Economy Southern Ocean
Economy - overview:Fisheries in 2003-04 landed 136,262 metric tons, of which 87%(118,166 tons) was krill and 8% (11,182 tons) Patagonian toothfish,compared to 142,555 tons in 2002-03 of which 83% (117,728 tons) waskrill and 12% (16,479 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishingfrom the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation ofAntarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightlybeyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements wereadopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulatedfishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2004-05Antarctic summer 28,202 tourists, most of them seaborne(approximately 97%), visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica,compared to 14,762 in 1999-2000.
Transportation Southern Ocean
Ports and terminals:McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarcticanote: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean;ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; eventhen some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; mostAntarctic ports are operated by government research stations and,except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or privatevessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subjectto inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7); TheHydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographiccommission of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), isresponsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting mattersin Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provisionof accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation insupport of safety of navigation in region; membership of HCA is opento any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to theAntarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHOChart 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)
Transportation - note:Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Transnational Issues Southern Ocean
Disputes - international:Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), butArgentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assertclaims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in theSouthern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest inextending those continental shelf claims under the United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersearidges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land ormaritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formalclaims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and150 degrees west
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Background:The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lieapproximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have beenunder British administration since 1908 - except for a brief periodin 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorerErnest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fatedattempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 monthslater with a few companions in a small boat and arranged asuccessful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off theAntarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition andis buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists fromthe British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance ofpreserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993,extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around eachisland.
Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Location:Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, eastof the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates:54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 3,903 sq kmland: 3,903 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South GeorgiaIsland, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consistof eleven islands
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:NA km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the yearinterspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls assnow
Terrain:most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged andmountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are ofvolcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Natural resources:fish
Land use:arable land: 0%permanent crops: 0%other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with somesparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions thatgenerally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are alsosubject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, whichprovide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20thcentury, live on South Georgia
People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of theBritish Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station onBird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2006est.)
Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Country name:conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandsconventional short form: noneabbreviation: SGSSI
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who isconcurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing QueenELIZABETH II; Grytviken - formerly a whaling station on SouthGeorgia - is a scientific base
Legal system:the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistratefrom the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of armscentered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features ashield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a furseal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appearsabove the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAMPROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Economy - overview:Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potentialsource of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islandsreceive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale offishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations:0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:0 (2003)
Internet country code:.gs
Internet hosts:271 (2006)
Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Ports and terminals:Grytviken
Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Disputes - international:Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and brieflyoccupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longerseek settlement by force
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@Spain
Introduction Spain
Background:Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuriesultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequentfailure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions causedthe country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economicand political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peacefultransition to democracy following the death of dictator FranciscoFRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined theEU in 1986), have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies inEurope and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuingchallenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism andrelatively high unemployment.
Geography Spain
Location:Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, MediterraneanSea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest ofFrance
Geographic coordinates:40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 504,782 sq kmland: 499,542 sq kmwater: 5,240 sq kmnote: there are 2 autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and CanaryIslands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast ofMorocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velezde la Gomera
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries:total: 1,917.8 kmborder countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline:4,964 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
Climate:temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudyalong coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy andcool along coast
Terrain:large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources:coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten,mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin,potash, hydropower, arable land
Land use:arable land: 27.18%permanent crops: 9.85%other: 62.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:37,800 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluentsfrom the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality andquantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People Spain
Population:40,397,842 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,000,686/female 2,821,325)15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,751,963/female 13,653,426)65 years and over: 17.7% (male 2,993,496/female 4,176,946) (2006est.)
Median age: total: 39.9 years male: 38.6 years female: 41.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.13% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:10.06 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.65 yearsmale: 76.32 yearsfemale: 83.2 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:140,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups:composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions:Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages:Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%; note -Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languagesare official regionally
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.9%male: 98.7%female: 97.2% (2003 est.)
