Independence:27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Constitution:adopted 18 May 1992
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President (Acting) and Chairman of the Cabinet ofMinisters Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV; note - President SaparmuratNIYAZOV died in office 21 December 2006 and GurbangulyBERDIMUHAMMEDOV was named his temporary replacement; the presidentis both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President (Acting) and Chairman of the Cabinetof Ministers Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMMEDOVcabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 21 June 1992; note - President NIYAZOV wasunanimously approved as president for life by the People's Councilon 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers areappointed by the presidentelection results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president withoutopposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
Legislative branch:under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, aunicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislativebody of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popularvote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and aunicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms); membership is scheduled tobe increased to 65 seatselections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to beheld December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to beheld December 2008)election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party ofTurkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOVnote: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers ofthe Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislativeorgan; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, andthe president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as itssupreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend theconstitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since thepresident is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty andthe supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect ofmaking him the sole authority of both the executive and legislativebranches of government
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, smallopposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; thetwo most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been NationalDemocratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United DemocraticParty of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former ForeignMinister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in thewake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on PresidentNIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and isbased out of Moscow
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Murad Bairamovich ORAZOVchancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires JenniferL. BRUSHembassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat,Turkmenistan 774000mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14
Flag description:green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets)stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olivebranches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islamwith five white stars representing the regions or velayats ofTurkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the flyside of the red stripe
Economy Turkmenistan
Economy - overview:Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive agriculturein irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of itsirrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world'stenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to analmost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarianex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure,Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform,hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficienteconomy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2005,Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate exportroutes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-termexternal debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by anaverage of 15% per year in 2003-06, largely because of higherinternational oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised itsnatural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66 perthousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. Overall prospects inthe near future are discouraging because of widespread internalpoverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gasrevenues, and Ashgabat's unwillingness to adopt market-orientedreforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, andGDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. Inparticular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$45.11 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$16.16 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 13% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.4% industry: 33.9% services: 41.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.32 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 48.2% industry: 13.8% services: 37% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:60% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:58% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.8 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):11% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):28.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.803 billionexpenditures: $2.063 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, grain; livestock
Industries:natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:22% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:10.79 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:9.03 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:213,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:95,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:273 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:16.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:42 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:2.01 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$321.2 million (2006 est.)
Exports:$5.421 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners:Ukraine 42.8%, Iran 14.8%, Hungary 5.3% (2005)
Imports:$3.936 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:UAE 12.7%, Azerbaijan 11.1%, US 9.6%, Russia 9.1%, Ukraine 7.6%,Turkey 7.3%, Iran 6.2%, Germany 5.4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$3.518 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16 million from the US (2001)
Currency (code):Turkmen manat (TMM)
Currency code:TMM
Exchange rates:11,100 (2006), in recent years the unofficial rate has hoveredaround 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar; the officialrate has consistently been 5,200 manat to the dollar
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkmenistan
Telephones - main lines in use:495,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:52,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: poorly developeddomestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefullyunderdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreigninvestors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchangesand install a new digital switching systeminternational: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwaveradio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leasedconnections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a newtelephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a newexchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkeyvia Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:1.225 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)
Televisions:820,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tm
Internet hosts:585 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1
Internet users:36,000 (2005)
Transportation Turkmenistan
Airports: 29 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999)
Waterways:1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)(2006)
Merchant marine:total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWTby type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Turkmenbasy
Military Turkmenistan
Military branches:Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air and AirDefense Forces (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - two years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,132,833females age 18-49: 1,162,569 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 759,978females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 56,532females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Turkmenistan
Disputes - international:cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan createswater-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; fielddemarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005 butCaspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iranand Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocatethe sea's waters and seabed
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan) (2006)
Illicit drugs:transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and WesternEuropean markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals boundfor Afghanistan
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Turks and Caicos Islands
Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands
Background:The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, whenthey assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica'sindependence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separategovernor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseasterritory.
Geography Turks and Caicos Islands
Location:Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeastof The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 430 sq kmland: 430 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:389 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain:low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch
Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
People Turks and Caicos Islands
Population:21,152 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.5 yearsmale: 28.3 yearsfemale: 26.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.82% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:10.54 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: 1.11 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.73 yearsmale: 72.48 yearsfemale: 77.08 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.05 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality: noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups:black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Religions:Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other14% (1990)
Languages:English (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98%male: 99%female: 98% (1970 est.)
People - note:destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants boundfor the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and US
Government Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islandsabbreviation: TCI
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9August 2006)
Legal system:based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaicaand The Bahamas
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August2003); note - the office of premier was created in the newconstitutioncabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, sixministers appointed by the governor from among the members of theLegislative Council, and the attorney generalelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed bythe monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party is appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Council (21 seats of which 15 are popularlyelected; members serve four-year terms)elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM nowhas 5
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; ProgressiveNational Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; theshield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
Economy Turks and Caicos Islands
Economy - overview:The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshorefinancial services, and fishing. Most capital goods and food fordomestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source oftourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenuealso include fees from offshore financial activities and customsreceipts.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$216 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$11,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Unemployment rate:10% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (1995)
Budget:revenues: $47 millionexpenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(1997-98 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries:tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:7 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.51 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:80 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners:US, UK (2004)
Imports:$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, constructionmaterials
Imports - partners:US, UK (2004)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$4.1 million (1997)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:5,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,700 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: fully digital system with international directdialingdomestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless serviceavailableinternational: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satelliteearth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable televisionnetworks) (2004)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.tc
Internet hosts:2,735 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):14 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands
Airports: 8 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 2under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways:total: 121 kmpaved: 24 kmunpaved: 97 km (2003)
Ports and terminals:Grand Turk, Providenciales
Military Turks and Caicos Islands
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$192.8 million
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands
Disputes - international:have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for theUS and Europe
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Tuvalu
Introduction Tuvalu
Background:In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of theGilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the ElliceIslands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the GilbertIslands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separateBritish colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.
Geography Tuvalu
Location:Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the SouthPacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 S, 178 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 26 sq kmland: 26 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:24 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain:very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 66.67% other: 33.33% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there werethree cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changesin sea level
Environment - current issues:since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is notpotable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems withstorage facilities (the Japanese Government has built onedesalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosionbecause of the use of sand for building materials; excessiveclearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coralreefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu isconcerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions andtheir effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country'sunderground water table; in 2000, the government appealed toAustralia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levelsshould make evacuation necessary
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of thecoral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, andNukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutaohave landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
People Tuvalu
Population:11,810 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30.2% (male 1,819/female 1,752)15-64 years: 64.7% (male 3,715/female 3,923)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 228/female 373) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 24.6 yearsmale: 23.6 yearsfemale: 26 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.51% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:22.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.11 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: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19.47 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 22.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 16.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 68.32 yearsmale: 66.08 yearsfemale: 70.66 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Tuvaluan(s)adjective: Tuvaluan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
Religions:Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages:Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Literacy:NA
Government Tuvalu
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Tuvalulocal long form: nonelocal short form: Tuvaluformer: Ellice Islandsnote: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country'seight traditionally inhabited islands
Government type:constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Funafutigeographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 Etime difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village onFongafale Islet
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:1 October 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution:1 October 1978
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August2006)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on therecommendation of the prime ministerelections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed bythe monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; primeminister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the membersof Parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be heldfollowing parliamentary elections in 2010)election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected Prime Minister in aParliamentary election on 14 August 2006
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15
Judicial branch:High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over itssessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal inFiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador toFiji is accredited to Tuvalu
Flag description:light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the countrywith nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
Economy Tuvalu
Economy - overview:Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of ninecoral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineralresources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are theprimary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from thesale of stamps and coins and remittances from seamen on merchantships abroad. About 1,000 Tuvaluans are being repatriated fromNauru, with the decline of phosphate resources there. Substantialincome is received annually from an international trust fundestablished in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported alsoby Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments andconservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from an initial $17million to over $35 million in 1999. The US Government is also amajor revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its dependence onforeign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms,including privatization of some government functions and personnelcuts of up to 7%. Tuvalu derives around $1.5 million per year fromthe lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. With merchandiseexports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliancemust be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees,remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and incomefrom overseas investments.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$14.94 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$14.94 million (2002)
GDP - real growth rate:1.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 27.2% services: 56.2%
Labor force: 3,615 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.9% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $22.78 millionexpenditures: $14.23 million; including capital expenditures of $4.2million (2002)
Agriculture - products:coconuts; fish
Industries:fishing, tourism, copra
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA
Current account balance:$2.323 million (1998)
Exports:$1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:copra, fish
Exports - partners:Germany 60.5%, Italy 20.1%, Fiji 6.9% (2005)
Imports:$9.186 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:Fiji 46.1%, Japan 18.9%, China 18.2%, Australia 7.7%, NZ 4.1% (2005)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US(1999 est.)
Currency (code):Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar
Currency code:AUD
Exchange rates:Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095(2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Tuvalu
Telephones - main lines in use:700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:0 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: serves particular needs for internalcommunicationsdomestic: radiotelephone communications between islandsinternational: country code - 688; international calls can be madeby satellite
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:4,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (2004)
Televisions:800
Internet country code:.tv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:1,300 (2002)
Transportation Tuvalu
Airports:1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:total: 8 kmpaved: 8 km (2002)
Merchant marine:total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 196,790 GRT/256,436 DWTby type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 37, chemical tanker 1, container 2,passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, specializedtanker 1foreign-owned: 43 (China 23, Hong Kong 8, Kenya 1, Russia 2,Singapore 6, Thailand 1, Turkey 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Funafuti
Military Tuvalu
Military branches:no regular military forces; Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Tuvalu
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Uganda
Introduction Uganda
Background:The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Ugandagrouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with differentpolitical systems and cultures. These differences prevented theestablishment of a working political community after independencewas achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79)was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrillawar and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed atleast another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. Duringthe 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential andlegislative elections.
Geography Uganda
Location:Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic coordinates:1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 236,040 sq kmland: 199,710 sq kmwater: 36,330 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:total: 2,698 kmborder countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December toFebruary, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain:mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land: 21.57% permanent crops: 8.92% other: 69.51% (2005)
Irrigated land:90 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in LakeVictoria; poaching is widespread
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
People Uganda
Population:28,195,754note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 50% (male 7,091,763/female 6,996,385)15-64 years: 47.8% (male 6,762,071/female 6,727,230)65 years and over: 2.2% (male 266,931/female 351,374) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 15 yearsmale: 14.9 yearsfemale: 15.1 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:3.37% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:47.35 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:12.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 66.15 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 69.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 62.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 52.67 yearsmale: 51.68 yearsfemale: 53.69 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.71 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:530,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:78,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleepingsickness) are high risks in some locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
Nationality:noun: Ugandan(s)adjective: Ugandan
Ethnic groups:Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%
Religions:Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs18%
Languages:English (official national language, taught in grade schools, usedin courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,preferred for native language publications in the capital and may betaught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharanlanguages, Swahili, Arabic
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 69.9%male: 79.5%female: 60.4% (2003 est.)
Government Uganda
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Ugandaconventional short form: Uganda
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Kampalageographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbenote: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly addedbringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria,Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura,Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districtsare in the process of being added
Independence:9 October 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Constitution:8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removingpresidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system
Legal system:in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based onEnglish common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJjurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chiefof state and head of governmenthead of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (sinceseizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of stateand head of government; the prime minister assists the president inthe supervision of the cabinetcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among electedlegislatorselections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, KizzaBESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (332 members - 215 directly elected bypopular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interestgroups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 exofficio members; members serve five-year terms)elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CD 1, JEEMA 1, Independents 36, other49
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approvedby the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by thepresident)
Political parties and leaders:Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP[Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [KizzaBESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]; National ResistanceMovement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Ugandan People's Congress or UPC[Miria OBOTE]note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda'stransition to a multi-party political system
Political pressure groups and leaders:Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451
Flag description:six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center anddepicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoistside
Economy Uganda
Economy - overview:Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employingover 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of exportrevenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreigncountries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate andstabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raisingproducer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleumproducts, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes areespecially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production andexport earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solidperformance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation ofinfrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and thereturn of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. In 2000, Ugandaqualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debtrelief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt reliefadded up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was solid despitecontinued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export.Growth in 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$51.89 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$8.502 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$1,800 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29.4% industry: 22.1% services: 48.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 13.76 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry: 5% services: 13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:35% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 4%highest 10%: 21% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:43 (1999)