$NA
Agriculture - products:
sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Industries:
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - production:
16.89 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - consumption:
13.93 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
52,630 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Oil - consumption:
176,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Oil - imports:
104,800 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - proved reserves:
124 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Natural gas - production:
400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - consumption:
400 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 178
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Natural gas - proved reserves:
70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Current account balance:
-$2.58 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $412 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $3.701 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners:
Canada 27.8%, China 26.6%, Spain 6.2%, Netherlands 5.5% (2008)
Imports:
$14.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $10.08 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Venezuela 30%, China 11.9%, Spain 10.1%, Canada 6.4%, US 6.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.047 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $4.747 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$19.04 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $16.79 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$11.24 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$4.138 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Exchange rates:
Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2008 est.), 0.9259 (2007), 0.9231 (2006)
note: Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1) both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
Communications ::Cuba
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.104 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 74
Telephones - mobile cellular:
331,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 167
Telephone system:
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos, which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 3 per 100 persons
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
58 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cu
Internet hosts:
3,637 (2009) country comparison to the world: 138
Internet users:
1.45 million country comparison to the world: 77 note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2008)
Transportation ::Cuba
Airports:
136 (2009) country comparison to the world: 42
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 65
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 27 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 71
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 58 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 41 km; oil 230 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 8,598 km country comparison to the world: 24 standard gauge: 8,322 km 1.435-m gauge (176 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 276 km 1.000-gauge
note: 4,533 km of the track is used by sugar plantations; 4,257 km is standard gauge; 276 km is narrow gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 60,858 km country comparison to the world: 73 paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (2000)
Waterways:
240 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 95
Merchant marine:
total: 11 country comparison to the world: 111 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 13 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 10) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas
Military ::Cuba
Military branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR):
Revolutionary Army (ER; includes Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia
de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT)), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de
Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR; includes Marine Corps), Revolutionary
Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (Ejercito
Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,094,388
females age 16-49: 3,024,876 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,532,495
females age 16-49: 2,468,631 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 75,969
female: 72,253 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Military - note:
the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban Army of its major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on equipment numbers and serviceability; the army remains well trained and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Cuba
Disputes - international:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cuba is principally a source country for women and children trafficked within the country for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and possibly for forced labor; the country is a destination for sex tourism including child sex tourism, which is a problem in many areas of the country; some Cuban nationals willingly migrate to the United States but are subsequently exploited for forced labor by their smugglers; Cuba is also a transit point for the smuggling of migrants from China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and other nations to the United States and Canada
tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; exact information about trafficking in Cuba is difficult to obtain because the government does not acknowledge or condemn human trafficking as a problem in Cuba; tangible efforts to prosecute offenders, protect victims, or prevent human trafficking activity do not appear to have been made during 2007; Cuba has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Cyprus (Europe)
Introduction ::Cyprus
Background:
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Turkish and Cypriot Governments to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008, the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities started negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under direct government control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.
