Oil - production:150,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:34,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:990 million bbl (1 January 2004)
Natural gas - production:28.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:14.15 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:13.94 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:733 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$3.259 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$12.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Exports - partners:US 68.6%, Jamaica 5.4%, Barbados 2.9% (2005)
Imports:$8.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, liveanimals
Imports - partners:US 27.2%, Venezuela 13.1%, Brazil 13.1%, Japan 5.4%, Canada 4.1%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$6.888 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$2.838 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$24 million (1999 est.)
Currency (code):Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Currency code:TTD
Exchange rates:Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2944 (2006), 6.2842(2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 October - 30 September
Communications Trinidad and Tobago
Telephones - main lines in use:323,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:800,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: excellent international service; good localservicedomestic: NAinternational: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados andGuyana
Radio broadcast stations:AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:6 (2005)
Televisions:425,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tt
Internet hosts:30,732 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):17 (2000)
Internet users:160,000 (2005)
Transportation Trinidad and Tobago
Airports: 6 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 3914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 253 km; gas 1,278 km; oil 571 km (2006)
Roadways:total: 8,320 kmpaved: 4,252 kmunpaved: 4,068 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 16,760 GRT/7,941 DWTby type: liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleumtanker 2foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain
Military Trinidad and Tobago
Military branches:Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard(includes air wing) (2004)
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: 290,715females age 18-49: 258,410 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 202,958females age 18-49: 173,797 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$66.72 million (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.6% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago
Disputes - international:In April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issues a decisionthat delimits a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago andcompels Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limits Barbadianfishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago'sexclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobagoagreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOSchallenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's andVenezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyanahas also expressed its intention to include itself in thearbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundarymay extend into its waters as well
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the USand Europe; producer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Tunisia
Introduction Tunisia
Background:Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminatedin a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate.Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I wasfinally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as anindependent state in 1956. The country's first president, HabibBOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated thecountry for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism andestablishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation.Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreignrelations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure fora more open political society.
Geography Tunisia
Location:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeriaand Libya
Geographic coordinates:34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 163,610 sq kmland: 155,360 sq kmwater: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Coastline: 1,148 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers;desert in south
Terrain:mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south mergesinto the Sahara
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 mhighest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Natural resources:petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use:arable land: 17.05%permanent crops: 13.08%other: 69.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:3,940 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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 signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia arediscussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelfbetween their countries, particularly for oil exploration
People Tunisia
Population:10,175,014 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,293,235/female 1,212,994)15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,504,283/female 3,478,268)65 years and over: 6.7% (male 327,521/female 358,713) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.8 yearsmale: 27.3 yearsfemale: 28.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.99% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:15.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 26.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 20.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 75.12 yearsmale: 73.4 yearsfemale: 76.96 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)
Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Ethnic groups:Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Religions:Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Languages:Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French(commerce)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 74.3%male: 83.4%female: 65.3% (2004 est.)
Government Tunisia
Country name:conventional long form: Tunisian Republicconventional short form: Tunisialocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyahlocal short form: Tunis
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Tunisgeographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba(Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili(Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax(Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse(Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan(Zaghwan)
Independence:20 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 20 March (1956)
Constitution:1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
Legal system:based on French civil law system and Shari'a law; some judicialreview of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
Suffrage:20 years of age; universal except for active duty military
Executive branch:chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November1987)head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17November 1999)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(no term limits); election last held 24 October 2004 (next to beheld October 2009); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for afourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%
Legislative branch:bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlisal-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 memberselected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professionalassociations and trade unions; 41 members are presidentialappointees; members serve six-year terms)elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 24 October 2004 (next tobe held October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held 3 July 2005(next to be held July 2011)election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3,PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted))
Judicial branch:Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic RallyParty (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [PresidentZine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Green Party forProgress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL[Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [IsmailBOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist DemocraticUnion or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:18 October Group [collective leadership]; Democratic Forum forLabor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Tunisian Leaguefor Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamicfundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC,NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador designate Robert F. GODEC embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 107-090
Flag description:red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearlyencircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star aretraditional symbols of Islam
Economy Tunisia
Economy - overview:Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining,energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control ofeconomic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over thepast decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the taxstructure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive socialpolicies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisiarelative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9%in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in2003-06. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in thetourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due torising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia isgradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broaderprivatization, further liberalization of the investment code toincrease foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency,and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$87.88 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$32.95 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31% services: 56.2% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 3.502 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 23% services: 22% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate:13.9% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:7.4% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40 (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.6% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $7.728 billionexpenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:57.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets,dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Industries:petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism,textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:4.7% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:11.81 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:10.97 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:15 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:5 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-760 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products,mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons
Exports - partners:France 30.8%, Italy 21%, Germany 9.3%, Spain 5.5%, Libya 4.4% (2005)
Imports:$13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 25.8%, Italy 23.1%, Germany 9.6%, Spain 5.6% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$6.646 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$328 million (2004)
Currency (code):Tunisian dinar (TND)
Currency code:TND
Exchange rates:Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.31281 (2006), 1.2974 (2005),1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Tunisia
Telephones - main lines in use:1,257,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:5.681 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: above the African average and continuing to beupgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internetaccess availabledomestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxialcable, and microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxialcable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant inMedarabtel; two international gateway digital switches
Radio broadcast stations:AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:2.06 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:920,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tn
Internet hosts:428 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:953,800 (2005)
Transportation Tunisia
Airports: 30 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 2,945 km; oil 1,227 km; refined products 351 km (2006)
Railways:total: 2,153 kmstandard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2005)
Roadways:total: 19,232 kmpaved: 12,655 km (including 262 km of expressways)unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)
Merchant marine:total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,759 GRT/115,118 DWTby type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo4 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira
Military Tunisia
Military branches:Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiyaal-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2006)
Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 2,441,741females age 20-49: 2,406,362 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 2,035,431females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 108,817females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$356 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Tunisia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Turkey
Introduction Turkey
Background:Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants ofthe defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who waslater honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-rangingsocial, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-partyrule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peacefultransfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties havemultiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods ofinstability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),which in each case eventually resulted in a return of politicalpower to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer theouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the thenIslamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprusin 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has sinceacted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People'sCongress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated theTurkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives.After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgentslargely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGKannounced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGKincreased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became amember of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of theEuropean Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken manyreforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it tobegin accession membership talks with the European Union.
Geography Turkey
Location:Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkeywest of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), borderingthe Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering theAegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates:39 00 N, 35 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 780,580 sq kmland: 770,760 sq kmwater: 9,820 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 2,648 kmborder countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline:7,200 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and inMediterranean Seaexclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundaryagreed upon with the former USSR
Climate:temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher ininterior
Terrain:high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; severalmountain ranges
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources:coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arableland, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:52,150 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arcextending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Seaof Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; MountArarat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the fareastern portion of the country
People Turkey
Population:70,413,958 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.5% (male 9,133,226/female 8,800,070)15-64 years: 67.7% (male 24,218,277/female 23,456,761)65 years and over: 6.8% (male 2,198,073/female 2,607,551) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 28.1 yearsmale: 27.9 yearsfemale: 28.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.06% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 39.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 43.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.62 yearsmale: 70.18 yearsfemale: 75.18 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Turk(s)adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groups:Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions:Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages:Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardiannote: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the Europepart of Turkey
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 86.5%male: 94.3%female: 78.7% (2003 est.)
Government Turkey
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Turkeyconventional short form: Turkeylocal long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyetilocal short form: Turkiye
Government type:republican parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Ankarageographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir,Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Independence:29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
Constitution:7 November 1982
Legal system:civil law system derived from various European continental legalsystems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified EuropeanConvention on Human Rights
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on thenomination of the prime ministerelections: president elected by the National Assembly for a singleseven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among membersof parliamentelection results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the thirdballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the NationalAssembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the thirdballot
Legislative branch:unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye BuyukMillet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms)elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next is scheduled to be held 4November 2007); note - a special rerun of the General Election inthe province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election ofRecep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in parliament, a prerequisite forbecoming prime minister, on 14 March 2003election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, GP 7.3%, Anavatan 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and other;seats by party - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - partiessurpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats;seats by party as of 1 December 2006 - AKP 354, CHP 154, Anavatan21, DYP 4, SHP 1, HYP 1, GP 1, independents 9, vacant 5
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council ofState (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Courtof Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Political parties and leaders:Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU];Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic SocietyParty or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated asContentment Party) or SP [Recai KUTAN]; Justice and DevelopmentParty or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP(sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party) [DevletBAHCELI]; People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP[Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [DenizBAYKAL]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN];True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party) or DYP[Mehmet AGAR]; Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN]note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant ofthe 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail HakkiTOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK[Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen'sAssociation or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union orHak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions orTISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor orTurk-Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen andCraftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' andBusinessmen's Association or TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Union ofChambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. RifatHISARCIKLIOGLU]
International organization participation:AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Flag description:red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is towardthe hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outsidethe crescent opening
Economy Turkey
Economy - overview:Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry andcommerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that stillaccounts for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong andrapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a majorrole in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. Thelargest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accountsfor one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competitionin international markets with the end of the global quota system.However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronicsindustries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix.Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strongexpansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with theimplementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%,followed by roughly 5% annual growth in 2005-06. Inflation fell to7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low, but climbed back to 9.8% in 2006.Despite the strong economic gains in 2002-06, which were largely dueto renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, andtighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a highcurrent account deficit and high debt. The public sector fiscaldeficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to high interestpayments, which accounted for about 37% of central governmentspending in 2004. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) inTurkey averaged less than $1 billion annually, but further economicand judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected toboost FDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21billion. Oil began to flow through the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipelinein May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1billion barrels per day from the Caspian to market.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$627.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$358.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 29.4% services: 59.4% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 24.8 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 35.9% industry: 22.8% services: 41.2% (3rd quarter)
Unemployment rate:10.2% plus underemployment of 4% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:20% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:42 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $112.3 billionexpenditures: $121.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;livestock
Industries:textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal,chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber,paper
Industrial production growth rate:5.5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:143.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:140.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:1.1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:500 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:715,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:46,110 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:616,500 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:688 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:22.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:21.73 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-25.99 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$85.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transportequipment
Exports - partners:Germany 12.9%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7.6%, US 6.7%, France 5.2%, Spain4.1% (2005)
Imports:$120.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transportequipment
Imports - partners:Germany 11.7%, Russia 11%, Italy 6.5%, China 5.9%, France 5%, US4.6%, UK 4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$53.42 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$193.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $635.8 million (2002)
Currency (code):Turkish lira (YTL); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005
Currency code:TRL, YTL
Exchange rates:Turkish liras per US dollar - 1.44514 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255(2004), 1.5009 (2003), 1.5072 (2002), note, on 1 January 2005 theold Turkish Lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish Lira (YTL) at arate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish Lira
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkey
Telephones - main lines in use:18.978 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:43.609 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,especially with cellular telephonesdomestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapidincrease in subscribers; the construction of a network oftechnologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using bothfiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitatingcommunication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by adomestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobilecellular telephone service is growing rapidlyinternational: country code - 90; international service is providedby three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and BlackSeas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobilesatellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:11.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:20.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:.tr
Internet hosts:1,313,135 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2001)
Internet users:16 million (2005)
Transportation Turkey
Airports: 117 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 89 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Heliports:18 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 4,621 km; oil 3,543 km (2006)
Railways:total: 8,697 kmstandard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 426,906 kmpaved: 177,550 km (including 1,892 km of expressways)unpaved: 249,356 km (2004)
Waterways:1,200 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 545 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,772,864 GRT/7,313,070 DWTby type: bulk carrier 109, cargo 239, chemical tanker 50, container24, liquefied gas 6, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 50, petroleumtanker 36, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 24, specializedtanker 2foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Italy 3, Switzerland 1)registered in other countries: 411 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda8, Bahamas 8, Belize 11, Cambodia 26, Comoros 11, Dominica 3,Georgia 30, Isle of Man 3, North Korea 4, Liberia 1, Libya 2, Malta123, Marshall Islands 20, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 42, Russia63, Saint Kitts and Nevis 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25,Slovakia 8, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli(Izmit), Toros
Military Turkey
Military branches:Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces (TurkDeniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry),Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 16,756,323females age 20-49: 16,051,706 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 13,905,901females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 679,734females age 20-49: 659,090 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$12.155 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:5.3% (2003)
Military - note:in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badlyequipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but onlyone was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six weremechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has producedhighly mobile forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordancewith NATO's new strategic concept (2005)
Transnational Issues Turkey
Disputes - international:complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in theAegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraqprotest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrateswaters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds inIraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK andTurkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2006)
Illicit drugs:key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and- to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;major Turkish, Iranian, and other international traffickingorganizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convertimported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkeyand near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areasof legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy strawconcentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Turkmenistan
Introduction Turkmenistan
Background:Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became aSoviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon thedissolution of the USSR in 1991. President Saparmurat NIYAZOVretains absolute control over the country and opposition is nottolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove aboon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and deliveryprojects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government isactively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportationroutes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.
Geography Turkmenistan
Location:Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Geographic coordinates:40 00 N, 60 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 488,100 sq kmland: 488,100 sq kmwater: NEGL
Area - comparative:slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:total: 3,736 kmborder countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Coastline:0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:subtropical desert
Terrain:flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in thesouth; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea inwest
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is alake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuatesabove and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake hasdropped as low as -110 m)highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Land use: arable land: 4.51% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 95.35% (2005)
Irrigated land:18,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigationmethods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of theflow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river'sinability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions ofthe country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, whichoccupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau
People Turkmenistan
Population:5,042,920 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 35.2% (male 913,988/female 863,503)15-64 years: 60.7% (male 1,501,486/female 1,557,155)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 79,227/female 127,561) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 21.8 yearsmale: 20.9 yearsfemale: 22.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.83% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:27.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 72.56 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 61.83 yearsmale: 58.43 yearsfemale: 65.41 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2004 est.)
Nationality:noun: Turkmen(s)adjective: Turkmen
Ethnic groups:Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Religions:Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Languages:Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.8%male: 99.3%female: 98.3% (1999 est.)
Government Turkmenistan
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Turkmenistanlocal long form: nonelocal short form: Turkmenistanformer: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little poweroutside the executive branch
Capital:name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 Etime difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty(Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, LebapWelayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayatynote: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers (exceptions have the administrative centername following in parentheses)