Government Spain
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Spainconventional short form: Spainlocal long form: Reino de Espanalocal short form: Espana
Government type:parliamentary monarchy
Capital:name: Madridgeographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 Wtime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in Octobernote: Spain is divided into two time zones, including the CanaryIslands
Administrative divisions:17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares(Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,Pais Vasco (Basque Country)note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three smallislands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velezde la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish centralgovernment, are all located along the coast of Morocco and arecollectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas deSoberania)
Independence:the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independentkingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8thcentury AD and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christianredoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completedthe unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally consideredthe forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:National Day, 12 October
Constitution:6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system:civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsoryICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); HeirApparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968head of government: President of the Government (Prime Ministerequivalent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004);First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of thePresidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004)and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance)Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the presidentnote: there is also a Council of State that is the supremeconsultative organ of the government, but its recommendations arenon-bindingelections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch andelected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004(next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by themonarch on the proposal of the presidentelection results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) electedpresident; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%
Legislative branch:bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las CortesGenerales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 membersdirectly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by theregional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress ofDeputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members areelected by popular vote on block lists by proportionalrepresentation to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to beheld March 2008)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE37.98%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC2.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote byparty - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU5, CC 3, other 5
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders:Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party orPNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI];Canarian Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [PaulinoRIVERO Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (acoalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [ArturMAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [JosepAntoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senatecoalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA);Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA Gonzalez];Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta];Navarra yes or Na Bai (a coalition of four Navarran parties) [UxueBARKOS Berruezo]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey];Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA];Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of parties including thePCE and other small parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo]
Political pressure groups and leaders:business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free laborunions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union ofWorkers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union orUSO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'Commissions or CC.OO.
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNRWA,UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORPchancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr.embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madridmailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description:three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and redwith the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars ofHercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) oneither side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
Economy Spain
Economy - overview:The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging 5% annualgrowth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, theSpanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain'smixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basisis 80% that of the four leading West European economies. Thecenter-right government of former President AZNAR successfullyworked to gain admission to the first group of countries launchingthe European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNARadministration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms tothat end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administrationbut remains high at 8.7%. Growth averaging 3% annually during2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a falteringEuropean economy. The Socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, hasmade mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, whichneed to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's strongeconomic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footingsignificant downside risks remain, including Spain's continued lossof competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, thecountry's changing demographic profile and a decline in EUstructural funds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.07 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$1.081 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$27,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 29.4% services: 66.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 21.77 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 30.1% services: 64.6% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:8.7% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:19.8%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:32.5 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):29.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $488.2 billionexpenditures: $475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of$12.8 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:39.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef,pork, poultry, dairy products; fish
Industries:textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
Industrial production growth rate:0.6% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:263.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:241.8 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:11.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:8.3 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:135,100 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:1.582 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:339 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:27.01 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-98.6 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines,other consumer goods
Exports - partners:France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 8.4%, US4.1% (2005)
Imports:$324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods,foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments
Imports - partners:Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands 5%,China 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$17 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$1.591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutionsof member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions with the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Spain
Telephones - main lines in use:18.322 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:41.328 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 personsdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 IndianOcean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Radio broadcast stations:AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:13.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)
Televisions:16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:.es
Internet hosts:2,520,711 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):56 (2000)
Internet users:19,204,771 (2006)
Transportation Spain
Airports: 157 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 26 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2006)
Heliports:8 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006)
Railways:total: 14,873 kmbroad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 666,292 kmpaved: 659,629 km (including 12,009 km of expressways)unpaved: 6,663 km (2003)
Waterways:1,000 km (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1,874,161 DWTby type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27,liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petroleum tanker15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2,vehicle carrier 5foreign-owned: 36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3,Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7)registered in other countries: 112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4,Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6,Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kittsand Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,Tarragona, Valencia
Military Spain
Military branches:Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy(Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force(Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 9,366,588females age 20-49: 9,155,057 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 7,623,356females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 233,384females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9,906.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Spain
Disputes - international:in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum toremain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UKand Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greaterautonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclavesof Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migrationinto Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanishsovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference ofinterpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty ofBadajoz
Illicit drugs:key European gateway country and consumer for Latin Americancocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asianheroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics traffickingorganizations and organized crime
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@Spratly Islands
Background:The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands orreefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentiallyby gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety byChina, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysiaand the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relativelysmall numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, thePhilippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishingzone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formalclaim.
Geography Spratly Islands
Location:Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South ChinaSea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to thesouthern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: less than 5 sq kmland: less than 5 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mountsscattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central SouthChina Sea
Area - comparative:NA
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:926 km
Maritime claims:NA
Climate:tropical
Terrain:flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in thecentral South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,shoals, and coral reefs
People Spratly Islands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of severalclaimant states (2004)
Government Spratly Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Economy Spratly Islands
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximityto nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests thepotential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largelyunexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves.Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Transportation Spratly Islands
Airports: 3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:none; offshore anchorage only
Military Spratly Islands
Military - note:Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, ofwhich about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, thePhilippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Transnational Issues Spratly Islands
Disputes - international:all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, andVietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone thatencompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has notpublicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "codeof conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, thePhilippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marineseismic activities in the Spratly Islands
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Sri Lanka
Introduction Sri Lanka
Background:The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning inabout the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developedat the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circaA.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14thcentury, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north andestablished a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16thcentury and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was cededto the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and wasunited under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independentin 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions betweenthe Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict thatcontinues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the governmentand Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-firein February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violencebetween the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006, butneither side has formally withdrawn from the cease-fire.
Geography Sri Lanka
Location:Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates:7 00 N, 81 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 65,610 sq kmland: 64,740 sq kmwater: 870 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,340 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 monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwestmonsoon (June to October)
Terrain:mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-centralinterior
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Natural resources:limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,hydropower
Land use:arable land: 13.96%permanent crops: 15.24%other: 70.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:7,430 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened bypoaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from miningactivities and increased pollution; freshwater resources beingpolluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; airpollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
People Sri Lanka
Population:20,222,240note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government andarmed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousandTamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamilshave sought refuge in the West (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233)15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751)65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 29.8 yearsmale: 28.7 yearsfemale: 30.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.78% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:15.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.23 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: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 73.41 yearsmale: 70.83 yearsfemale: 76.12 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Sri Lankan(s)adjective: Sri Lankan
Ethnic groups:Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, SriLankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 censusprovisional data)
Religions:Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Languages:Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (nationallanguage) 18%, other 8%note: English is commonly used in government and is spokencompetently by about 10% of the population
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 92.3%male: 94.8%female: 90% (2003 est.)
Government Sri Lanka
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lankaconventional short form: Sri Lankalocal long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya diJanarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachulocal short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankaiformer: Serendib, Ceylon
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Colombogeographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 Etime difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
Administrative divisions:8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Westernnote: in 1998 the Government of Sri Lanka proposed a merger of theformer Northern and Eastern provinces; while this merger was neverratified, the Government treats North Eastern Province as a de factosingular administrative unit
Independence:4 February 1948 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Constitution:adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
Legal system:a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holdsthe ceremonial title of prime ministerhead of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November2005)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with theprime ministerelections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term(eligible for a second term); election last held 17 November 2005(next to be held 2011)election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSE elected president; percent ofvote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other1.3%
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular voteon the basis of a modified proportional representation system bydistrict to serve six-year terms)elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.83%,TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others0.93%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, UNP dissident 1,TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, JHU dissidents 2, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4,Communist Party 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts areappointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon WorkersCongress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Frontor EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP[Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP; MahajanaEksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE];National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National UnityAlliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organizationof Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU; SriLanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri LankaProgressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam LiberationOrganization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA[R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V.ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [RanilWICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,represented in either Parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders:Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam orLTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for aseparate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as theNational Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
International organization participation:AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS(observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombotelephone: [94] (11) 249-8500FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
Flag description:yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equalvertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel isa large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, andthere is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appearsas a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
Economy Sri Lanka
Economy - overview:In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its importsubstitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies,export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment.Recent changes in government have brought some policy reversals,however. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a morestatist economic approach which seeks to reduce poverty by steeringinvestment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and mediumenterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the alreadyenormous civil service. The government has halted mostprivatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last ten years,with a brief interruption during the global downturn in 2001. Inlate December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, leftmore than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed anestimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Growth, partly spurred byreconstruction, reached 5% in 2005 and more than 6% in 2006. SriLanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles andapparel, food and beverages, port contstruction, telecommunications,and insurance and banking. In 2005, plantation crops made up onlyabout 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), whiletextiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 SriLankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north andeast for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadowover the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$93.33 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$23.52 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$4,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 27.3% services: 55.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 8.214 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 38% industry: 17% services: 45% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:7.6% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:22% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34.4 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):12.1% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):28.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.762 billionexpenditures: $7.095 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:90.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish
Industries:processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agriculturalcommodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing,textiles; cement, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:7.714 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:7.174 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-1.118 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$7.076 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies;coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
Exports - partners:US 31.1%, UK 12.2%, India 8.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005)
Imports:$9.655 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machineryand transportation equipment
Imports - partners:India 20.7%, Singapore 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.3%, China 7.1%, Iran 5.9%,Malaysia 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.81 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$12.23 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$577 million (1998)
Currency (code):Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Currency code:LKR
Exchange rates:Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 102.987 (2006), 100.498 (2005),101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Sri Lanka
Telephones - main lines in use:1,509,913 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4,284,256 (2006)
Telephone system:general assessment: telephone services have improved significantlyand are available in most parts of the country.domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digitalmicrowave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo areaand two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competitionis strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellularsubscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low (2006)international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia,Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat(Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM, FM, Shortwave combined 34 (2006)
Radios:3.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:14 (2006)
Televisions:1.53 million (1997)
Internet country code:.lk