$NA
Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:
diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
80 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Electricity - consumption:
74.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
2.99 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Oil - consumption:
9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Oil - exports:
502.4 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Oil - imports:
8,316 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Current account balance:
-$63 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Exports:
$216 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 179
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Exports - partners:
Belgium 35.6%, US 20.1%, India 15.2%, France 4.9% (2008)
Imports:
$560 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 185
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 10.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.8%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.6%, UK 6.6%,
Thailand 5.2%, India 4.2% (2008)
Debt - external:
$1.61 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Exchange rates:
leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003)
Communications ::Sierra Leone
Telephones - main lines in use:
31,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.009 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 144
Telephone system:
general assessment: marginal telephone service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service is growing rapidly from a small base
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1999)
Internet country code:
.sl
Internet hosts:
273 (2009) country comparison to the world: 180
Internet users:
13,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 196
Transportation ::Sierra Leone
Airports:
9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 11,300 km country comparison to the world: 134 paved: 904 km
unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (600 km year round) (2007) country comparison to the world: 73
Merchant marine:
total: 182 country comparison to the world: 37 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 143, carrier 2, chemical tanker 3, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: 95 (Belgium 1, China 15, Egypt 3, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 11, Syria 18, Taiwan 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 10, UAE 8, UK 2, US 1, Yemen 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Military ::Sierra Leone
Military branches:
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes
Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,315,561 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 692,469
females age 16-49: 762,239 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 71,524
female: 75,491 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 73
Transnational Issues ::Sierra Leone
Disputes - international:
as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Singapore (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Singapore
Background:
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Geography ::Singapore
Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 697 sq km country comparison to the world: 192 land: 687 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
193 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 1.47%
permanent crops: 1.47%
other: 97.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1975)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%)
per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
People ::Singapore
Population:
4,657,542 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 348,382/female 324,050)
15-64 years: 76.7% (male 1,737,972/female 1,833,415)
65 years and over: 8.9% (male 184,393/female 229,330) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years
male: 38.5 years
female: 39.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.998% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Birth rate:
8.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216
Death rate:
4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Net migration rate:
5.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 224 male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.98 years country comparison to the world: 4 male: 79.37 years
female: 84.78 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.09 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 221
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)
Religions:
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)
Languages:
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2000 census)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 122
Government ::Singapore
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
local long form: Republic of Singapore
local short form: Singapore
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Singapore
geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution:
3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on pre-independence State of Singapore Constitution)
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999)
note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 1 April 2009); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee Huan (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005)
cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" members
elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders:
People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Reform Party [NG
Teck Siong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong];
Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party
or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]
note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel L. SHIELDS III
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Economy ::Singapore
Economy - overview:
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. Real GDP growth averaged 7% between 2004 and 2007, but dropped to 1.1% in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis. The economy contracted in the last three quarters of 2008. Prime Minister LEE and other senior officials have dampened expectations for a quick rebound in 2009. Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to global demand cycles especially for information technology products. It has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$237.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $235.3 billion (2007 est.)
$218.3 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$181.9 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 7.8% (2007 est.)
8.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$51,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $51,700 (2007 est.)
$48,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0%
industry: 27.8%
services: 72.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.94 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 0%, industry 22.6%, services 77.4% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 2.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.1 (2008) country comparison to the world: 30
Investment (gross fixed):
28.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Budget:
revenues: $29.25 billion
expenditures: $26.48 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
99.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 2.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.38% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$52.57 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21 $44.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$179 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $162.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$143.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $129.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$268.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $353.5 billion (31 December 2007)
$276.3 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish
Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Electricity - production:
38.67 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Electricity - consumption:
36.6 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
8,553 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Oil - consumption:
896,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Oil - exports:
1.289 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Oil - imports:
2.109 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - consumption:
8.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 115
Natural gas - imports:
8.27 billion cu m country comparison to the world: 27 note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2008 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Current account balance:
$25.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $39.11 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$342.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $303.1 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 12.1%, Indonesia 10.5%, Hong Kong 10.3%, China 9.2%, US 7.1%, Japan 4.9%, Australia 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$309.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $254 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Malaysia 11.9%, US 11.8%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.6%,
Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$174.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$25.52 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $232.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$173.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $169.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.), 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)
Communications ::Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.857 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 59
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.375 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 77
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 19, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (broadcasting on 8 channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2008)
Internet country code:
.sg
Internet hosts:
864,943 (2009) country comparison to the world: 43
Internet users:
3.37 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 55
Transportation ::Singapore
Airports:
8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 164
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 106 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 3,297 km country comparison to the world: 164 paved: 3,297 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,292 country comparison to the world: 5 by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209, container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53
foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6, China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15, Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22)
registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize 2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3, Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18, Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23, US 12, unknown 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Singapore
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
Military ::Singapore
Military branches:
Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,033,961
females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 27,715
female: 26,290 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Transnational Issues ::Singapore
Disputes - international:
disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Illicit drugs:
drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Slovakia (Europe)
Introduction ::Slovakia
Background:
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.
Geography ::Slovakia
Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 49,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 130 land: 48,105 sq km
water: 930 sq km
Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 1,474 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use:
arable land: 29.23%
permanent crops: 2.67%
other: 68.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,830 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
50.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.04
per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys
People ::Slovakia
Population:
5,463,046 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 442,168/female 422,055)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,952,527/female 1,965,646)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 254,510/female 426,140) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.9 years
male: 35.2 years
female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.137% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Birth rate:
10.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Death rate:
9.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Urbanization:
urban population: 56% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 171 male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.4 years country comparison to the world: 78 male: 71.47 years
female: 79.53 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
Languages:
Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2004)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 111
Government ::Slovakia
Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Bratislava
geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Constitution:
ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998; amended February 2001
note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership
Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14; note - seats by party as of December 2008 - Smer 50, SDKU-DS 28, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 15, KDH 9, nonaffiliated 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)
Political parties and leaders:
parties in the Parliament:: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
[Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert
FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY]; People's
Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir
MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or
SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]
selected parties outside the Parliament:: Agrarian Party of the
Provinces or ASV [Vladimir GOZORA]; Alliance of the New Citizen or
ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter ZAJAC];
Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Mission 21 - New Christian
Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD
[Jozef GRAPA]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav
KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak
Communist Party or KSS [Jozef HRDLICKA]; Slovak People's Party or
SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan
LUPTAK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade
Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS;
Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic;
National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and
Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter BURIAN
chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Keith EDDINS
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side
Economy ::Slovakia
Economy - overview:
Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. Reforms to the taxation, healthcare, pension, and social welfare systems helped Slovakia to consolidate its budget and get on track to join the EU in 2004 and to adopt the euro in January 2009. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost entirely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business friendly policies such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive and electronic sectors has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-08 despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 8.4% in 2008 but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Despite its 2006 pre-election promises to loosen fiscal policy and reverse the previous DZURINDA government's pro-market reforms, FICO's cabinet has thus far been careful to keep a lid on spending in order to meet euro adoption criteria and has focused on regulating energy and food prices instead. The OECD expects Slovakia's GDP growth to be positive in 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$119.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $112.6 billion (2007 est.)
$102 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$95.4 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 10.4% (2007 est.)
8.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$22,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $20,700 (2007 est.)