Geography ::Cyprus
Location:
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) country comparison to the world: 170 land: 9,241 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 150.4 km (approximately)
border sovereign base areas: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia 103 km (approximately)
Coastline:
648 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Terrain:
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m
Natural resources:
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use:
arable land: 10.81%
permanent crops: 4.32%
other: 84.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.21 cu km/yr (27%/1%/71%)
per capita: 250 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Environment - current issues:
water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia)
People ::Cyprus
Population:
796,740 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 77,959/female 74,591)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 276,890/female 269,267)
65 years and over: 12.3% (male 42,961/female 55,072) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.5 years
male: 34.5 years
female: 36.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.519% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Birth rate:
12.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Death rate:
7.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Net migration rate:
0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Urbanization:
urban population: 70% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 174 male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.33 years country comparison to the world: 45 male: 75.91 years
female: 80.86 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic groups:
Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)
Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and
Armenian Apostolic) 4%
Languages:
Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 35
Government ::Cyprus
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Kypros/Kibris
note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC")
Government type:
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), which is recognized only by Turkey
Capital:
name: Nicosia (Lefkosia)
geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia (Lefkosia)
Independence:
16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Constitution:
16 August 1960
note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey
Legal system:
based on English common law, with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Demetris CHRISTOFIAS (since 28 February 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 and 24 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)
election results: Demetris CHRISTOFIAS elected president; percent of vote (first round) - Ioannis KASOULIDES 33.5%, Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 33.3%, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 31.8%; (second round) Demetris CHRISTOFIAS 53.4%, Ioannis KASOULIDES 46.6%
note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became "president" of the "TRNC", 24 April 2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results - Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is "TRNC prime minister" and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with "Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister" Turgay AVCI
Legislative branch:
unicameral - area under government control: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006 (next to be held in 2010); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held 19 April 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: area under government control: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%, DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party - AKEL 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 4, EURO.KO 4, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic - percent of vote by party - UBP 44.1%, CTP 29.3%, DP 10.6%, other 16%; seats by party - UBP 26, CTP 15, DP 5, other 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots
Political parties and leaders:
area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios KAROYIAN]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADES]; European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDES]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yiannakis OMIROU]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU]
area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Centrist Party or HP [Rasit
PERTEV]; Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Mehmet CAKICIL]; Cyprus
Socialist Party or KSP [Yusuf ALKIM]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder
DENKTASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or ORP [Turgay AVCI]; National
Unity Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP
[Ata TEPE]; New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]; Politics for
the People Party or HIS [Ahmet YONLUER]; Republican Turkish Party or
CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation of
Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot
Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO
(Communist controlled)
International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OIF (associate member), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frank C. URBANCIC, Jr.
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia
telephone: [357] (22) 393939
FAX: [357] (22) 780944
Flag description:
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities
note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a white field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star
Economy ::Cyprus
Economy - overview:
The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by the service sector, which accounts for 78% of GDP. Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the most important sectors. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under government control has grown at a rate well above the EU average since 2000. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005 and adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. An aggressive austerity program in the preceding years, aimed at paving the way for the euro, helped turn a soaring fiscal deficit (6.3% in 2003) into a surplus of 1.2% in 2008, and reduced inflation to 5.1%. This prosperity will come under pressure in 2009, as construction and tourism slow in the face of reduced foreign demand triggered by the ongoing global financial crisis. Growth is expected to slow to less than 2%, which would be its lowest level since 2003. As in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants have been added to existing plants over the last year and are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04. Since then, rainfall has been well below average, making water rationing a necessity.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $21.94 billion (2007 est.)
$21.02 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$24.92 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 4.4% (2007 est.)
4.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$21,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $20,900 (2007 est.)
$20,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 19.6%
services: 78.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
397,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 20.5%
services: 71% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 3.9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2005) country comparison to the world: 118
Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Budget:
revenues:: $11.19 billion
expenditures:: $10.96 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
49.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 2.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 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:
7.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 6.74% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$4.094 billion (31 December 2007)
note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Cypriot pounds in circulation prior to Cyprus 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 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)
$43.93 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$80.68 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $52.09 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 63 $29.48 billion (31 December 2007)
$15.9 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese
Industries:
tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products
Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Electricity - production:
4.502 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Electricity - consumption:
4.277 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - consumption:
59,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Oil - imports:
58,930 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Current account balance:
