Bolivia
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
unrest, and illegal drug production. Current goals include
attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system,
resolving disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug
efforts, and waging an anticorruption campaign.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of
independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,
Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton
Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
national government was charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic,
and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government
comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led
Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were
charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the
High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the
implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96,
a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops
served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of
the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led
Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed
hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced
SFOR in December 2004; their mission was to maintain peace and
stability throughout the country.
Botswana
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Bouvet Island
This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
island.
Brazil
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a
century of military intervention in the governance of the country
when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian
rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural
growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural
resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's
leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income
distribution remains a pressing problem.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Established as a territory of the UK
in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
Diego Garcia.
British Virgin Islands
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the
islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely
tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west;
the US dollar is the legal currency.
Brunei
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.
Bulgaria
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing
side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of
influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist
domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty
election since World War II and began the contentious process of
moving toward political democracy and a market economy while
combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today,
reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual
integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved
independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the
1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early
1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural
resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its
citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has
hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe
farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.