Exports - commodities:
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
Exports - partners:
Australia 23.36%, US 9.64%, China 9.21%, Japan 7.1%, UK 4.21% (2009)
Imports:
$30.24 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $23.95 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - partners:
Australia 18.4%, China 15.09%, US 10.45%, Japan 7.24%, Germany 4.16%, Singapore 4.12% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.85 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $15.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$64.33 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $62.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$67.18 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $66.63 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA (31 December 2009)
$59.08 billion (31 December 2008)
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4015 (2010), 1.6002 (2009), 1.4151 (2008), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006)
Communications ::New Zealand
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.87 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 58
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.7 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 99
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)
Broadcast media:
state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple television networks while state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial television and radio stations and a large number of regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are accessible (2008)
Internet country code:
.nz
Internet hosts:
2.47 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 33
Internet users:
3.4 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 62
Transportation ::New Zealand
Airports:
122 (2010) country comparison to the world: 50
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 82
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 47 (2010)
Pipelines:
condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,128 km country comparison to the world: 39 narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 93,911 km country comparison to the world: 50 paved: 61,879 km (includes 172 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,032 km (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 14 country comparison to the world: 103 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 7 (Australia 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, South Africa 1, Switzerland 2)
registered in other countries: 6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, Samoa 1, UK 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Auckland, Lyttelton, Manukau Harbor, Marsden Point, Tauranga,Wellington
Military ::New Zealand
Military branches:
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal NewZealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (Te Hokowhitu o Kahurangi,RNZAF) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,017,575
females age 16-49: 1,003,087 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 840,977
females age 16-49: 828,081 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,956
female: 29,236 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Transnational Issues ::New Zealand
Disputes - international:
asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
Illicit drugs:
significant consumer of amphetamines
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Nicaragua (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Nicaragua
Background:
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. The 2008 municipal elections were characterized by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions face new challenges under the ORTEGA administration.
Geography ::Nicaragua
Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the NorthPacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 130,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 97 land: 119,990 sq km
water: 10,380 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New York state
Land boundaries:
total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline:
910 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation
Climate:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain:
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources:
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 14.81%
permanent crops: 1.82%
other: 83.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
610 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
196.7 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)
per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
volcanism: Nicaragua experiences significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (elev. 728 m, 2,388 ft), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
People ::Nicaragua
Population:
5,995,928 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,013,866/female 976,430)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,847,756/female 1,857,264)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 85,782/female 110,101) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.5 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 22.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.74% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Birth rate:
22.77 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Death rate:
4.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Net migration rate:
-1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.16 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 87 male: 27.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.78 years country comparison to the world: 128 male: 69.61 years
female: 74.05 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.51 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah'sWitness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Languages:
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 146
Government ::Nicaragua
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Managua
geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
9 January 1987; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005
Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held on 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.1%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.2%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)
elections: last held on 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidateEduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election),MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS); note - as of 1May 2009: seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 20, BDN 17, ALN 6, MRS 3,APRE 1, Independent 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Republic or APRE; Conservative Party or PC[Alejandro BOLANOS Davis]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI[Indalecio RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [JorgeCASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIAFerreti]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [DanielORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [EnriqueSAENZ Navarrete]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Workers Front or FNT (a Sandinista umbrella group of eightlabor unions including: Farm Workers Association or ATC, HealthWorkers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation ofProfessional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association ofEducators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE,National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista WorkersCentral or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN);Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT (an umbrella group of fournon-Sandinista labor unions including: Autonomous Nicaraguan WorkersCentral or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS,Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and LaborAction and Unity Central or CAUS); Nicaraguan Workers' Central orCTN (an independent labor union); Superior Council of PrivateEnterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups)
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UnionLatina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Obadiah CAMPBELL Hooker
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. CALLAHAN
embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours)
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water
note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
National anthem:
name: "Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua)
lyrics/music: Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO
note: although only officially adopted in 1971, the music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939; the tune, originally from Spain, was used as an anthem for Nicaragua from the 1830"s until 1876
Economy ::Nicaragua
Economy - overview:
Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of Nicaragua's exports, but increases in the minimum wage during the ORTEGA administration will likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. ORTEGA's promotion of mixed business initiatives, owned by the Nicaraguan and Venezuelan state oil firms, together with the weak rule of law, could undermine the investment climate for domestic and international private firms in the near-term. Nicaragua relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. Foreign donors have curtailed this funding, however, in response to November 2008 electoral fraud. Managua has an IMF extended Credit Facility program, which could help keep the government's fiscial deficit on target during the 2011 election year and encourage transparency in the use of Venezuelan off-budget loans and assistance. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, however, Managua still struggles with a high public debt burden. Nicaragua is gradually recovering from the global economic crisis as increased exports drove positive growth in 2010. The economy is expected to grow at a rate of about 3% in 2011.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$17.34 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $16.87 billion (2009 est.)