-$4.479 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 -$2.595 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.906 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $1.483 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, and clothing
Exports - partners:
Greece 20.1%, UK 10.8%, Germany 6% (2008)
Imports:
$10.54 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.957 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
Greece 16.9%, Italy 10.7%, UK 8.7%, Germany 8.3%, Israel 8.2%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1%, France 4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.003 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$32.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $26.97 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$15.69 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $13.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$7.097 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $5.591 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), Cypriot pounds (CYP) per US dollar - 0.4286 (2007), 0.4586 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004)
Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots:
Economy - overview: The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly 40% of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given the north's relative isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the work force. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006, fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors, as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under government control. GDP declined about 2.0% in 2007. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish Government. Ankara directly finances about one-third of the "TRNC's" budget. Aid from Turkey has exceeded $400 million annually in recent years. The Turkish Cypriot economy probably will experience a sharp slowdown in 2008-2009 due to the global financial crisis, because the Turkish Cypriot financial sector is dominated by mainland Turkish banks, and because of its reliance on British and Turkish tourism, which has declined due to the recession.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6%, industry: 22.5%, services: 69.1% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%, industry: 29%, services: 56.5% (2004)
Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: %NA
Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006)
Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion, expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006)
Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb
Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005)
Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005)
Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles
Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited
Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery
Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA
Debt - external: $NA
Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL)
Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar: 1.319 (2007) 1.4286 (2006) 1.3436 (2005) 1.4255 (2004) 1.5009 (2003)
Communications ::Cyprus
Telephones - main lines in use:
area under government control: 413,300 (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002) country comparison to the world: 102
Telephones - mobile cellular:
area under government control: 1.017 million (2008); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 147,522 (2002) country comparison to the world: 143
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat)
Radio broadcast stations:
area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0
area administered by Turkish Cypriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
area under government control: 8
area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004)
Internet country code:
.cy
Internet hosts:
185,451 (2009) country comparison to the world: 63
Internet users:
334,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 121
Transportation ::Cyprus
Airports:
15 (2009) country comparison to the world: 144
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Heliports:
9 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 14,630 km (area under government control: 12,280 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km) country comparison to the world: 123 paved: area under government control: 7,979 km (includes 257 km of expressways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km
unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 858 country comparison to the world: 13 by type: bulk carrier 295, cargo 182, chemical tanker 63, container 193, liquefied gas 10, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 690 (Austria 1, Belgium 2, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 10, Cuba 1, Denmark 4, Estonia 5, Germany 189, Greece 259, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 10, Ireland 3, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 21, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Netherlands 22, Norway 18, Philippines 1, Poland 18, Portugal 1, Russia 50, Singapore 3, Slovenia 4, Spain 6, Sweden 2, Syria 2, Ukraine 4, UAE 9, UK 19, US 5)
registered in other countries: 256 (Antigua and Barbuda 18, Bahamas 25, Belize 1, Burma 1, Cambodia 7, Comoros 1, Georgia 1, Germany 2, Gibraltar 1, Greece 7, Liberia 63, Malta 31, Marshall Islands 37, Netherlands 8, Netherlands Antilles 21, Panama 19, Poland 1, Russia 2, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Samoa 1, Singapore 1, Tonga 1, Turkey 2, UK 2, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
area under government control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos;; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia
Military ::Cyprus
Military branches:
Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (Ethniki Forea, EF; includes naval and air elements); northern Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term; length of normal service is 25 months (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):
males age 16-49: 199,767
females age 16-49: 190,665 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG):
males age 16-49: 165,615
females age 16-49: 159,362 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,241
female: 5,979 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Transnational Issues ::Cyprus
Disputes - international:
hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the north; Turkey protests Cypriot Government creating hydrocarbon blocks and maritime boundary with Lebanon in March 2007
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cyprus is on the Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking during 2007; although Cyprus passed a new trafficking law and opened a government trafficking shelter, these efforts are outweighed by its failure to show tangible and critically needed progress in the areas of law enforcement, victim protection, and the prevention of trafficking (2008)
Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Czech Republic (Europe)
Introduction ::Czech Republic
Background:
Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Geography ::Czech Republic
Location:
Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovikia, and Austria
Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 78,867 sq km country comparison to the world: 115 land: 77,247 sq km
water: 1,620 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources:
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
Land use:
arable land: 38.82%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 58.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
240 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
16 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%)
per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution
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-Environmental Protocol, 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; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe
People ::Czech Republic
Population:
10,211,904 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.6% (male 712,045/female 673,657)
15-64 years: 71% (male 3,641,887/female 3,604,044)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 623,882/female 956,389) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 41.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.094% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 213
Birth rate:
8.83 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215
Death rate:
10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Net migration rate:
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 211 male: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.81 years country comparison to the world: 61 male: 73.54 years
female: 80.28 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.24 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Nationality:
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups:
Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Languages:
Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 94
Government ::Czech Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local long form: Ceska Republika
local short form: Cesko
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Prague
geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 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:
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky
Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday:
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution:
ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993; amended 1997, 2000, 2001 (twice), 2002
Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Jan FISCHER (since 9 April 2009);
Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin
BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Vlasta PARKANOVA (since 23
January 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October 2008 (next to be held by October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 36, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, Open Democracy Club 6, others 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2008 - ODS 79, CSSD 71, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 4, unaffiliated 7 (former CSSD, ODS, and Green Party members)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED
[Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's
Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek
TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech
FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Free
Citizens' Party or SSO [Petr MACH]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK];
Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open
Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ];
Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER
embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] 257 022 000
FAX: [420] 257 022 809
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
Economy ::Czech Republic
Economy - overview:
The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Maintaining an open investment climate has been a key element of the Czech Republic's transition from a communist, centrally planned economy to a functioning market economy. As a member of the European Union, with an advantageous location in the center of Europe, a relatively low cost structure, and a well-qualified labor force, the Czech Republic is an attractive destination for foreign investment. Prior to its EU accession in 2004, the Czech government harmonized its laws and regulations with those of the European Union. The government plans to meet the criteria for joining the euro area around 2012. The small, open, export-driven Czech economy grew by over 6% annually from 2005-2007 and strong growth continued throughout the first three quarters of 2008. Despite the global financial crisis, the conservative Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy. The rate of Czech economic growth, however, fell in the fourth quarter of 2008, mainly due to a significant drop in demand for Czech exports in Western Europe. This trend is expected to continue, with many analysts predicting the Czech economy to contract slightly in 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$264.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 $258.1 billion (2007 est.)
$243.2 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$216.4 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 6.1% (2007 est.)
6.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 $25,200 (2007 est.)
$23,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 37.6%
services: 60.1% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
5.36 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 40.2%
services: 56.2% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 6.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26 (2005) country comparison to the world: 129 25.4 (1996)
Investment (gross fixed):
24% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Budget:
revenues: $93.42 billion
expenditures: $96.09 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
26.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 2.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
2.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 128 3.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 134 5.79% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$86.55 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $84.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$58.6 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 27 $58.77 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$110.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $103.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$48.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $73.42 billion (31 December 2007)
$48.6 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Industries:
motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Electricity - production:
82.72 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - consumption:
61.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Electricity - exports:
19.99 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.52 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
16,080 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Oil - consumption:
212,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Oil - exports:
22,560 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Oil - imports:
213,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Natural gas - production:
192 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - consumption:
8.719 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Natural gas - exports:
968 million cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 35
Natural gas - imports:
9.573 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 92
Current account balance:
-$6.642 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 -$5.655 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$145.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $122.7 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Germany 30.6%, Slovakia 9.2%, Poland 6.5%, France 5.3%, UK 4.8%,
Austria 4.7%, Italy 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$139.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $116.8 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 30.3%, Slovakia 6.6%, Poland 6.4%, Russia 6.2%, Netherlands 5.6%, Austria 5.2%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$36.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $34.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$80.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 $76.04 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$111.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$9.913 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $6.971 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 17.064 (2008), 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004)
Communications ::Czech Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.278 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 54
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.78 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 48
Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
71 (2008)
Internet country code:
.cz
Internet hosts:
3.233 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 24
Internet users:
6.028 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 38
Transportation ::Czech Republic
Airports:
122 (2009) country comparison to the world: 48
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 78
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 50 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 9,620 km country comparison to the world: 22 standard gauge: 9,521 km 1.435-m gauge (3,013 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 128,512 km country comparison to the world: 36 paved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)
Waterways:
664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2008) country comparison to the world: 77
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 150
Ports and terminals:
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Military ::Czech Republic
Military branches:
Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes Land Forces and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for compulsory military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,522,383
females age 16-49: 2,425,095 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,095,038
females age 16-49: 2,011,531 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 60,150
female: 57,157 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.46% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Transnational Issues ::Czech Republic
Disputes - international:
while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Denmark (Europe)
Introduction ::Denmark
Background:
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.
