Norway1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Oman-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Pakistan-2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Palau0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Panama-0.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Papua New Guinea0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Paraguay-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Peru-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Philippines-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Pitcairn IslandsNA
Poland-0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Portugal3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Puerto Rico-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Qatar-4.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Romania-0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Russia0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Rwanda1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Saint Kitts and Nevis1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Saint Lucia-3.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon-9.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-11.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population(2010 est.)
Samoa-11.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
San Marino9.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe-9.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Saudi Arabia-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Senegal-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Serbia0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Seychelles1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Sierra Leone-4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowlyreturning (2010 est.)
Singapore4.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Sint Maarten14.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)
Slovakia0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Slovenia0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Solomon Islands-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Somalia0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
South Africa-3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africaand Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2010 est.)
Spain2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Sri Lanka-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Sudan0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Suriname0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
SvalbardNA
Swaziland0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sweden1.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Switzerland1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Syria-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Taiwan0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Tajikistan-1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Tanzania-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Thailand0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Timor-Leste0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Togo0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
TokelauNA
Tonga0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Trinidad and Tobago-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Tunisia-0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Turkey0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Turkmenistan-1.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands8.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Tuvalu-7.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Uganda-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Ukraine-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
United Arab Emirates21.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
United Kingdom2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
United States4.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Uruguay-0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Uzbekistan-2.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Vanuatu0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Venezuela0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Vietnam-0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Virgin Islands-5.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Wallis and Futuna-5.87 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to NewCaledonia (2010 est.)
West Bank0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Yemen0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Zambia-0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Zimbabwe12.87 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africaand Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)
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@2113
Field Listing :: Geography - note
This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere. Country
Geography - note
Afghanistanlandlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeastto southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of thecountry; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (WakhanCorridor)
AkrotiriBritish extraterritorial rights also extended to severalsmall off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign BaseArea (SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned bythe Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
Albaniastrategic location along Strait of Otranto (links AdriaticSea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Algeriasecond-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
American SamoaPago Pago has one of the best natural deepwaterharbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from roughseas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Andorralandlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads inthe Pyrenees
Angolathe province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from therest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Anguillathe most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the LesserAntilles
Antarcticathe coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driestcontinent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surfaceat the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalentperiod; mostly uninhabitable
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua has a deeply indented shoreline withmany natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor
Arctic Oceanmajor chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northernaccess to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategiclocation between North America and Russia; shortest marine linkbetween the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floatingresearch stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow coverin March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;snow cover lasts about 10 months
Argentinasecond-largest country in South America (after Brazil);strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlanticand the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,Drake Passage); diverse geophysical landscapes range from tropicalclimates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua isthe Western Hemisphere's tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbonis the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere
Armenialandlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich(Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range
Arubaa flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from theAtlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Ashmore and Cartier IslandsAshmore Reef National Nature Reserveestablished in August 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserveestablished in 2000
Atlantic Oceanmajor chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait ofGibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straitsinclude the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, TheSound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides theAtlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
Australiaworld's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;the invigorating sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor" affectsthe city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the mostconsistent winds in the world
Austrialandlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of centralEurope with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; majorriver is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlandsbecause of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
Azerbaijanboth the main area of the country and the Naxcivanexclave are landlocked
Bahamas, Thestrategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensiveisland chain of which 30 are inhabited
Bahrainclose to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategiclocation in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world'spetroleum must transit to reach open ocean
Bangladeshmost of the country is situated on deltas of large riversflowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (mainchannel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventuallyempty into the Bay of Bengal
Barbadoseasternmost Caribbean island
Belaruslandlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness ofBelarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes
Belgiumcrossroads of Western Europe; most West European capitalswithin 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union andNATO
Belizeonly country in Central America without a coastline on theNorth Pacific Ocean
Beninsandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no naturalharbors, river mouths, or islands
Bermudaconsists of about 138 coral islands and islets with amplerainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased bythe US Government from 1941 to 1995
Bhutanlandlocked; strategic location between China and India;controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
Bolivialandlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highestnavigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
Bosnia and Herzegovinawithin Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognizedborders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/CroatFederation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-ledRepublika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the regioncalled Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, andtraditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in thewest and an ethnic Serb majority in the east
Botswanalandlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of thecountry
Bouvet Islandcovered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve byNorway
Brazillargest country in South America; shares common boundarieswith every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
British Virgin Islandsstrong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands andPuerto Rico
Bruneiclose to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linkingIndian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated byMalaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia
Bulgariastrategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key landroutes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Burkina Fasolandlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers ofthe Black, Red, and White Voltas
Burmastrategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
Burundilandlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; theKagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remoteheadstream of the White Nile
Cambodiaa land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong Riverand Tonle Sap
Cameroonsometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughoutthe country there are areas of thermal springs and indications ofcurrent or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highestmountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
Canadasecond-largest country in world (after Russia); strategiclocation between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
Cape Verdestrategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa nearmajor north-south sea routes; important communications station;important sea and air refueling site
Cayman Islandsimportant location between Cuba and Central America
Central African Republiclandlocked; almost the precise center ofAfrica
Chadlandlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in theSahel
Chilestrategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic andPacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
Chinaworld's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak
Christmas Islandlocated along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Clipperton Islandreef 12 km in circumference
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsislands are thickly covered with coconutpalms and other vegetation; site of a World War I naval battle inNovember 1914 between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney andthe German raider SMS Emden; after being heavily damaged in theengagement, the Emden was beached by her captain on North KeelingIsland
Colombiaonly South American country with coastlines on both theNorth Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
Comorosimportant location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
Congo, Republic of theabout 70% of the population lives inBrazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Cook Islandsthe northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparselypopulated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most ofthe population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanicisles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
Coral Sea Islandsimportant nesting area for birds and turtles
Costa Ricafour volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capitalof San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65
Cote d'Ivoiremost of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastalregion; apart from the capital area, the forested interior issparsely populated
Croatiacontrols most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Seaand Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast ofCroatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks
Cubalargest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of theGreater Antilles
CuracaoCuracao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group
Cyprusthe third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (afterSicily and Sardinia)
Czech Republiclandlocked; strategically located astride some ofoldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate isa traditional military corridor between the North European Plain andthe Danube in central Europe
Denmarkcontrols Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linkingBaltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives ingreater Copenhagen
DhekeliaBritish extraterritorial rights also extended to severalsmall off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign BaseArea land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by theMinistry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
Djiboutistrategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes andclose to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point inAfrica
Dominicaknown as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to itsspectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protectedby an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of theLesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters andinclude Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake inthe world
Dominican Republicshares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
EcuadorCotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
Egyptcontrols Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa andremainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea linkbetween Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtapositionto Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;prone to influxes of refugees
El Salvadorsmallest Central American country and only one without acoastline on Caribbean Sea
Equatorial Guineainsular and continental regions widely separated
Eritreastrategic geopolitical position along world's busiestshipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopiaalong the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May1993
Estoniathe mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;offshore lie more than 1,500 islands
Ethiopialandlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lostwith the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the BlueNile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises inT'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops arebelieved to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, andcastor bean
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)deeply indented coast providesgood natural harbors; short growing season
Faroe Islandsarchipelago of 17 inhabited islands and oneuninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategicallylocated along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands
Fijiincludes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited
Finlandlong boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost nationalcapital on European continent; population concentrated on smallsouthwestern coastal plain
Francelargest West European nation
French Polynesiaincludes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, onecoral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three greatphosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba(Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru
French Southern and Antarctic Lands islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)
Gabona small population and oil and mineral reserves have helpedGabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, thesecircumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve itspristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
Gambia, Thealmost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on thecontinent of Africa
Gaza Stripstrategic strip of land along Mideast-North African traderoutes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town ofGaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history
Georgiastrategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgiacontrols much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
Germanystrategic location on North European Plain and along theentrance to the Baltic Sea
GhanaLake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake
Gibraltarstrategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links theNorth Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Greecestrategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southernapproach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing anarchipelago of about 2,000 islands
Greenlanddominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America andEurope; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast;close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;world's second largest ice cap
Grenadathe administration of the islands of the Grenadines group isdivided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Guamlargest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islandsarchipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
Guatemalano natural harbors on west coast
Guernseylarge, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Guineathe Niger and its important tributary the Milo have theirsources in the Guinean highlands
Guinea-Bissauthis small country is swampy along its western coastand low-lying inland
Guyanathe third-smallest country in South America after Surinameand Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and easternterritories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
Haitishares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (westernone-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005
Holy See (Vatican City)landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world'ssmallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, theLateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorialauthority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, includingthe Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summerresidence)
Hondurashas only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbeanshoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
Hong Kongmore than 200 islands
Hungarylandlocked; strategic location astride main land routesbetween Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as betweenUkraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna(Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions
Icelandstrategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmostEuropean country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital inthe world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continentalEurope
Indiadominates South Asian subcontinent; near important IndianOcean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in theworld, lies on the border with Nepal
Indian Oceanmajor chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait ofHormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, andthe Lombok Strait
Indonesiaarchipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddlesequator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes fromIndian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
Iranstrategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport
Iraqstrategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head ofthe Persian Gulf
Irelandstrategic location on major air and sea routes between NorthAmerica and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resideswithin 100 km of Dublin
Isle of Manone small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwestand is a bird sanctuary
IsraelLake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwatersource; there are about 355 Israeli civilian sites including about145 small outpost communities in the West Bank, 41 sites in theGolan Heights, and 32 in East Jerusalem (2010 est.)
Italystrategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well assouthern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Jamaicastrategic location between Cayman Trench and JamaicaChannel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
Jan Mayenbarren volcanic island with some moss and grass
Japanstrategic location in northeast Asia
Jerseylargest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% ofpopulation concentrated in Saint Helier
Jordanstrategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and asthe Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and theoccupied West Bank
Kazakhstanlandlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km ofterritory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050
Kenyathe Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successfulagricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found onMount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiographysupports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economicvalue
Kiribati21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru
Korea, Northstrategic location bordering China, South Korea, andRussia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated
Korea, Southstrategic location on Korea Strait
Kuwaitstrategic location at head of Persian Gulf
Kyrgyzstanlandlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the TienShan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with anaverage elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, andhigh-altitude lakes
Laoslandlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thicklyforested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the westernboundary with Thailand
Latviamost of the country is composed of fertile low-lying plainswith some hills in the east
LebanonNahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East notcrossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historicallyhelped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups basedon religion, clan, and ethnicity
Lesotholandlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level
Liberiafacing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized bylagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inlandgrassy plateau supports limited agriculture
Libyamore than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
Liechtensteinalong with Uzbekistan, one of only two doublylandlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimaticvariations based on elevation
Lithuaniafertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands thatare ancient glacial deposits
Luxembourglandlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
Macauessentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the seameasuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands ofColoane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainlandpeninsula by three bridges
Macedonialandlocked; major transportation corridor from Western andCentral Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
Madagascarworld's fourth-largest island; strategic location alongMozambique Channel
Malawilandlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country'smost prominent physical feature
Malaysiastrategic location along Strait of Malacca and southernSouth China Sea
Maldives1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabitedislands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago withstrategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Malilandlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and thenorthern, arid Saharan
Maltathe country comprises an archipelago, with only the threelargest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta andTunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of thecontinental shelf between their countries, particularly for oilexploration
Marshall Islandsthe islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former USnuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War IIbattleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as aUS missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the secondlargest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital ofMajuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in thePacific
Mauritaniamost of the population is concentrated in the cities ofNouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in thesouthern part of the country
Mauritiusthe main island, from which the country derives its name,is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coralreefs; home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons,driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through acombination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species
Mayottepart of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
Mexicostrategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originatedin Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States offour major island groups totaling607 islands
Moldovalandlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks andminerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
Monacosecond-smallest independent state in the world (after HolySee); almost entirely urban
Mongolialandlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
Montenegrostrategic location along the Adriatic coast
Montserratthe island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprisedof three major volcanic centers of differing ages
Moroccostrategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
Mozambiquethe Zambezi flows through the north-central and mostfertile part of the country
Namibiafirst country in the world to incorporate the protection ofthe environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land isprotected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip
NauruNauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in thePacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati andMakatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
Navassa Islandstrategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Baseat Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solutionholes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense standsof fig trees, scattered cactus
Nepallandlocked; strategic location between China and India;contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everestand Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on theborders with China and India respectively
Netherlandslocated at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
New Caledoniaconsists of the main island of New Caledonia (one ofthe largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
New Zealandalmost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellingtonis the southernmost national capital in the world
Nicaragualargest country in Central America; contains the largestfreshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Nigerlandlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world;northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,suitable for livestock and limited agriculture
Nigeriathe Niger enters the country in the northwest and flowssouthward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta inthe Gulf of Guinea
Niueone of world's largest coral islands
Norfolk Islandmost of the 32 km coastline consists of almostinaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in onesmall southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston issituated
Northern Mariana Islandsstrategic location in the North PacificOcean
Norwayabout two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off itsmuch-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanesand air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longestcoastlines in the world
Omanstrategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait ofHormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Pacific Oceanthe major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, PanamaCanal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator dividesthe Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South PacificOcean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands inthe southwestern Pacific Ocean