$18,700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 37.2%
services: 59% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.254 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4%, industry 39%, services 56.9% (30 September 2008)
Unemployment rate:
7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 8.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
21% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 128 26.3 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Budget:
revenues: $31.23 billion
expenditures: $33.32 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
28.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 2.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 4.25% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; as of 1 January 2009 Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.42% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$25.52 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 $26.17 billion (31 December 2007)
note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Slovak koruny in circulation prior to Slovakia joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$27.71 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $21.11 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$50.94 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $41.76 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.079 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $6.971 billion (31 December 2007)
$5.574 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Industries:
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate:
-3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - production:
26.53 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Electricity - consumption:
26.81 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Electricity - exports:
8.891 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
9.412 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
14,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Oil - consumption:
84,990 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Oil - exports:
74,070 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Oil - imports:
148,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Oil - proved reserves:
9 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - production:
102 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Natural gas - consumption:
6.308 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Natural gas - exports:
186 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 41
Natural gas - imports:
6.266 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - proved reserves:
14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Current account balance:
-$6.43 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 -$4.482 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$72.57 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $64.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)
Exports - partners:
Germany 20%, Czech Republic 13.1%, France 6.7%, Poland 6.6%, Hungary 6.3%, Austria 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UK 4.7% (2008)
Imports:
$73.62 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $65.47 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 20%, Czech Republic 17.7%, Russia 10.6%, Hungary 6.9%, South
Korea 5.2%, Austria 5%, Poland 4.9%, China 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$18.78 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $18.96 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$52.53 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $44.31 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$44.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $40.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.867 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $1.609 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Slovak koruny (SKK) per US dollar - 21.05 (2008 est.), 24.919 (2007), 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004)
note: on 1 January 2009 Slovakia adopted the euro as legal tender
Communications ::Slovakia
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.098 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 75
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.52 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 82
Telephone system:
general assessment: Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services
domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services
international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 22, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
37 (2008)
Internet country code:
.sk
Internet hosts:
867,615 (2009) country comparison to the world: 41
Internet users:
3.566 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53
Transportation ::Slovakia
Airports:
35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 10 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 3,622 km country comparison to the world: 48 broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,473 km 1.435-m gauge (1,577 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 43,761 km country comparison to the world: 83 paved: 38,085 km (includes 316 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,676 km (2006)
Waterways:
172 km (on Danube River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 100
Merchant marine:
total: 51 country comparison to the world: 70 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 42, refrigerated cargo 4
foreign-owned: 47 (Bulgaria 6, Germany 3, Greece 2, Ireland 1, Israel 4, Italy 2, Poland 2, Russia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 2, Turkey 10, Ukraine 12, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bratislava, Komarno
Military ::Slovakia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,420,966
females age 16-49: 1,386,259 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,165,470
females age 16-49: 1,152,941 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 36,552
female: 34,783 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.87% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Transnational Issues ::Slovakia
Disputes - international:
bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Slovenia (Europe)
Introduction ::Slovenia
Background:
The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography ::Slovenia
Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Austria and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 20,273 sq km country comparison to the world: 154 land: 20,151 sq km
water: 122 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,086 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km
Coastline:
46.6 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
Terrain:
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
Land use:
arable land: 8.53%
permanent crops: 1.43%
other: 90.04% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
32.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.9
per capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes
People ::Slovenia
Population:
2,005,692 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826)
15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470)
65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.7 years
male: 40.1 years
female: 43.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.113% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215
Birth rate:
8.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211
Death rate:
10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Net migration rate:
0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Urbanization:
urban population: 48% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 206 male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.92 years country comparison to the world: 60 male: 73.25 years
female: 80.84 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.28 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Nationality:
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian
Ethnic groups:
Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)
Religions:
Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)
Languages:
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 41
Government ::Slovenia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija
local short form: Slovenija
former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Ljubljana
geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: the Government of Slovenia has reported 210 municipalities
Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the 8 October 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 21 September 2008 (next National Assembly elections to be held in 8 October 2012)
election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year terms; note - this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national referenda) and the National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the constitution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held 8 October 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%, ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other 7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5, SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia
or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS
[Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS
[Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT]; Slovene Youth Party or
SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly
ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor Golobic]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners or DeSUS (protecting the rights of the older generation); Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]
other: Catholic Church
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIF (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roman KIRN
chancery: 2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 386-6601
FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633
consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Brad FREDEN
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands
Economy ::Slovenia
Economy - overview:
Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a model of economic success and stability for the region. With the highest per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for somewhat greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In December 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the accession process for joining the OECD. Despite its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively high. Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$59.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $57.47 billion (2007 est.)
$53.81 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$54.64 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 6.8% (2007 est.)
5.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$29,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $28,600 (2007 est.)