Geography ::Denmark
Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)
Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 43,094 sq km country comparison to the world: 133 land: 42,434 sq km
water: 660 sq km
note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 68 km
border countries: Germany 68 km
Coastline:
7,314 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
Terrain:
low and flat to gently rolling plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand
Land use:
arable land: 52.59%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 47.22% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,490 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
6.1 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.67 cu km/yr (32%/26%/42%)
per capita: 123 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides
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, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen
People ::Denmark
Population:
5,500,510 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 511,882/female 485,782)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,817,800/female 1,798,964)
65 years and over: 16.1% (male 387,142/female 498,940) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.5 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.28% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Birth rate:
10.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Death rate:
10.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Net migration rate:
2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% 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: 1.01 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: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 203 male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.3 years country comparison to the world: 46 male: 75.96 years
female: 80.78 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Nationality:
noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish
Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and
Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%
Languages:
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language
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: 16 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 12
Government ::Denmark
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
local short form: Danmark
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Copenhagen
geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 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
note: applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components
Administrative divisions:
metropolitan Denmark - 5 regions (regioner, singular - region); Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark
note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007
Independence:
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
National holiday:
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally viewed as the National Day
Constitution:
5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968)
head of government: Prime Minister Lars Lokke RASMUSSEN (since 5 April 2009)
cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms unless the Folketing is dissolved earlier)
elections: last held 13 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 26.2%, Social Democrats 25.5%, Danish People's Party 13.9%, Socialist People's Party 13.0%, Conservative People's Party 10.4%, Social Liberal Party 5.1%, New Alliance 2.8%, Red-Green Unity List 2.2%, other 0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 46, Social Democrats 45, Danish People's Party 25, Socialist People's Party 23, Conservative People's Party 18, Social Liberal Party 9, New Alliance 5, Red-Green Alliance 4; note - does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for life by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrats [Bjarne Hartung KIRKEGAARD] (was Christian
People's Party); Conservative Party [Lene ESPERSEN] (sometimes known
as Conservative People's Party); Danish People's Party [Pia
KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Liberal
Alliance [Naser KHADER](formerly known as New Alliance); Red-Green
Unity List (Alliance) [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left
Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers'
Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social
Liberal Party [Margrethe VESTAGER]; Socialist People's Party [Villy
SOEVNDAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Danish Free Press Society (freedom of speech); Danish National
Socialist Movement or DNSB [Jonni HANSEN] (neo-Nazi organization)
other: human rights groups
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council,
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO,
G-9, 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, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00
FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23
Flag description:
red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side; the banner is referred to as the Dannebrog (Danish flag) and is one of the oldest national flags in the world; traditions as to the origin of the flag design vary, but the best known is a legend that the banner fell from the sky during an early-13th century battle; caught up by the Danish king before it ever touched the earth, this heavenly talisman inspired the royal army to victory
note: the shifted design element was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Economy ::Denmark
Economy - overview:
This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, an equitable distribution of income, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, a stable political system, and high dependence on foreign trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints limit growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but so far Denmark has decided not to join 16 other EU members in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Denmark's fiscal position is among the strongest in the EU. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn continued through 2006. After a long consumption-driven upswing, Denmark's economy began slowing in early 2007 with the end of a housing boom. This cyclical slowdown has been exacerbated by the global financial crisis through increased borrowing costs and lower export demand, consumer confidence, and investment. The slowing global economy cut GDP by 1.2% in 2008. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$204.1 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $206.6 billion (2007 est.)
$203.3 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$340 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 1.6% (2007 est.)
3.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$37,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $37,800 (2007 est.)
$37,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 26.1%
services: 72.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.88 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 23.8%
services: 72.7% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 2.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24 (2005) country comparison to the world: 132 24.7 (1992)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Budget:
revenues: $188.6 billion
expenditures: $176.3 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
33.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 1.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 126 4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA
Stock of money:
$143 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 9 $148.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$95.82 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $81.64 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$695.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 $684.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 31 $277.7 billion (31 December 2007)
$231 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish
Industries:
iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment
Industrial production growth rate:
-3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Electricity - production:
36.92 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - consumption:
35.79 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Electricity - exports:
11.36 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
12.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
288,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Oil - consumption:
181,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Oil - exports:
287,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Oil - imports:
153,800 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Oil - proved reserves:
1.06 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Natural gas - production:
10.09 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - consumption:
4.59 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - exports:
5.516 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 26
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Natural gas - proved reserves:
61.3 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Current account balance:
$6.938 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $2.378 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$114.9 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $100.5 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills
Exports - partners:
Germany 18%, Sweden 14.5%, UK 8.2%, Norway 5.7%, US 5.3%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$116.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $100.8 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
Germany 20.9%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 6.7%, Norway 6.3%, China 5.7%, UK 5.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$42.32 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $34.32 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$588.8 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $567.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$142.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $131.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$181.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $153.3 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)
Communications ::Denmark
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.487 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.551 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 75
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
172 (2008)
Internet country code:
.dk
Internet hosts:
3.991 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 19
Internet users:
4.579 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 44
Transportation ::Denmark
Airports:
92 (2009) country comparison to the world: 65
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 64
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 61 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,858 km; oil 107 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,667 km country comparison to the world: 63 standard gauge: 2,667 km 1.435-m gauge (640 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 72,362 km country comparison to the world: 64 paved: 72,362 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2006)
Waterways:
400 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 88
Merchant marine:
total: 327 country comparison to the world: 29 by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 63, carrier 2, chemical tanker 78, container 84, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 42, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4
foreign-owned: 26 (Canada 1, Germany 1, Germany 9, Greece 4, Iceland 2, Norway 3, Sweden 6)
registered in other countries: 534 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Bahamas 67, Belgium 4, Brazil 2, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 4, Egypt 1, Estonia 1, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 7, Hong Kong 24, Isle of Man 29, Italy 3, Jamaica 2, Liberia 12, Lithuania 5, Luxembourg 1, Malta 30, Marshall Islands 10, Mexico 2, Netherlands 29, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 25, Panama 40, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 87, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 4, Togo 1, UAE 1, UK 62, US 31, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Kalundborg
Military ::Denmark
Military branches:
Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet,
Island Command Greenland, Tactical Air Command, Home Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,235,067
females age 16-49: 1,215,418 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,013,223
females age 16-49: 998,837 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 37,231
female: 35,306 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Transnational Issues ::Denmark
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue
to study proposals for full independence; sovereignty dispute with
Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere
Island and Greenland
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Dhekelia (Europe)
Introduction ::Dhekelia
Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area.
Geography ::Dhekelia
Location:
Eastern Mediterranean, on the southeast coast of Cyprus near
Famagusta
Geographic coordinates:
34 59 N, 33 45 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 130.8 sq km country comparison to the world: 222 note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves
Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 103 km (approximately)
border countries: Cyprus 103 km (approximately)
Coastline:
27.5 km
Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues:
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn
Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area land 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
People ::Dhekelia
Population:
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK Based Contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents country comparison to the world: 219
Languages:
English, Greek
Government ::Dhekelia
Country name:
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia
Dependency status:
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital:
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia); located in Akrotiri
geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution:
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Legal system:
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used
Economy ::Dhekelia
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Industries:
none
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008)
note: on 1 January 2008, Dhekelia and Akrotiri adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus
Communications ::Dhekelia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces
Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to
Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Military ::Dhekelia
Military - note:
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway
page last updated on July 2, 2009
======================================================================
@Djibouti (Africa)
Introduction ::Djibouti
Background:
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.
Geography ::Djibouti
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates:
11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 23,200 sq km country comparison to the world: 150 land: 23,180 sq km
water: 20 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline:
314 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
desert; torrid, dry
Terrain:
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m
Natural resources:
geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 0.04%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.96% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)
per capita: 25 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa
People ::Djibouti
Population:
516,055 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.3% (male 112,135/female 111,343)
15-64 years: 53% (male 141,298/female 132,360)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 9,502/female 9,417) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.903% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Birth rate:
38.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Death rate:
19.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.2% 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: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 97.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 12 male: 104.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 89.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.37 years country comparison to the world: 217 male: 41.89 years
female: 44.89 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.06 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic groups:
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)
Religions:
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 78%
female: 58.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years
male: 5 years
female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 11
Government ::Djibouti
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti
local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Djibouti
geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
Independence:
27 June 1977 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 February 2008 (next to be held 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development
Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples
Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a
Presidential Majority or UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP,
FRUD, PND, and PPSD) [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA]; Union for Democracy
and Justice or UDJ
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine
chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN
embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone: [253] 35 39 95
FAX: [253] 35 39 40
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
Economy ::Djibouti
Economy - overview:
The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Two-thirds of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 85% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.891 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 $1.786 billion (2007 est.)
$1.696 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$982 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 5.3% (2007 est.)
4.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 $2,600 (2007 est.)
$2,500 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 14.9%
services: 81.9% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
351,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 156
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
59% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 note: data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas
Population below poverty line:
42% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $135 million
expenditures: $182 million (1999 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA
Stock of money:
$462.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $380 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$338 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 112 $284.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$269.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 121 $224.7 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
Industries:
construction, agricultural processing
Electricity - production:
280 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - consumption:
260.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Oil - exports:
19.18 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Oil - imports:
8,476 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Current account balance:
-$212 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Exports:
$340 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 170
Exports - commodities:
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Exports - partners:
Somalia 79.9%, UAE 4.1%, Yemen 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$1.555 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 159
Imports - commodities:
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 20.5%, India 20.5%, China 10.6%, US 6%, Malaysia 6% (2008)
Debt - external:
$428 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 167
Exchange rates:
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.71 (2007), 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003)
Communications ::Djibouti
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 201
Telephones - mobile cellular:
44,100 (2005) country comparison to the world: 196
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city
international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Internet country code:
.dj
Internet hosts:
199 (2009) country comparison to the world: 188
Internet users:
13,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 197
Transportation ::Djibouti
Airports:
13 (2009) country comparison to the world: 152
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Railways:
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) country comparison to the world: 127 narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)
Roadways:
total: 3,065 km country comparison to the world: 165 paved: 1,226 km
unpaved: 1,839 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Djibouti
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; 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
Military ::Djibouti
Military branches:
Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 111,274
females age 16-49: 105,168 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 55,173
females age 16-49: 52,825 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 5,778
female: 5,771 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 33
Transnational Issues ::Djibouti
Disputes - international:
Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 8,642 (Somalia) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Dominica (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Dominica
Background:
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Geography ::Dominica
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, about half way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 751 sq km country comparison to the world: 188 land: 751 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
148 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 21.33%
other: 72% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
NA
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr
per capita: 213 cu m/yr (1996)
Natural hazards:
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world
People ::Dominica
Population:
72,660 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 8,910/female 8,518)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 24,532/female 23,301)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,187/female 4,212) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.8 years
male: 29.4 years
female: 30.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.208% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Birth rate:
15.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Death rate:
8.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Net migration rate:
-5.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Urbanization:
urban population: 74% 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 133 male: 18.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.55 years country comparison to the world: 76 male: 72.61 years
female: 78.64 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.09 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%,
Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or
unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 70
Government ::Dominica
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Roseau
geographic coordinates: 15 18 N, 61 24 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Independence:
3 November 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution:
3 November 1978
Legal system:
based on English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL consented to a second term in 2008 at the request of the prime minister and leader of the opposition
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period
election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders:
Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or
UWP [Earl WILLIAMS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Judith Ann ROLLE
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica
Flag description:
green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy ::Dominica
Economy - overview:
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination and has developed a new tourism development plan with assistance from the EU. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address Dominica's economic and financial crisis of 2001-02 and to meet IMF targets. This restructuring paved the way for the current economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and will help to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 100% of GDP. In order to diversify the island's production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and has signed an agreement with the EU to develop geothermal energy resources.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$726.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209 $703.8 million (2007 est.)
$691.4 million (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$364 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 1.8% (2007 est.)
3.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 $9,700 (2007 est.)
$9,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.7%
industry: 32.8%
services: 49.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
25,000 (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 32%
services: 28% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
23% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Population below poverty line:
30% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 91 9.17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$72.1 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 115 $73.71 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$289.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 114 $269.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$213.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 122 $193.1 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Industries:
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
85 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Electricity - consumption:
79.05 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Oil - imports:
838.2 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Current account balance:
-$72 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Exports:
$94 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 194
Exports - commodities:
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners:
Japan 33.5%, China 17.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.7%, Guyana 5.7%,
Jamaica 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)
Imports:
$296 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 195
Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Japan 43.2%, US 17%, China 12.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.4% (2008)
Debt - external:
$213 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 179
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Dominica
Telephones - main lines in use:
17,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 197
Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 183
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)
Internet country code:
.dm
Internet hosts:
485 (2009) country comparison to the world: 173
Internet users:
27,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 182
Transportation ::Dominica
Airports:
2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 780 km country comparison to the world: 187 paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 53 country comparison to the world: 69 by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 27, chemical tanker 3, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 47 (Australia 2, Estonia 7, Greece 10, India 2, Latvia 1, Norway 1, Russia 3, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 7, Syria 2, Turkey 5, Ukraine 4, UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Portsmouth, Roseau
Military ::Dominica
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,584 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,821
females age 16-49: 15,291 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 776
female: 731 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA (2006)
Transnational Issues ::Dominica
Disputes - international:
Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela's sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Dominican Republic (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Dominican Republic
Background:
Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821 but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.
Geography ::Dominican Republic
Location:
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:
19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 48,670 sq km country comparison to the world: 131 land: 48,320 sq km
water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km
Coastline:
1,288 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 6 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain:
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources:
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 22.49%
permanent crops: 10.26%
other: 67.25% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
21 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 3.39 cu km/yr (32%/2%/66%)
per capita: 381 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti
People ::Dominican Republic
Population:
9,650,054 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.4% (male 1,543,141/female 1,488,016)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 3,087,351/female 2,960,319)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 264,476/female 306,751) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.9 years
male: 24.8 years
female: 25.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.489% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Birth rate:
22.39 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Death rate:
5.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Net migration rate:
-2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Urbanization:
urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 83 male: 28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.7 years country comparison to the world: 99 male: 71.88 years
female: 75.6 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
62,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups:
mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:
Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87%
male: 86.8%
female: 87.2% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
3.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 126
Government ::Dominican Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: The Dominican
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: La Dominicana
Government type:
democratic republic
Capital:
name: Santo Domingo
geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San
Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez,
Santo Domingo, Valverde
Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution:
28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)
Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National
Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)
International organization participation:
ACP, BCIE, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, RG, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union
Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto SALADIN
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sun Valley (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador P. Robert FANNIN
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description:
a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon
Economy ::Dominican Republic
Economy - overview:
The Dominican Republic has enjoyed strong GDP growth since 2005 and continued to post sound gains through mid-2008. The global recession, however, had a significant impact on GDP growth in the latter half of the year as tourism and remittances, two of the Dominican Republic's most important economic contributors, showed signs of slowing. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco but in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Although 2007 saw inflation around 6%, the rate grew to over 12% in 2008. High food prices, driven by the effects of consecutive tropical storms on agricultural products, and education prices were significant contributors to the jump. The effects of the global financial crisis and the US recession are projected to negatively affect GDP growth in 2009 with a rebound expected in 2010. Although the economy is growing at a respectable rate, high unemployment and underemployment remains an important challenge. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in March 2007, which should boost investment and exports and reduce losses to the Asian garment industry.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$78.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $74.25 billion (2007 est.)
$68.43 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$44.44 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 8.5% (2007 est.)
10.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $7,900 (2007 est.)
$7,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 22.9%
services: 66.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
4.119 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 14.6%
industry: 22.3%
services: 63.1% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
14.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 15.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
42.2% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.5%
highest 10%: 38.7% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.9 (2005) country comparison to the world: 25 47.4 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Budget:
revenues: $7.46 billion
expenditures: $9.027 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
37.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 6.1% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.95% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 15.83% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.619 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $4.074 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.902 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $5.631 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.37 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $15.92 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares: