Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
2.5 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:
10.4% (2002 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $38.5 billion
expenditures: $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2002 est.)
Industries:
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood
and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and
tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:
42.24 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
37.82 billion kWh (2001)