Argentinarich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat torolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along westernborder
ArmeniaArmenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fastflowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Arubaflat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Ashmore and Cartier Islandslow with sand and coral
Atlantic Oceansurface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from Octoberto June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system ofcurrents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyrein the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by theMid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entireAtlantic basin
Australiamostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Austriain the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along theeastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Azerbaijanlarge, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (muchof it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on AbseronYasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Bahamas, Thelong, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Bahrainmostly low desert plain rising gently to low centralescarpment
Bangladeshmostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Barbadosrelatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Belarusgenerally flat and contains much marshland
Belgiumflat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Belizeflat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Beninmostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Bermudalow hills separated by fertile depressions
Bhutanmostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Boliviarugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Bosnia and Herzegovinamountains and valleys
Botswanapredominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; KalahariDesert in southwest
Bouvet Islandvolcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Brazilmostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,mountains, and narrow coastal belt
British Indian Ocean Territoryflat and low (most areas do notexceed two meters in elevation)
British Virgin Islandscoral islands relatively flat; volcanicislands steep, hilly
Bruneiflat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowlandin west
Bulgariamostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Burkina Fasomostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills inwest and southeast
Burmacentral lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Burundihilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, someplains
Cambodiamostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Cameroondiverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateauin center, mountains in west, plains in north
Canadamostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Cape Verdesteep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Cayman Islandslow-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Central African Republicvast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Chadbroad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains innorthwest, lowlands in south
Chilelow coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes ineast
Chinamostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,deltas, and hills in east
Christmas Islandsteep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to centralplateau
Clipperton Islandcoral atoll
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsflat, low-lying coral atolls
Colombiaflat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high AndesMountains, eastern lowland plains
Comorosvolcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to lowhills
Congo, Democratic Republic of thevast central basin is a low-lyingplateau; mountains in east
Congo, Republic of thecoastal plain, southern basin, centralplateau, northern basin
Cook Islandslow coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands insouth
Coral Sea Islandssand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Costa Ricacoastal plains separated by rugged mountains includingover 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Cote d'Ivoiremostly flat to undulating plains; mountains innorthwest
Croatiageographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Cubamostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountainsin the southeast
Curacaogenerally low, hilly terrain
Cypruscentral plain with mountains to north and south; scatteredbut significant plains along southern coast
Czech RepublicBohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the eastconsists of very hilly country
Denmarklow and flat to gently rolling plains
Djibouticoastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Dominicarugged mountains of volcanic origin
Dominican Republicrugged highlands and mountains with fertilevalleys interspersed
Ecuadorcoastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Egyptvast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
El Salvadormostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and centralplateau
Equatorial Guineacoastal plains rise to interior hills; islands arevolcanic
Eritreadominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trendinghighlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on thenorthwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rollingplains
Estoniamarshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Ethiopiahigh plateau with central mountain range divided by GreatRift Valley
European Unionfairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;mountainous in the central and southern areas
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)rocky, hilly, mountainous withsome boggy, undulating plains
Faroe Islandsrugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most ofcoast
Fijimostly mountains of volcanic origin
Finlandmostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakesand low hills
Francemetropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rollinghills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especiallyPyrenees in south, Alps in eastFrench Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and smallmountainsGuadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interiormountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of theseven other islands are volcanic in originMartinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcanoReunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
French Polynesiamixture of rugged high islands and low islands withreefs
French Southern and Antarctic LandsIle Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam etIle Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; thecenter floor of the volcano is a large plateauIle Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular inshape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffson the eastern side; has active thermal springsIles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau isdivided into two groups of islandsIles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen iscomposed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, andplains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coastsBassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow(15 m) lagoonEuropa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, andsandyTromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanicseamount
Gabonnarrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Gambia, Theflood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Gaza Stripflat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Georgialargely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in thenorth and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari RiverBasin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Germanylowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Ghanamostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Gibraltara narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Greecemostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea aspeninsulas or chains of islands
Greenlandflat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Grenadavolcanic in origin with central mountains
Guamvolcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flatcoralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steepcoastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills incenter, mountains in south
Guatemalamostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rollinglimestone plateau
Guernseymostly level with low hills in southwest
Guineagenerally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Guinea-Bissaumostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Guyanamostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Haitimostly rough and mountainous
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Holy See (Vatican City)urban; low hill
Hondurasmostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Hong Konghilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Hungarymostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains onthe Slovakian border
Icelandmostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Indiaupland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plainalong the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Indian Oceansurface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; uniquereversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; lowatmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summerair results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeastwinds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia fromcold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon andnortheast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominatedby the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast IndianOcean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge
Indonesiamostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interiormountains
Iranrugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Iraqmostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border insouth with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iranand Turkey
Irelandmostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by ruggedhills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Isle of Manhills in north and south bisected by central valley
IsraelNegev desert in the south; low coastal plain; centralmountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Italymostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Jamaicamostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Jan Mayenvolcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Japanmostly rugged and mountainous
Jerseygently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Jordanmostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; GreatRift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Kazakhstanvast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west tothe Altai Mountains in the east and from the plains of westernSiberia in the north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in thesouth
Kenyalow plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great RiftValley; fertile plateau in west
Kiribatimostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Korea, Northmostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrowvalleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Korea, Southmostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in westand south
Kosovoflat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sealevel surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of2,000 to 2,500 m
Kuwaitflat to slightly undulating desert plain
Kyrgyzstanpeaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basinsencompass entire nation
Laosmostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Latvialow plain
Lebanonnarrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separatesLebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Lesothomostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Liberiamostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rollingplateau and low mountains in northeast
Libyamostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Liechtensteinmostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in westernthird
Lithuanialowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Luxembourgmostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallowvalleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slopedown to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Macaugenerally flat
Macedoniamountainous territory covered with deep basins andvalleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; countrybisected by the Vardar River
Madagascarnarrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Malawinarrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,some mountains
Malaysiacoastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Maldivesflat, with white sandy beaches
Malimostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savannain south, rugged hills in northeast
Maltamostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastalcliffs
Marshall Islandslow coral limestone and sand islands
Mauritaniamostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some centralhills
Mauritiussmall coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountainsencircling central plateau
Mayottegenerally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanicpeaks
Mexicohigh, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;desert
Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Moldovarolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Monacohilly, rugged, rocky
Mongoliavast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountainsin west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Montenegrohighly indented coastline with narrow coastal plainbacked by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
Montserratvolcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastallowland
Morocconorthern coast and interior are mountainous with large areasof bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
Mozambiquemostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateausin northwest, mountains in west
Namibiamostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; KalahariDesert in east
Naurusandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefswith phosphate plateau in center
Navassa Islandraised coral and limestone plateau, flat toundulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
NepalTarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hillregion, rugged Himalayas in north
Netherlandsmostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);some hills in southeast
New Caledoniacoastal plains with interior mountains
New Zealandpredominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Nicaraguaextensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to centralinterior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted byvolcanoes
Nigerpredominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rollingplains in south; hills in north
Nigeriasouthern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;mountains in southeast, plains in north
Niuesteep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Norfolk Islandvolcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Northern Mariana Islandssouthern islands are limestone with levelterraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Norwayglaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains brokenby fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeplyindented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Omancentral desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Pacific Oceansurface currents in the northern Pacific are dominatedby a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea ofOkhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarcticareaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in theeastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while thewestern Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the MarianaTrench, which is the world's deepest
Pakistanflat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;Balochistan plateau in west
Palauvarying geologically from the high, mountainous main island ofBabelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrierreefs
Panamainterior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, uplandplains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Papua New Guineamostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rollingfoothills
Paracel Islandsmostly low and flat
Paraguaygrassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; GranChaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near theriver, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Peruwestern coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Philippinesmostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastallowlands
Pitcairn Islandsrugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline withcliffs
Polandmostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Portugalmountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains insouth
Puerto Ricomostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along mostcoastal areas
Qatarmostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand andgravel
Romaniacentral Transylvanian Basin is separated from the MoldavianPlateau on the east by the Eastern Carpathian Mountains andseparated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the TransylvanianAlps
Russiabroad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferousforest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southernborder regions
Rwandamostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous withaltitude declining from west to east
Saint Barthelemyhilly, almost completely surrounded byshallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunhathe islands of thisgroup result from volcanic activity associated with the AtlanticMid-Ocean RidgeSaint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plainsAscension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the eastTristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearlycircular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeplydissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and thecoastal cliffs
Saint Kitts and Nevisvolcanic with mountainous interiors
Saint Luciavolcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Saint Pierre and Miquelonmostly barren rock
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesvolcanic, mountainous
Samoatwo main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islandsand uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,rugged mountains in interior
San Marinorugged mountains
Sao Tome and Principevolcanic, mountainous
Saudi Arabiamostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Senegalgenerally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills insoutheast
Serbiaextremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to theeast, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancientmountains and hills
SeychellesMahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Sierra Leonecoastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,upland plateau, mountains in east
Singaporelowland; gently undulating central plateau contains watercatchment area and nature preserve
Sint Maartenlow, hilly terrain, volcanic origin
Slovakiarugged mountains in the central and northern part andlowlands in the south
Sloveniaa short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountainregion adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleyswith numerous rivers to the east
Solomon Islandsmostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Somaliamostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
South Africavast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrowcoastal plain
