$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Industries:
petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Electricity - production:
5.601 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Electricity - consumption:
4.801 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
81,720 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Oil - consumption:
26,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Oil - exports:
107,100 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Oil - imports:
45,520 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 92
Oil - proved reserves:
200 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - proved reserves:
135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Current account balance:
-$96 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 -$547 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.707 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $4.345 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners:
Spain 19.8%, Italy 13.5%, US 10.6%, France 8.2%, Netherlands 8.1%,
China 7.9%, Belgium 4% (2008)
Imports:
$4.303 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $4.05 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners:
France 21.1%, Nigeria 13.8%, China 9.5%, Belgium 6.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.091 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 $2.932 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.066 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.554 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Cameroon
Telephones - main lines in use:
198,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 124
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.161 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79
Telephone system:
general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 33 per 100 persons
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Internet country code:
.cm
Internet hosts:
70 (2009) country comparison to the world: 204
Internet users:
725,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 99
Transportation ::Cameroon
Airports:
36 (2009) country comparison to the world: 107
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 6 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 889 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 987 km country comparison to the world: 89 narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 50,000 km country comparison to the world: 79 paved: 5,000 km
unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)
Waterways:
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Douala, Limboh Terminal
Military ::Cameroon
Military branches:
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,321,175
females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,645,601
females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 213,027
female: 208,642 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 121
Transnational Issues ::Cameroon
Disputes - international:
Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agree on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; most victims are children trafficked within country, with girls primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations; children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops; Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; while Cameroon reported some arrests of traffickers, none of them were prosecuted or punished; the government does not identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations nor does it monitor the number of victims it intercepts (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Canada (North America)
Introduction ::Canada
Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.
Geography ::Canada
Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 2 land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km
Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline:
202,080 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
7,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3,300 cu km (1985)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 44.72 cu km/yr (20%/69%/12%)
per capita: 1,386 cu m/yr (1996)
Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains
Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, 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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border
People ::Canada
Population:
33,487,208 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 2,761,711/female 2,626,836)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,633,950/female 11,381,735)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 2,220,189/female 2,862,787) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 41.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.817% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Birth rate:
10.28 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Death rate:
7.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Net migration rate:
5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
Urbanization:
urban population: 80% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 189 male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.23 years country comparison to the world: 8 male: 78.69 years
female: 83.91 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.58 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
73,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official) 58.8%, French (official) 21.6%, other 19.6% (2006
Census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 17 years
female: 17 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 63
Government ::Canada
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Government type:
a parliamentary democracy, a federation, and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Ottawa
geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: Canada is divided into six time zones
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
Independence:
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution:
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments
Legal system:
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
head of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a maximum of five-year terms starting in 2009 elections)
elections: House of Commons - last held 14 October 2008 (next to be held no later than 19 October 2012)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative Party 37.6%, Liberal Party 26.2%, New Democratic Party 18.2%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, Greens 6.8%, other 1%; seats by party - Conservative Party 143, Liberal Party 77, New Democratic Party 37, Bloc Quebecois 49, other 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada
[Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY];
Liberal Party [Michael IGNATIEFF]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: agricultural sector; automobile industry; business groups; chemical industry; commercial banks; communications sector; energy industry; environmentalists; public administration groups; steel industry; trade unions
International organization participation:
ACCT, ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC,
Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS,
C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, 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, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAFTA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gary DOER
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California), Tucson
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430; P.O. Box 866, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5T1
telephone: [1] (613) 688-5335
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width) with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white
Economy ::Canada
Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US, its principle trading partner. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs nearly 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has enjoyed solid economic growth, and prudent fiscal management has produced consecutive balanced budgets from 1997 to 2007. In 2008, growth slowed sharply as a result of the global economic downturn, US housing slump, plunging auto sector demand, and a drop in world commodity prices. Public finances, too, are set to deteriorate for the first time in a decade. Tight global credit conditions have further restrained business and housing investment, despite the conservative lending practices and strong capitalization that made Canada's major banks among the most stable in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.303 trillion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $1.298 trillion (2007 est.)
$1.266 trillion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.5 trillion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 2.5% (2007 est.)
2.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$39,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $39,400 (2007 est.)
$38,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 28.4%
services: 69.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
18.22 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services 76%, other 3% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.1 (2005) country comparison to the world: 100 31.5 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Budget:
revenues: $594.1 billion
expenditures: $573.7 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
63.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 2.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 4.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.73% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 131 6.1% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$356.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $391.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.299 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.381 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.335 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $2.382 trillion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 7 $2.187 trillion (31 December 2007)
$1.701 trillion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
-2.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Electricity - production:
620.7 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Electricity - consumption:
536.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Electricity - exports:
55.73 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
23.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
3.35 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Oil - consumption:
2.26 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Oil - exports:
2.421 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Oil - imports:
1.165 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Oil - proved reserves:
178.1 billion bbl country comparison to the world: 2 note: includes oil sands (1 January 2009 est.)
