China:
For centuries China has stood as a leading civilization,
outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the
first half of the 20th century, China was beset by major famines,
civil unrest, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World
War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship
that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls
over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people.
After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced
market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making.
Output quadrupled in the next 20 years and China now has the world's
second largest GDP. Political controls remain tight even while
economic controls continue to weaken.
Christmas Island:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
to Australia in 1958. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was
reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry
has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being
restored, and almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a
national park.
Clipperton Island:
This isolated island was named for John
CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
possession in 1935.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
The islands were discovered in 1609, but
remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
The population on the two inhabited islands is split between the
mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island.
Colombia:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate
a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence
spilling over their borders.
Comoros:
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to
resolve the secessionist crisis through the 2000 Fomboni Accord, a
confederal arrangement that the Organization of African Unity has
yet to recognize.
Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
Since 1994 the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by
ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of
refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of
former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by
Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged
by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from
Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the
Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999, but
sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated in January 2001
and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. The new president
quickly began overtures to end the war.
Congo, Republic of the:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French
region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.
Cook Islands:
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770,
the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
residents chose self-government in free association with New
Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
government deficits are continuing problems.
Coral Sea Islands:
Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers
of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of
Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small
meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations,
beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.