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islandsmost of the islands, risingsteeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia islargely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the SouthSandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Southern Oceanthe Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m overmost of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; theAntarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep,its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m);the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 millionsq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better thana sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current(21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world'slargest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters ofwater per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Spainlarge, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;Pyrenees in north
Spratly Islandsflat
Sri Lankamostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains insouth-central interior
Sudangenerally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,northeast and west; desert dominates the north
Surinamemostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Svalbardwild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; westcoast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west andnorth coasts
Swazilandmostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Swedenmostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Switzerlandmostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) witha central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Syriaprimarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;mountains in west
Taiwaneastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gentlyrolling plains in west
TajikistanPamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; westernFergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Tanzaniaplains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,south
Thailandcentral plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountainselsewhere
Timor-Lestemountainous
Togogently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southernplateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Tokelaulow-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Tongamost islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coralformation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Trinidad and Tobagomostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Tunisiamountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid southmerges into the Sahara
Turkeyhigh central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;several mountain ranges
Turkmenistanflat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising tomountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;borders Caspian Sea in west
Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Tuvalulow-lying and narrow coral atolls
Ugandamostly plateau with rim of mountains
Ukrainemost of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) andplateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
United Arab Emiratesflat, barren coastal plain merging into rollingsand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
United Kingdommostly rugged hills and low mountains; level torolling plains in east and southeast
United Statesvast central plain, mountains in west, hills and lowmountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys inAlaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refugeslow and nearly levelsandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developedat the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases risesteeply from the ocean floor
Uruguaymostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Uzbekistanmostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in eastsurrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking AralSea in west
Vanuatumostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrowcoastal plains
VenezuelaAndes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Vietnamlow, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Virgin Islandsmostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with littlelevel land
Wake Islandatoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, andWilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is formercrater, islands are part of the rim
Wallis and Futunavolcanic origin; low hills
West Bankmostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,but barren in east
Western Saharamostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky orsandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Worldthe greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m inthe Pacific Ocean
Yemennarrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and ruggedmountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into thedesert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Zambiamostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Zimbabwemostly high plateau with higher central plateau (highveld); mountains in east
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Field Listing :: Total fertility rate
This entry gives a figure for the average number of children thatwould be born per woman if all women lived to the end of theirchildbearing years and bore children according to a given fertilityrate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more directmeasure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, sinceit refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potentialfor population change in the country. A rate of two children perwoman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resultingin relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above twochildren indicate populations growing in size and whose median ageis declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties forfamilies, in some situations, to feed and educate their children andfor women to enter the labor force. Rates below two childrenindicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Globalfertility rates are in general decline and this trend is mostpronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe,where populations are projected to decline dramatically over thenext 50 years.Country Comparison to the WorldCountry
Total fertility rate(children born/woman)
Afghanistan5.5 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Albania1.47 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Algeria1.76 children born/woman (2010 est.)
American Samoa3.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Andorra1.34 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Angola6.05 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Anguilla1.75 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda2.06 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Argentina2.33 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Armenia1.36 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Aruba1.85 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Australia1.78 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Austria1.39 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Azerbaijan2.03 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bahamas, The2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bahrain2.47 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bangladesh2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Barbados1.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Belarus1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Belgium1.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Belize3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Benin5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bermuda1.98 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bhutan2.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bolivia3.07 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina1.26 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Botswana2.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Brazil2.19 children born/woman (2010 est.)
British Virgin Islands1.71 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Brunei1.88 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Bulgaria1.41 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Burkina Faso6.21 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Burma2.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Burundi6.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cambodia2.9 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cameroon4.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Canada1.58 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cape Verde2.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cayman Islands1.88 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Central African Republic4.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Chad5.18 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Chile1.9 children born/woman (2010 est.)
China1.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Christmas IslandNA
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA
Colombia2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Comoros4.78 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.11 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Congo, Republic of the5.77 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cook Islands2.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Costa Rica1.93 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire4.01 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Croatia1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Cuba1.61 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Curacao2.1 children born/woman (2009)
Cyprus1.45 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Czech Republic1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Denmark1.74 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Djibouti2.79 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Dominica2.08 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Dominican Republic2.47 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Ecuador2.46 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Egypt3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.)
El Salvador2.12 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Equatorial Guinea5 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Eritrea4.6 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Estonia1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Ethiopia6.07 children born/woman (2010 est.)
European Union1.51 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)NA
Faroe Islands2.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Fiji2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Finland1.73 children born/woman (2010 est.)
France1.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
French Polynesia1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Gabon4.62 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Gambia, The4.96 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Gaza Strip4.9 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Georgia1.44 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Germany1.42 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Ghana3.57 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Gibraltar1.96 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Greece1.37 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Greenland2.16 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Grenada2.21 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guam2.52 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guatemala3.36 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guernsey1.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guinea5.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guinea-Bissau4.58 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Guyana2.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Haiti3.07 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Honduras3.17 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Hong Kong1.04 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Hungary1.39 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Iceland1.9 children born/woman (2010 est.)
India2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Indonesia2.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Iran1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Iraq3.76 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Ireland2.03 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Isle of Man1.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Israel2.72 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Italy1.32 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Jamaica2.21 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Japan1.2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Jersey1.66 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Jordan3.42 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Kazakhstan1.87 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Kenya4.38 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Kiribati2.86 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Korea, North1.94 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Korea, South1.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Kuwait2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Kyrgyzstan2.64 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Laos3.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Latvia1.31 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Lebanon1.78 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Lesotho3 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Liberia5.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Libya3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Liechtenstein1.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Lithuania1.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Luxembourg1.78 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Macau0.91 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Macedonia1.58 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Madagascar5.09 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Malawi5.51 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Malaysia2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Maldives1.83 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mali6.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Malta1.52 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Marshall Islands3.51 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mauritania4.37 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mauritius1.8 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mayotte5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mexico2.31 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Micronesia, Federated States of2.8 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Moldova1.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Monaco1.5 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mongolia2.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Montserrat1.25 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Morocco2.23 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Mozambique5.13 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Namibia2.57 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Nauru3.13 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Nepal2.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Netherlands1.66 children born/woman (2010 est.)
New Caledonia2.09 children born/woman (2010 est.)
New Zealand2.09 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Nicaragua2.51 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Niger7.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Nigeria4.82 children born/woman (2010 est.)
NiueNA
Norfolk IslandNA
Northern Mariana Islands2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Norway1.77 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Oman2.87 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Pakistan3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Palau1.73 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Panama2.48 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Papua New Guinea3.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Paraguay2.16 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Peru2.32 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Philippines3.23 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Pitcairn IslandsNA
Poland1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Portugal1.5 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Puerto Rico1.62 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Qatar2.44 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Romania1.27 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Russia1.41 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rwanda4.99 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha 1.56 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis1.79 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saint Lucia1.82 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon1.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1.94 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Samoa3.32 children born/woman (2010 est.)
San Marino1.46 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe5.21 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Saudi Arabia2.35 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Senegal4.86 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Serbia1.39 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Seychelles1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sierra Leone4.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Singapore1.1 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sint Maarten1.7 children born/woman (2009)
Slovakia1.36 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Slovenia1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Solomon Islands3.67 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Somalia6.44 children born/woman (2010 est.)
South Africa2.33 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Spain1.47 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sri Lanka1.96 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sudan4.93 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Suriname1.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
SvalbardNA
Swaziland3.19 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Sweden1.67 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Switzerland1.46 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Syria3.02 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Taiwan1.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Tajikistan2.94 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Tanzania4.31 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Thailand1.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Timor-Leste3.2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Togo4.74 children born/woman (2010 est.)
TokelauNA
Tonga2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago1.72 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Tunisia1.71 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Turkey2.18 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Turkmenistan2.19 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands2.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Tuvalu3.14 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Uganda6.73 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Ukraine1.27 children born/woman (2010 est.)
United Arab Emirates2.41 children born/woman (2010 est.)
United Kingdom1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
United States2.06 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Uruguay1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Uzbekistan1.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Vanuatu2.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Venezuela2.45 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Vietnam1.93 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Virgin Islands1.81 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Wallis and Futuna1.84 children born/woman (2010 est.)
West Bank3.12 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Western Sahara4.37 children born/woman (2010 est.)
World2.56 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Yemen4.81 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Zambia6.07 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Zimbabwe3.66 children born/woman (2010 est.)
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Field Listing :: Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Islamic republic - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population. Country