Natural gas - production:
170.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
Natural gas - consumption:
82.93 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Natural gas - exports:
102.8 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 2
Natural gas - imports:
14.84 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.64 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Current account balance:
$7.61 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $14.53 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$459.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $431.2 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - partners:
US 77.7%, UK 2.7%, Japan 2.3% (2008)
Imports:
$415.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $386.6 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 52.4%, China 9.8%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$43.87 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $41.08 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$781.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 15 $806.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$433.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $506.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$520.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $520.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0364 (2008 est.), 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004)
Communications ::Canada
Telephones - main lines in use:
18.25 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 17
Telephones - mobile cellular:
21.455 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 37
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
148 (2007)
Internet country code:
.ca
Internet hosts:
7.193 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 14
Internet users:
25.086 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 13
Transportation ::Canada
Airports:
1,388 (2009) country comparison to the world: 4
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 515
over 3,047 m: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 148
914 to 1,523 m: 251
under 914 m: 79 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 873
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 373
under 914 m: 427 (2009)
Heliports:
12 (2009)
Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2006)
Railways:
total: 46,688 km country comparison to the world: 5 standard gauge: 46,688 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 1,042,300 km country comparison to the world: 6 paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)
Waterways:
636 km country comparison to the world: 78 note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 175 country comparison to the world: 38 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 13, carrier 1, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 17 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, US 10)
registered in other countries: 206 (Australia 9, Bahamas 84, Barbados 9, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Liberia 7, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 6, Norway 10, Panama 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 4, Taiwan 2, Vanuatu 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec
City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver
Military ::Canada
Military branches:
Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,072,010
females age 16-49: 7,813,462 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,647,513
females age 16-49: 6,413,748 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 223,238
female: 210,797 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Transnational Issues ::Canada
Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Cape Verde (Africa)
Introduction ::Cape Verde
Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Geography ::Cape Verde
Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 4,033 sq km country comparison to the world: 175 land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
965 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.85% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
People ::Cape Verde
Population:
429,474 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 21.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.561% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Birth rate:
23.5 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Death rate:
6.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Net migration rate:
-11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Urbanization:
urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 63 male: 47.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.61 years country comparison to the world: 126 male: 68.27 years
female: 75.05 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.07 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.035% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001) country comparison to the world: 103
Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean
Ethnic groups:
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly
Church of the Nazarene)
Languages:
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 34
Government ::Cape Verde
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution:
25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Legal system:
based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro Verona Rodriques PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers 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 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel
RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO];
Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio
MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Jorge SANTOS]; Party for
Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work
and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Joao ALEM]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Flag description:
five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side
Economy ::Cape Verde
Economy - overview:
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.63 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $1.545 billion (2007 est.)
$1.446 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.744 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 6.9% (2007 est.)
10.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $3,600 (2007 est.)
$3,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.1%
industry: 16.6%
services: 74.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
196,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 165
Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
41.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Budget:
revenues: $508 million
expenditures: $540.2 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 8.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.99% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 10.55% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$563.4 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $574 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$721.3 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 102 $689 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.153 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 $1.049 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Electricity - production:
250 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Electricity - consumption:
232.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Oil - imports:
1,619 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 64
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Current account balance:
-$259 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 -$132.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$105 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $76.5 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners:
Japan 37.5%, Spain 28.5%, Portugal 17.5%, Morocco 4.8% (2008)
Imports:
$864 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174 $743.6 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
Portugal 40.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, Spain 6.7%, UK 6.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.6%, Brazil 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$258 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $281 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$325 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 172
Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)
Communications ::Cape Verde
Telephones - main lines in use:
72,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155
Telephones - mobile cellular:
277,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 169
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
.cv
Internet hosts:
24 (2009) country comparison to the world: 214
Internet users:
102,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 153
Transportation ::Cape Verde
Airports:
10 (2009) country comparison to the world: 156
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,350 km country comparison to the world: 178 paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 country comparison to the world: 125 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5
foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Porto Grande
Military ::Cape Verde
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 103,650
females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 84,967
females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 5,471
female: 5,349 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 152
Transnational Issues ::Cape Verde
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Cayman Islands (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Cayman Islands
Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
Geography ::Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 264 sq km country comparison to the world: 210 land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America
People ::Cayman Islands
Population:
49,035 country comparison to the world: 207 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.6% (male 4,824/female 4,783)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,994/female 17,884)
65 years and over: 9.3% (male 2,139/female 2,411) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.1 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.394% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Birth rate:
12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Death rate:
4.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Net migration rate:
16.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 3 note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 169 male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.44 years country comparison to the world: 16 male: 77.8 years
female: 83.14 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Religions:
Church of God 26%, United Church 11.8% (Presbyterian and Congregational), Roman Catholic 11%, Baptist 8.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.2%, Anglican 5.7%, Pentecostal 5.3%, other Christian 2.7%, non-denominational 5.8%, other 3.8%, none 9.8%, unspecified 1.1% (1999 census)
Languages:
English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 150
Government ::Cayman Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July
Constitution:
The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009
Legal system:
British common law and local statutes
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)
cabinet: The Cabinet (six members appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor as premier
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 elected by popular vote and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 9, PPM 5, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary Court
Political parties and leaders:
United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive
Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trust
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
Economy ::Cayman Islands
Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.939 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $1.922 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):