$26,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 33.4%
services: 64.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
940,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 36%
services: 61.5% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
6.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 7.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
12.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 24.6% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24 (2005) country comparison to the world: 133 28.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
28% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Budget:
revenues: $22.55 billion
expenditures: $22.7 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
23% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 3.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 103 5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.41% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 6.82% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$9.347 billion (31 December 2006)
note: the figure for 2006 represents the US dollar value of tolars in circulation prior to Slovenia joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$12.69 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of domestic credit:
$50.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 47 $41.63 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$11.77 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $28.96 billion (31 December 2007)
$15.18 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries:
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Electricity - production:
14.14 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Electricity - consumption:
13.5 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Electricity - exports:
7.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6.218 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
5 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - consumption:
61,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Oil - exports:
8,450 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Oil - imports:
63,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - consumption:
1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 117
Natural gas - imports:
1 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Current account balance:
-$3.323 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 -$1.982 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$29.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $27.09 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Exports - partners:
Germany 18.7%, Italy 11.7%, Croatia 8.3%, Austria 7.5%, France 5.7%,
Russia 4.8% (2008)
Imports:
$33.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $29.42 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food
Imports - partners:
Germany 17.2%, Italy 16.6%, Austria 11.2%, France 4.7%, Croatia 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $5.682 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$54.61 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 $50.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.96 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $10.41 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$7.592 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $6.127 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007)
note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007
Communications ::Slovenia
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.01 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 81
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.055 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 121
Telephone system:
general assessment: well-developed telecommunications infrastructure
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 386
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
31 (2006)
Internet country code:
.si
Internet hosts:
88,567 (2009) country comparison to the world: 75
Internet users:
1.126 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 84
Transportation ::Slovenia
Airports:
16 (2009) country comparison to the world: 143
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,228 km country comparison to the world: 85 standard gauge: 1,228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2007)
Roadways:
total: 38,709 km country comparison to the world: 90 paved: 38,709 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2007)
Waterways:
some transport on Danube River (2008)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 88
Ports and terminals:
Koper
Military ::Slovenia
Military branches:
Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 494,496
females age 16-49: 481,180 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 402,484
females age 16-49: 390,559 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 10,192
female: 9,717 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Transnational Issues ::Slovenia
Disputes - international:
the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia
Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Solomon Islands (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Solomon Islands
Background:
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Geography ::Solomon Islands
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
New Guinea
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 28,896 sq km country comparison to the world: 143 land: 27,986 sq km
water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
5,313 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources:
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 0.62%
permanent crops: 2.04%
other: 97.34% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
44.7 cu km (1987)
Natural hazards:
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit
People ::Solomon Islands
Population:
595,613 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.5% (male 119,875/female 115,127)
15-64 years: 57.1% (male 171,792/female 168,023)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 9,849/female 10,947) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.7 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.392% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Birth rate:
27.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Death rate:
3.77 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 18% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.1% 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 107 male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.69 years country comparison to the world: 100 male: 71.14 years
female: 76.37 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)
Religions:
Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas
Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%,
Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%,
unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
Languages:
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous languages
Literacy:
NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years
male: 9 years
female: 8 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 135
Government ::Solomon Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Honiara
geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Independence:
7 July 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution:
7 July 1978
Legal system:
English common law, which is widely disregarded; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Derek SIKUA (since 20 December 2007); note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007; SIKUA elected on 20 December 2007
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian
Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John
GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or
PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon
Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party
or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew
ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA
[Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description:
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
Government - note:
by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the region
Economy ::Solomon Islands
Economy - overview:
The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of RAMSI, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.546 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $1.441 billion (2007 est.)
$1.306 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$642 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 10.3% (2007 est.)
6.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 $2,500 (2007 est.)
$2,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 11%
services: 47% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
202,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 164
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry: 5%
services: 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $49.7 million
expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.44% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 51 14.12% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$86.96 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $94 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$96.79 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 $85.47 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$166.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 $126.5 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish
Industries:
fish (tuna), mining, timber
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
71 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Electricity - consumption:
66.03 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Oil - imports:
1,323 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 47
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Current account balance:
-$143 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Exports:
$237 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 178
Exports - commodities:
timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners:
China 47.7%, Thailand 6.7%, Spain 5.4%, South Korea 5.2%,
Philippines 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$256 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 196
Imports - commodities:
food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Singapore 26.7%, Australia 18.1%, India 7.5%, Fiji 4.4%, Malaysia 4.4%, Papua New Guinea 4.3%, NZ 4% (2008)
Debt - external:
$166 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 183
Exchange rates:
Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003)
Communications ::Solomon Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
8,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 207
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 209
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Internet country code:
.sb
Internet hosts:
4,067 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136
Internet users:
10,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 199
Transportation ::Solomon Islands
Airports:
36 (2009) country comparison to the world: 106
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Heliports:
3 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,360 km country comparison to the world: 177 paved: 33 km
unpaved: 1,327 km
note: includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor
Military ::Solomon Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Solomon Islands Police Force (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 141,051 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,368
females age 16-49: 122,821 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 7,091
female: 6,837 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 47
Transnational Issues ::Solomon Islands
Disputes - international:
since 2003, RAMSI, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 5,400 (displaced by tsunami on 2 April 2007) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Somalia (Africa)
Introduction ::Somalia
Background:
Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the formation of an interim government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The TFIs included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), withdrew from the country. The TFA was increased to 550 seats with the addition of 275 ARS members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former CIC and ARS chairman as president on 31 January 2009, in Djibouti. Subsequently, President SHARIF appointed Omar Abdirashid ali SHARMARKE, son of a former president of Somalia, as prime minister on 13 February 2009. The TFIs are based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlines a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. However, in January 2009 the TFA amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011. While its institutions remain weak, the TFG continues to reach out to Somali stakeholders and work with international donors to help build the governance capacity of the TFIs and work toward national elections in 2011.
Geography ::Somalia
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 637,657 sq km country comparison to the world: 43 land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline:
3,025 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural resources:
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.32% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
15.7 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)
per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
People ::Somalia
Population:
9,832,017 country comparison to the world: 83 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,215,331/female 2,204,503)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,588,356/female 2,579,737)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 101,764/female 142,326) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.815% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Birth rate:
43.7 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Death rate:
15.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Urbanization:
urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 6 male: 118.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.63 years country comparison to the world: 208 male: 47.78 years
female: 51.53 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.52 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
24,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups:
Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Somalia
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed
local short form: Soomaaliya
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Government type:
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
Capital:
name: Mogadishu
geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence:
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday:
Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
Constitution:
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing
Legal system:
no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian law, Islamic Sharia, and Somali customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Transitional Federal President Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (since 31 January 2009); note - a transitional governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFIs relocated to Somalia in June 2004
head of government: Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali SHARMARKE (since 13 February 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly
election results: Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed was elected president by the expanded Transitional Federal Assembly in Djibouti
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
note: unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) (550 seats; 475 members appointed according to the 4.5 clan formula, with the remaining 75 seats reserved for civil society and business persons)
Judicial branch:
following the breakdown of the central government, most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Sharia (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both in support and in opposition to the transitional government
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
May 1991); note - the Transitional Federal Government is represented
in the United States through its Permanent Mission to the United
Nations
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157
Flag description:
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
Government - note:
although an interim government was created in 2004, other regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia
Economy ::Somalia
Economy - overview:
Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Somalia's service sector also has grown. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling roughly $2 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Somalia's arrears to the IMF continued to grow in 2008. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.524 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $5.387 billion (2007 est.)
$5.252 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.6 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 2.6% (2007 est.)
2.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 225 $600 (2007 est.)
$600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
3.447 million (few skilled laborers) (2007) country comparison to the world: 96
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 71%
industry and services: 29% (1975)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
note: businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined
Agriculture - products:
bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Industries:
a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
280 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Electricity - consumption:
260.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Oil - exports:
1,475 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - imports:
6,387 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Exports:
$300 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 174
Exports - commodities:
livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
Exports - partners:
UAE 56.2%, Yemen 21%, Saudi Arabia 3.6% (2008)
Imports:
$798 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 177
Imports - commodities:
manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat
Imports - partners:
Djibouti 29.2%, India 11.9%, Kenya 7.6%, US 6%, Oman 5.6%, UAE 5.5%,
Yemen 4.7% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3 billion (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Exchange rates:
Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar - NA (2007-08), 1,438.3 (2006) official rate; the unofficial black market rate was about 23,000 shillings per dollar as of February 2007
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
Communications ::Somalia
Telephones - main lines in use:
100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 144
Telephones - mobile cellular:
627,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150
Telephone system:
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war; private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 11 (also 1 station each in Puntland and Somaliland), shortwave 1 (in Mogadishu) (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2 in Mogadishu and 2 in Hargeisa) (2001)
Internet country code:
.so
Internet hosts:
0 (2009) country comparison to the world: 232
Internet users:
102,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 154
Transportation ::Somalia
Airports:
59 (2009) country comparison to the world: 80
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 52
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 6 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 22,100 km country comparison to the world: 106 paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 country comparison to the world: 157 by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Berbera, Kismaayo
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators have reduced the piracy incidents; in response local pirates shifted operations farther south along the east coast of Somalia and eastward along the coast of Oman
Military ::Somalia
Military branches:
no national-level armed forces (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,181,050
females age 16-49: 2,125,558 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,301,026
females age 16-49: 1,351,649 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 93,763
female: 93,738 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Transnational Issues ::Somalia
Disputes - international:
Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1.1 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2007)
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@South Africa (Africa)
Introduction ::South Africa
Background:
Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together under the Union of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in black majority rule under the African National Congress (ANC). ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 after President Thabo MBEKI resigned. Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded as interim president until general elections scheduled for 2009.
Geography ::South Africa
Location:
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,219,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 25 land: 1,214,470 sq km
water: 4,620 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 4,862 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline:
2,798 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Climate:
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain:
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources:
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 12.1%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 87.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
14,980 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
50 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.5 cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%)
per capita: 264 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues:
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
People ::South Africa
Population:
49,052,489 country comparison to the world: 24 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.4 years
male: 24.1 years
female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.281% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Birth rate:
19.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Death rate:
16.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Net migration rate:
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 95 note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 59 male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.98 years country comparison to the world: 209 male: 49.81 years
female: 48.13 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
18.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5.7 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
350,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 1
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: South African(s)
adjective: South African
Ethnic groups:
black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)
Religions:
Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 87%
female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 53
Government ::South Africa
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
former: Union of South Africa
abbreviation: RSA
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Pretoria (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape
Independence:
31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
National holiday:
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution:
10 December 1996; note - certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; and entered into effect on 4 February 1997
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Jacob ZUMA elected president; National Assembly vote - Jacob ZUMA 277, Mvume DANDALA 47, other 76
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) and the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 4 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 22 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)
election results: National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 65.9%, DA 16.7%, COPE 7.4%, IFP 4.6%, other 5.4%; seats by party - ANC 264, DA 67, COPE 30, IFP 18, other 21
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African
National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Congress of the People or
COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE];
Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Independent Democrats or
ID [Patricia DE LILLE]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu
BUTHELEZI]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United
Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Lucas MANGOPE]; United
Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,
general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade
NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]
note: note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO
chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST
embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000
FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299
consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description:
two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
Economy ::South Africa
Economy - overview:
South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth was robust from 2004 to 2008 as South Africa reaped the benefits of macroeconomic stability and a global commodities boom, but began to slow in the second half of 2008 due to the global financial crisis' impact on commodity prices and demand. However, unemployment remains high and outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. At the end of 2007, South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis because state power supplier Eskom suffered supply problems with aged plants, necessitating "load-shedding" cuts to residents and businesses in the major cities. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public transportation. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic, focusing on controlling inflation, maintaining a budget surplus, and using state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas as a means to increase job growth and household income.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$492.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $477.4 billion (2007 est.)
$454.2 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$276.8 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 5.1% (2007 est.)
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $9,900 (2007 est.)