$17.12 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.375 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 -1.5% (2009 est.)
2.8% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $2,900 (2009 est.)
$3,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.6%
industry: 26.5%
services: 56% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
2.343 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 28%
industry: 19%
services: 53% (2010 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 8.2% (2009 est.)
note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008
Population below poverty line:
48% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 48 60.3 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Public debt:
78% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 63% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 3.7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2009)
NA% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.04% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 13.17% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.273 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 131 $989.5 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$2.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.586 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.083 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $4.161 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters
Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - production:
3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Electricity - consumption:
2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Oil - exports:
213 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Oil - imports:
29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Current account balance:
-$819 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 -$841.1 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$3.182 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $2.593 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts; textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:
US 61.98%, El Salvador 7.74%, Costa Rica 3.67% (2009)
Imports:
$4.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $3.481 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
US 22.63%, Venezuela 12.27%, Mexico 9.05%, Costa Rica 8.66%, China 7.16%, Guatemala 6.59%, El Salvador 5.63% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.58 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $1.573 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $3.633 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 21.35 (2010), 20.34 (2009), 19.374 (2008), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006)
Communications ::Nicaragua
Telephones - main lines in use:
255,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 121
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.204 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 112
Telephone system:
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company
domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership is increasing and reached 55 per 100 persons in 2009; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
multiple privately-owned terrestrial television networks, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; of more than 100 radio broadcast stations, nearly all are privately owned; Radio Nicaragua is government-owned and Radio Sandino is controlled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (2007)
Internet country code:
.ni
Internet hosts:
157,162 (2010) country comparison to the world: 70
Internet users:
199,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 141
Transportation ::Nicaragua
Airports:
143 (2010) country comparison to the world: 40
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 132
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 115 (2010)
Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2009)
Roadways:
total: 19,137 km country comparison to the world: 112 paved: 2,033 km
unpaved: 17,104 km (2009)
Waterways:
2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2010) country comparison to the world: 41
Ports and terminals:
Bluefields, Corinto
Military ::Nicaragua
Military branches:
National Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito Nacional de Nicaragua, ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,605,398
females age 16-49: 1,594,270 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,318,762
females age 16-49: 1,374,652 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 71,171
female: 68,948 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 158
Transnational Issues ::Nicaragua
Disputes - international:
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Niger (Africa)
Introduction ::Niger
Background:
Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution and dissolved the Cabinet, and promised that elections would be held following a transitional period of unspecified duration. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 limited the rebels' operational capabilities.
Geography ::Niger
Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km country comparison to the world: 22 land: 1,266,700 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain:
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m
Natural resources:
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 88.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
33.7 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.18 cu km/yr (4%/0%/95%)
per capita: 156 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts
Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture
People ::Niger
Population:
15,878,271 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Age structure:
0-14 years: 49.6% (male 3,840,379/female 3,758,674)
15-64 years: 48% (male 3,658,361/female 3,690,373)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 159,984/female 198,481) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.2 years
male: 15 years
female: 15.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.66% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Birth rate:
51.08 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Death rate:
14.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Urbanization:
urban population: 16% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 114.5 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 3 male: 119.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 109.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.99 years country comparison to the world: 204 male: 51.75 years
female: 54.26 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.68 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups:
Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, KanouriManga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
Religions:
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
Languages:
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.7%
male: 42.9%
female: 15.1% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years
male: 5 years
female: 4 years (2009)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 124
Government ::Niger
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Niamey
geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence:
3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960
Constitution:
adopted 18 July 1999
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Djibo SALOU, chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, and a leader of the military coup that deposed President Mamadou TANDJA on 18 February 2010
head of government: Prime Minister Mahamadou DANDA (since 19 February 2010); appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president (Cabinet dissolved following the 18 February 2010 coup) (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held on 4 December 2004; a presidential election to restore civilian rule is scheduled for 31 January 2011
election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 76, RSD 15, RDP 7, PNA-Alouma 1, Alkalami 1, Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor 1, independents 12
Judicial branch:
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama[Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a DevelopingSociety-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger SocialDemocratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and SocialProgress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE];Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; NigerienParty for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [IssifouMAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; NigerienProgressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress orRDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally orRSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]