the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia
PeopleSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
GovernmentSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none abbreviation: SGSSI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from 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 and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
EconomySouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Economy - overview:
Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
CommunicationsSouth 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:
196 (2008)
TransportationSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Ports and terminals:
Grytviken
MilitarySouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational IssuesSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Spain
IntroductionSpain
Background:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism, illegal immigration, and slowing economic growth.
GeographySpain
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea,North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 504,782 sq km land: 499,542 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 1,917.8 km border 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 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
Climate:
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Terrain:
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest 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)
Total renewable water resources:
111.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 37.22 cu km/yr (13%/19%/68%) per capita: 864 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity 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
PeopleSpain
Population:
40,491,052 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,011,815/female 2,832,788) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 13,741,493/female 13,641,914) 65 years and over: 17.9% (male 3,031,597/female 4,231,444) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.7 years male: 39.3 years female: 42.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.096% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
9.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.9 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.92 years male: 76.6 years female: 83.45 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.3 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer 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 (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2005)
GovernmentSpain
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de Espana local short form: Espana
Government type:
parliamentary monarchy
Capital:
name: Madrid geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands
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 (Catalonia), Comunidad Valenciana (Valencian Community), Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)
Independence:
the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:
National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas
Constitution:
approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system:
civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES Mira (since 18 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 and 11 April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president election results: Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO reelected President of the Government; percent of National Assembly vote - 46.94%
Legislative branch:
bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (264 seats as of 2008; 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 56 - as of 2008 - appointed by the regional legislatures; to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; each of the 50 electoral provinces fills a minimum of two seats and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla fill one seat each with members serving a four-year term; the other 248 members are determined by proportional representation based on popular vote on block lists who serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); Congress of Deputies - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 101, PSOE 88, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 2, CC 1, members appointed by regional legislatures 56; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.6%, PP 40.1%, CiU 3.1%, PNV 1.2%, ERC 1.2%, other 10.8%; seats by party - PSOE 169, PP 154, CiU 10, PNV 6, ERC 3, other 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders:
Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party orPNV [Inigo URKULLU]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI];Canarian Coalition or CC [Jose Torres STINGA] (a coalition of fiveparties); 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 [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition of fourNavarran parties); 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 [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo] (a coalitionof parties including the PCE and other small parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association for Victims of Terrorism or AVT (grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Basta Ya (Spanish for "Enough is Enough"; grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil Tanker Prestige oil spill); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO. other: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); university students
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), ArcticCouncil (observer), 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, IMSO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer),MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina,UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge DEZCALLAR de Mazarredo chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(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 Madrid mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe
EconomySpain
Economy - overview:
The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990 averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is equal to that of the leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President Jose Maria AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 7.6%. Growth averaging more than 3% annually during 2003-07 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist president, Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain's economic growth. Despite the economy's relative solid footing significant downside risks remain including Spain's continued loss of competitiveness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the country's changing demographic profile, and a decline in EU structural funds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.361 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.439 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$33,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.6% industry: 30.2% services: 66.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
22.19 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.3% industry: 30.1% services: 64.6% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
19.8% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
31.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $588.5 billion expenditures: $556.5 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
36.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.89% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.177 trillion (31 December 2007)
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:
3.1% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
287.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
254.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
14.52 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.773 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
29,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1.611 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
181,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1.777 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
150 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
88 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
34.43 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
34.47 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.548 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$145.3 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$256.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines, other consumer goods
Exports - partners:
France 18.8%, Germany 10.8%, Portugal 8.6%, Italy 8.5%, UK 7.6%, US 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$380.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments
Imports - partners:
Germany 15.7%, France 12.7%, Italy 8.4%, China 5.8%, UK 4.8%,Netherlands 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.814 billion (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$19.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.084 trillion (30 June 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$568.8 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$681.7 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$960 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
CommunicationsSpain
Telephones - main lines in use:
18.583 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
48.813 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed, modern facilities; fixed-line teledensity is about 45 per 100 persons domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 170 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 34; submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, Middle East, Asia, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 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; includes 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands) (1995)
Televisions:
16.2 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.es
Internet hosts:
3.264 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
56 (2000)
Internet users:
19.69 million (2007)
TransportationSpain
Airports:
154 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 96 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 24 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 58 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 42 (2007)
Heliports:
8 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 7,858 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,445 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 14,974 km broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified) standard gauge: 1,099 km 1.435-m gauge (1,054 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 681,224 km paved: 681,224 km (includes 13,872 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
1,000 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 158 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 11, container 22, liquefied gas 11, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 3, Canada 1, Denmark 2, Germany 5, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 5, UK 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 110 (Angola 1, Argentina 2, Bahamas 14, Belize 1, Brazil 9, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 6, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 50, Portugal 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, UK 1, Uruguay 6, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona, Valencia
MilitarySpain
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) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,033,069 females age 16-49: 9,764,937 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,228,426 females age 16-49: 7,990,678 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 203,650 female: 191,352 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational IssuesSpain
Disputes - international:
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of 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 migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz
Illicit drugs:
despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Spratly Islands
IntroductionSpratly Islands
Background:
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.
GeographySpratly Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
Area - comparative:
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
926 km
Maritime claims:
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:
Geography - note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
PeopleSpratly Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states
GovernmentSpratly Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
EconomySpratly Islands
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
TransportationSpratly Islands
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
MilitarySpratly Islands
Military - note:
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Transnational IssuesSpratly Islands
Disputes - international:
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly 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 "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Sri Lanka
IntroductionSri Lanka
Background:
The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The coastal areas of the island were controlled by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006 and the government regained control of the Eastern Province in 2007. In January 2008, the government officially withdrew from the ceasefire, and has begun engaging the LTTE in the northern portion of the country.
GeographySri Lanka
Location:
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 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); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest 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)
Total renewable water resources:
50 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%) per capita: 608 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
PeopleSri Lanka
Population:
21,128,772 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,596,463/female 2,495,136) 15-64 years: 68% (male 7,019,446/female 7,340,809) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 783,823/female 893,096) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.4 years male: 29.5 years female: 31.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.943% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.63 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.97 years male: 72.95 years female: 77.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.02 children born/woman (2008 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:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan
Ethnic groups:
Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional 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 (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.7% male: 92.3% female: 89.1% (2001 census)
Education expenditures:
GovernmentSri Lanka
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai former: Serendib, Ceylon
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Colombo geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
Administrative divisions:
8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western note: in October 2006, a Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruling voided a presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parliamentary decision on the issue is pending
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, Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of an open-list, proportional representation system by electoral district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 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 37.8%, TNA 6.8%, JHU 6%, SLMC 2%, UPF 0.5%, EPDP 0.3%, other 1%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, JHU dissidents 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1, UNP dissident 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [G.PONNAMBALAM]; Ceylon WorkersCongress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.GUNASEKERA]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [DouglasDEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF[Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [SomawansaAMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP [Tissa VITHARANA];Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D.GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Ellawala METHANANDA];National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's LiberationOrganization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sri LankaFreedom Party or SLFP [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congressor SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO[Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN]; 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) or Karuna Faction [Vinayagamurthi MURALITHARAN] (paramilitary breakaway from LTTE and fighting LTTE) other: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, 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 Jaliya WICKRAMASURIYA 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 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
Flag description:
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
EconomySri Lanka
Economy - overview:
In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies, export-oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment. Recent changes in government, however, have brought some policy reversals. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a more statist economic approach, which seeks to reduce poverty by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already enormous civil service. The government has halted privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last 10 years with the exception of a recession in 2001. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Government spending and reconstruction drove growth to more than 7% in 2006 but reduced agriculture output probably slowed growth to about 6 percent in 2007. Government spending and loose monetary policy drove inflation to nearly 16% in 2007. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only about 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than $1 billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for an independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the economy.