Pakistancontrols Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasionroutes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
Palauwesternmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of sixisland groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War IIbattleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands
Panamastrategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming landbridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canalthat links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North PacificOcean
Papua New Guineashares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one ofworld's largest swamps along southwest coast
Paracel Islandscomposed of 130 small coral islands and reefsdivided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western CrescentGroup
Paraguaylandlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;population concentrated in southern part of country
Perushares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigablelake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,is the ultimate source of the Amazon River
Philippinesthe Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main waterbodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,and Luzon Strait
Pitcairn IslandsBritain's most isolated dependency; only the largerisland of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or naturalharbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from largerships stationed offshore
Polandhistorically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain andthe lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
PortugalAzores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations alongwestern sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
Puerto Ricoimportant location along the Mona Passage - a keyshipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggestand best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers andhigh central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coastrelatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
Qatarstrategic location in central Persian Gulf near majorpetroleum deposits
Romaniacontrols most easily traversable land route between theBalkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
Russialargest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorablylocated in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite itssize, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (eithertoo cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe'stallest peak
Rwandalandlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with thepopulation predominantly rural
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da CunhaSaint Helena harborsat least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world;Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns;Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountainin the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanesaround southern Africa
Saint Kitts and Neviswith coastlines in the shape of a baseball batand ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-widechannel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseballbat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits inthe center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shapecomplements that of its sister island
Saint Luciathe twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), strikingcone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic naturalhighlights of the Caribbean
Saint Martinthe island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass inthe world shared by two independent states, the French territory ofSaint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
Saint Pierre and Miquelonvegetation scanty
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
Samoaoccupies an almost central position within Polynesia
San Marinolandlocked; smallest independent state in Europe afterthe Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines
Sao Tome and Principethe smallest country in Africa; the two mainislands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both aremountainous
Saudi Arabiaextensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Seaprovide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) throughPersian Gulf and Suez Canal
Senegalwesternmost country on the African continent; The Gambia isalmost an enclave within Senegal
Serbiacontrols one of the major land routes from Western Europe toTurkey and the Near East
Seychelles41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
Sierra Leonerainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, westernAfrica
Singaporefocal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
Sint Maartenthe northern border is shared with the French overseascollectivity of Saint Martin; together, these two enties make up thesmallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states
Slovakialandlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many sceniclakes and valleys
Sloveniadespite its small size, this eastern Alpine countrycontrols some of Europe's major transit routes
Solomon Islandsstrategic location on sea routes between the SouthPacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastatedcoastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens ofdeaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo wasespecially hard hit
Somaliastrategic location on Horn of Africa along southernapproaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
South AfricaSouth Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almostcompletely surrounds Swaziland
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islandsthe north coast of SouthGeorgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia
Southern Oceanthe major chokepoint is the Drake Passage betweenSouth America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (AntarcticConvergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extentof the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of theAntarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surfacewaters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Frontand the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in thefar South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerlywinds
Spainstrategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar;Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco includingthe enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velezde la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas
Spratly Islandsstrategically located near several primary shippinglanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous smallislands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
Sri Lankastrategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
Sudanlargest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and itstributaries
Surinamesmallest independent country on South American continent;mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and faunathat, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by newdevelopment; relatively small population, mostly along the coast
Svalbardnorthernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists ofnine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the totalarea; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global SeedVault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop DiversityTrust and the Norwegian Government
Swazilandlandlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Swedenstrategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic andNorth Seas
Switzerlandlandlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwesternAustria, has the highest elevations in the Alps
Syriathere are 41 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sitesin the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (2010 est.)
Taiwanstrategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and theLuzon Strait
Tajikistanlandlocked; mountainous region dominated by theTrans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), wasthe tallest mountain in the former USSR
TanzaniaKilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by threeof the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world'ssecond-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (theworld's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest
Thailandcontrols only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
Timor-LesteTimor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the islandof Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest andeasternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands
Togothe country's length allows it to stretch through six distinctgeographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
Tokelauconsists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), eachwith a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varyinglength and rising to over 3 m above sea level
Tongaarchipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Trinidad and TobagoPitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, isthe world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
Tunisiastrategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta andTunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of thecontinental shelf between their countries, particularly for oilexploration
Turkeystrategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,Sea of 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
Turkmenistanlandlocked; the western and central low-lying desolateportions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau
Turks and Caicos Islandsabout 40 islands (eight inhabited)
Tuvaluone of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; sixof the nine coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau,Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumayaand Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
Ugandalandlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes andrivers
Ukrainestrategic position at the crossroads between Europe andAsia; second-largest country in Europe
United Arab Emiratesstrategic location along southern approaches toStrait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
United Kingdomlies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 kmfrom France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; becauseof heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km fromtidal waters
United Statesworld's third-largest country by size (after Russiaand Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinleyis highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest pointon the continent
United States Pacific Island Wildlife RefugesBaker, Howland, andJarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marinewildlife; closed to the publicJohnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands,which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) andEast Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the publicKingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closedto the publicMidway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a NWR and open to thepublic for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlifeobservation and photographyPalmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation makethe environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Islandterritories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beachforest
Uruguaysecond-smallest South American country (after Suriname);most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) isgrassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising
Uzbekistanalong with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doublylandlocked countries in the world
Vanuatua Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smallerislands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
Venezuelaon major sea and air routes linking North and SouthAmerica; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highestwaterfall
Vietnamextending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 kmacross at its narrowest point
Virgin Islandsimportant location along the Anegada Passage - a keyshipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the bestnatural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
Wake Islandstrategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergencylanding location for transpacific flights
Wallis and Futunaboth island groups have fringing reefs
West Banklandlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel'scoastal aquifers; there are about 355 Israeli civilian sitesincluding about 145 small outpost communities in the West Bank and32 sites in East Jerusalem (2010 est.)
Western Saharathe waters off the coast are particularly richfishing areas
Worldthe world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,just about one-third of the 13.7-billion-year age estimated for theuniverse
Yemenstrategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking theRed Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shippinglanes
Zambialandlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundarywith Zimbabwe
Zimbabwelandlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundarywith Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive VictoriaFalls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water
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Field Listing :: Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social,labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, orthat exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand forlegislative election. International movements or organizations aregenerally not listed.Country
Political pressure groups and leaders
Afghanistanother: religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnicallybased groups; Taliban
AlbaniaCitizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation ofTrade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for AlbanianNational Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [EltonKACIDHJA]; Omonia [Ligorag KARAMELO]; Union of Independent TradeUnions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]
AlgeriaThe Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE];SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]
American SamoaPopulation Pressure LAS (addresses the growingpopulation pressures)
AndorraNA
AngolaFront for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC[N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]note: FLEC's small-scale armed struggle for the independence ofCabinda Province persists despite the signing of a peace accord withthe government in August 2006
AnguillaNA
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [WilliamROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
ArgentinaArgentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); ArgentineRural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners'association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners'association); Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical unionfor employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Laboror CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); White andBlue CGT (dissident CGT labor confederation); Roman Catholic Churchother: business organizations; Peronist-dominated labor movement;Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be eitherpro or anti-government); students
ArmeniaAylentrank (Impeachment Alliance) [Nikol PASHINIAN];Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]
Arubaother: environmental groups
Australiaother: business groups; environmental groups; socialgroups; trade unions
AustriaAustrian Trade Union Federation or OeGB (nominallyindependent but primarily Social Democratic); Federal EconomicChamber; OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV;Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization,Catholic Actionother: three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party orOeVP representing business, labor, farmers, and other nongovernmentorganizations in the areas of environment and human rights
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan Public Forum [Eldar NAMAZOV]; KarabakhLiberation Organization
Bahamas, TheFriends of the Environmentother: trade unions
BahrainShia activists; Sunni Islamist legislatorsother: several small leftist and other groups are active
BangladeshAdvocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA(Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs)other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders;teachers; union leaders
BarbadosBarbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST];Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress ofTrade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includesthe BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados WorkersUnion or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [DavidCOMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]