$9,500 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 33.7%
services: 63% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
17.79 million economically active (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 26%
services: 65% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
22.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 24.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
65 (2005) country comparison to the world: 2 59.3 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Budget:
revenues: $77.43 billion
expenditures: $79.9 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
31.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 45.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 6.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 32 11% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 57 13.17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$44.66 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $58.49 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$124.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $141.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$214.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $254.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$491.3 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $833.5 billion (31 December 2007)
$715 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Industries:
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - production:
240.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Electricity - consumption:
215.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Electricity - exports:
14.16 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
10.57 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
195,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Oil - consumption:
583,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Oil - exports:
128,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Oil - imports:
490,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - production:
3.25 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Natural gas - consumption:
6.45 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 120
Natural gas - imports:
3.2 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Natural gas - proved reserves:
27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Current account balance:
-$20.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 -$20.78 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$86.12 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $75.92 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners:
Japan 11.1%, US 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 6.8%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.2% (2008)
Imports:
$90.57 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $81.66 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Germany 11.2%, China 11.1%, US 7.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, Japan 5.5%,
UK 4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$34.07 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $32.94 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$71.81 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $75.28 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$120 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $110.4 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$63.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $65.88 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::South Africa
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.425 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 35
Telephones - mobile cellular:
45 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 24
Telephone system:
general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 110 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber optic cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.za
Internet hosts:
1.73 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 34
Internet users:
4.187 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 49
Transportation ::South Africa
Airports:
607 (2009) country comparison to the world: 11
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 148
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
914 to 1,523 m: 68
under 914 m: 12 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 459
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 298
under 914 m: 125 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
condensate 11 km; gas 908 km; oil 980 km; refined products 1,379 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 20,872 km country comparison to the world: 14 narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 362,099 km country comparison to the world: 18 paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways)
unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 country comparison to the world: 138 by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
registered in other countries: 8 (Bahamas 1, Nigeria 1, NZ 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Seychelles 1, UK 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay
Military ::South Africa
Military branches:
South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army,
South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint
Operations Command, Military Intelligence, South African Military
Health Services (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,622,507
females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,641,557
females age 16-49: 6,518,793 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 511,616
female: 510,540 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 98
Military - note:
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Transnational Issues ::South Africa
Disputes - international:
South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 7,818 (Somalia); 5,759 (Angola) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked internally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - for sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for debt-bonded sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a fourth consecutive year for its failure to show increasing efforts to address trafficking; the government provided inadequate data in 2007 on trafficking crimes investigated or prosecuted, or on resulting convictions or sentences; it also did not provide information on its efforts to protect victims of trafficking; the country continues to deport and/or prosecute suspected foreign victims without providing appropriate protective services (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Southern Ocean (Oceans)
Introduction ::Southern Ocean
Background:
A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with the seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greater abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary oceans by the US Government.
Geography ::Southern Ocean
Location:
body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references:
Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 20.327 million sq km
note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline:
17,968 km
Climate:
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain:
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic 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 million sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fish
Natural hazards:
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues:
increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements:
the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing)
note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north
Geography - note:
the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds
Economy ::Southern Ocean
Economy - overview:
Fisheries in 2006-07 landed 126,976 metric tons, of which 82% (104,586 tons) was krill (Euphausia superba) and 9.5% (12,027 tons) Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides - also known as Chilean sea bass), compared to 127,910 tons in 2005-06 of which 83% (106,591 tons) was krill and 9.7% (12,396 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, 45,213 tourists visited the Southern Ocean, compared to 35,552 in 2006-2007, and 29,799 in 2005-2006 (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and does not include passengers on overflights and those flying directly in and out of Antarctica).
Transportation ::Southern Ocean
Ports and terminals:
McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels (2007)
Transportation - note:
Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Transnational Issues ::Southern Ocean
Disputes - international:
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west
page last updated on October 22, 2009
======================================================================
@South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (South America)
Introduction ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Background:
The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.
Geography ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates:
54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 3,903 sq km country comparison to the world: 176 land: 3,903 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
NA
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Terrain:
most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia
People ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
Government ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
abbreviation: SGSSI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
Economy ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Economy - overview:
Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
Communications ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations:
0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2003)
Internet country code:
.gs
Internet hosts:
363 (2009) country comparison to the world: 176
Transportation ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Ports and terminals:
Grytviken
Military ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force
page last updated on October 28, 2009
======================================================================
@Spain (Europe)
Introduction ::Spain
Background:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008.
Geography ::Spain
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea,
North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 505,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 51 land: 498,980 sq km
water: 6,390 sq km
note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline:
4,964 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
Climate:
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Terrain:
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources:
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 27.18%
permanent crops: 9.85%
other: 62.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
37,800 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
111.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 37.22 cu km/yr (13%/19%/68%)
per capita: 864 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas
People ::Spain
Population:
40,525,002 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 3,021,822/female 2,842,597)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 13,705,107/female 13,601,399)
65 years and over: 18.1% (male 3,071,394/female 4,282,683) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.1 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 42.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.072% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Birth rate:
9.72 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Death rate:
9.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Net migration rate:
0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Urbanization:
urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 208 male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.05 years country comparison to the world: 23 male: 76.74 years
female: 83.57 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 206
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Nationality:
noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish
Ethnic groups:
composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Languages:
Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 97
Government ::Spain
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local long form: Reino de Espana
local short form: Espana
Government type:
parliamentary monarchy
Capital:
name: Madrid
geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands
Administrative divisions:
17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna (Catalonia), Comunidad Valenciana (Valencian Community), Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania)
Independence:
1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:
National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas
Constitution:
approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978; signed by the king 27 December 1978
Legal system:
civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004), Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Elena SALGADO Mendez (since 8 April 2009), and Third Vice President (and Minister of Regional Affairs) Manuel CHAVES Gonzalez (since 8 April 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 and 11 April 2008 (next to be held in March 2012); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
election results: Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO reelected President of the Government; percent of National Assembly vote - 46.94%
Legislative branch:
bicameral; General Courts or Las Cortes Generales (National Assembly) consists of the Senate or Senado (264 seats as of 2008; 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 56 - as of 2008 - appointed by the regional legislatures; to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; each of the 50 electoral provinces fills a minimum of two seats and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla fill one seat each with members serving a four-year term; the other 248 members are determined by proportional representation based on popular vote on block lists who serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held not later than March 2012); Congress of Deputies - last held on 9 March 2008 (next to be held not later than March 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PP 101, PSOE 88, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 2, CC 1, members appointed by regional legislatures 56; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.6%, PP 40.1%, CiU 3.1%, PNV 1.2%, ERC 1.2%, other 10.8%; seats by party - PSOE 169, PP 154, CiU 10, PNV 6, ERC 3, other 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo
Political parties and leaders:
Aragonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or
PNV or EAJ [Inigo URKULLU]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona
ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Jose Torres STINGA] (a coalition
of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro]
(a coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC
[Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC
[Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a
Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV,
EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA
Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i
Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition
of four Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey];
Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Joan RIDAO]; Spanish Socialist
Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO]; United Left or
IU [Cayo LARA] (a coalition of parties including the Communist Party
of Spain or PCE and other small parties)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association for Victims of Terrorism or AVT (grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Basta Ya (Spanish for "Enough is Enough"; grassroots organization devoted primarily to opposing ETA terrorist attacks and supporting its victims); Nunca Mais (Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil Tanker Prestige oil spill); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions or CC.OO.
other: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); university students
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC,
NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA (observer),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNRWA,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge DEZCALLAR de Mazarredo
chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Arnold A. CHACON
embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
consulate(s) general: Barcelona
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe
Economy ::Spain
Economy - overview:
The Spanish economy grew every year from 1994 through 2008 before entering a recession that started in the third quarter of 2008. Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita basis is approaching that of the largest West European economies. The Socialist president, Jose Luis Rodriguez ZAPATERO, in office since 2004, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms. The economy was greatly affected, especially after Zapatero's second term began in April 2008, by the bursting of the housing bubble and construction boom that had fueled much of the economic growth between 2001 and 2007. The global financial crisis exacerbated the economic downturn. GDP growth in 2008 was 1.2%, well below the 3% or higher growth the country enjoyed from 1997 through 2007. The Spanish banking system is considered solid, thanks in part to conservative oversight by the European Central Bank, and government intervention to rescue banks on the scale seen elsewhere in Europe in 2008 was not necessary. After considerable success since the mid-1990s in reducing unemployment to a 2007 low of 8%, Spain suffered a major spike in unemployment in the last few months of 2008, finishing the year with an unemployment rate over 13%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.402 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $1.39 trillion (2007 est.)
$1.341 trillion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.602 trillion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 3.6% (2007 est.)
4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$34,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $34,400 (2007 est.)
$33,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.4%
industry: 29%
services: 67.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
22.85 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 26.4%
services: 69.5% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 8.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
19.8% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32 (2005) country comparison to the world: 102 32.5 (1990)
Investment (gross fixed):
29.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Budget:
revenues: $598.1 billion
expenditures: $659.1 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
40.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 2.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.02% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money: