2003, and continued the restrictions imposed by DUHALDE. With the reemergence of double-digit inflation in 2005, the KIRCHNER administration pressured businesses into a series of agreements to hold down prices. The government also restructured its defaulted debt in 2005, convincing most bondholders to accept a large cut on the value of their holdings, and paid off its IMF obligations from reserves in full in early 2006, both of which have reduced Argentina's external debt burden. Real GDP has continued growing strongly, averaging 9 percent during the period 2003-2006, bolstering government revenues and keeping the fiscal accounts-a key vulnerability in the past-in surplus.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$599.1 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$210 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:8.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$15,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.5% industry: 35.8% services: 54.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 15.35 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:10.2% (3rd quarter)
Population below poverty line:31.4% (June 2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 1%highest 10%: 35%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:48.3 (June 2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):10% (November 2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $52.1 billionexpenditures: $47.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.4billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:62.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts,tea, wheat; livestock
Industries:food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles,chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate:8.2% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:93.94 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:90.93 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:4.143 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:7.7 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:745,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:470,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:470,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:39,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - proved reserves:2.116 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:44.88 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:37.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:7.83 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:800 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:612.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$5.81 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$46 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles
Exports - partners:Brazil 15.8%, US 11.4%, Chile 11.2%, China 7.9% (2005)
Imports:$31.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metalmanufactures, plastics
Imports - partners:Brazil 35.9%, US 14.1%, China 7.8%, Germany 4.5% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$30.24 billion (November 2006 est.)
Debt - external:$106.8 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$0 (2002)
Currency (code):Argentine peso (ARS)
Currency code:ARS
Exchange rates:Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.05999 (2006), 2.9037 (2005),2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Argentina
Telephones - main lines in use:8.8 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:22.1 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market tocompetition and foreign investment with the "TelecommunicationsLiberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth ofmodern telecommunications technology; fiber-optic cable trunk linesare being installed between all major cities; the major networks areentirely digital and the availability of telephone service isimproving; however, telephone density is presently minimal, andmaking telephone service universally available will take timedomestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domesticsatellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephoneuse is rapidly expandinginternational: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112;Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gatewaysnear Buenos Aires (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably more than1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)
Radios:24.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:7.95 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ar
Internet hosts:1,612,423 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):33 (2000)
Internet users:10 million (2005)
Transportation Argentina
Airports: 1,381 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 154over 3,047 m: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 261,524 to 2,437 m: 65914 to 1,523 m: 50under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1,227over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 49914 to 1,523 m: 587under 914 m: 587 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 29,804 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 10,373 km; refinedproducts 8,540 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2006)
Railways:total: 31,902 kmbroad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 229,144 kmpaved: 68,809 km (including 734 km of expressways)unpaved: 160,335 km (2004)
Waterways:11,000 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 435,969 GRT/707,767 DWTby type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, rollon/roll off 1foreign-owned: 11 (Chile 6, UK 4, Uruguay 1)registered in other countries: 24 (Bolivia 1, Chile 1, Liberia 7,Panama 9, Paraguay 3, Uruguay 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, PuntaColorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas
Military Argentina
Military branches:Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes navalaviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza AereaArgentina, FAA) (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription(2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 8,981,886females age 18-49: 8,883,756 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 7,316,038females age 18-49: 7,442,589 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 344,575females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.3 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.3% (FY00)
Military - note:the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by thecountry's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recentlyexperienced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing"Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces lighter and moreresponsive (2005)
Transnational Issues Argentina
Disputes - international:Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK-administeredFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the SouthSandwich Islands in its constitution, forcibly occupying theFalklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlementby force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK andChilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region atconvergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of moneylaundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, andfundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute betweenBrazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/CuareimRiver leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; action by thejoint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in2001, for mapping and demarcating the disputed boundary in theAndean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) remains pending
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Argentina is primarily a destination country forwomen and children trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation withmost victims trafficked internally, from rural to urban areas, forexploitation in prostitution; foreign women and children traffickedfor commercial sexual exploitation come primarily from Paraguay, butalso from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, andChile; Bolivians are trafficked for forced labor; Argentine womenand girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries for sexualexploitationtier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Argentina failed to show evidenceof increasing efforts to combat trafficking particularly in the keyarea of prosecutions; government efforts to improve interagencyanti-trafficking coordination did not achieve significant progressin moving cases against traffickers through the judicial system; thegovernment made progress in other areas, by submittinganti-trafficking legislation to Congress in August 2005 andsensitizing provincial and municipal government officials to thetrafficking problem
Illicit drugs:used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe; somemoney-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area;domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Armenia
Introduction Armenia
Background:Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adoptChristianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, overthe centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empiresincluding the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. DuringWorld War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkeyinstituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harshpractices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths.The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but wasconquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remainpreoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan overNagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned toSoviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijanbegan fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated afterboth countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held notonly Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijanproper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by theirinability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the commonborder because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh andsurrounding areas.
Geography Armenia
Location:Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates:40 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 29,800 sq kmland: 28,400 sq kmwater: 1,400 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:total: 1,254 kmborder countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivanexclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain:Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowingrivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Debed River 400 mhighest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
Natural resources:small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Land use: arable land: 16.78% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.21% (2005)
Irrigated land:2,860 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Environment - current issues:soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisisof the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged forfirewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; thedraining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as asource for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart ofMetsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in aseismically active zone
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants