Afghanistan Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran 33 00 N, 65 00 E Asia total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km slightly smaller than Texas total: 5,529 km border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km 0 km (landlocked) none (landlocked) arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones arable land: 12% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 39% (1993 est.) 30,000 sq km (1993 est.) damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification party to : Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation landlocked 23,738,085 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 43% (male 5,201,585; female 5,003,503) 15-64 years: 54% (male 6,680,687; female 6,208,463) 65 years and over : 3% (male 341,301; female 302,546) (July 1997 est.) 4.48% (1997 est.) note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees 42.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 17.78 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 19.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 146.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population : 46.34 years male: 46.89 years female: 45.76 years (1997 est.) 6.07 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31.5% male : 47.2% female: 15% (1995 est.) conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form : Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan local short form: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan AF transitional government Kabul 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol note : there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August none a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Islamic law (Shari'a) undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; the UN has deferred a decision on credentials and the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stonghold in the ethnically diverse north - General DOSTAM's National Islamic Movement controls several northcentral provinces and Commander MASOOD controls the ethnic Tajik majority areas of the northeast non-functioning as of June 1993 non-functioning as of March 1995, although there are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country Taliban (Religious Students Movement), Mohammad OMAR; Supreme Defense Council of Afghanistan [comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic Movement), Abdul Rashid DOSTAM; Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society), Burhanuddin RABBANI and Ahmad Shah MASOOD; and Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party), Abdul Karim KHALILI]; other smaller parties are Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party), Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party), Yunis KHALIS faction; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan), Abdul Rasul SAYYAF; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement), Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front), Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front), Sayed Ahamad GAILANI; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party), Mohammad Akbar AKBARI; Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement), Mohammed Asif MOHSENI tribal elders represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan (CUNUA), Ishaq GAILANI; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan (WUFA), A. Rasul AMIN; Mellat (Social Democratic Party), leader NA AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO chief of mission : Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Yar Mohammed MOHABBAT chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770, 3771 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516 consulate(s) general : New York consulate(s): Washington, DC the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 17 years of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During the war one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. Now, only 750,000 registered Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan and about 1.2 million in Iran. Another 1 million have probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 17 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. Millions of people continue to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country, with one estimate putting the rate at 240% in Kabul in 1996. Numerical data are likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. purchasing power parity - $18.1 billion (1996 est.) NA% purchasing power parity - $800 (1996 est.) agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% 240% (1996 est.) total: 7.1 million by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7% (1980 est.) 8% (1995 est.) revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper 371,000 kW (1993) 670 million kWh (1994) 35 kWh (1995 est.) wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton total value: $80 million (1996 est.) commodities: fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems partners : FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia total value : $150 million (1996 est.) commodities: food and petroleum products; most consumer goods partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany $2.3 billion (March 1991 est.) recipient: ODA; about $56 million in UN aid plus additional bilateral aid and aid in kind (1996) note: US provided $450 million in bilateral assistance (1985-93); US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which is a fixed rate of 50.600 afghanis to the dollar 21 March - 20 March 31,200 (1983 est.) domestic : very limited telephone and telegraph service international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region) AM 6, FM 0, shortwave 2 1.8 million (1996 est.); note - about 60% of families own a radio NA note: one television station run by Jumbesh faction provides intermittent service 100,000 (1993 est.) total: 24.6 km broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1,524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya total: 21,000 km paved: 2,793 km unpaved: 18,207 km (1995 est.) 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km Kheyrabad, Shir Khan 33 (1996 est.) total: 16 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.) total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.) 3 (1996 est.) NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups 22 years of age males age 15-49 : 5,813,298 (1997 est.) males : 3,118,004 (1997 est.) males: 231,250 (1997 est.) $NA NA% some support from RABBANI and MASOOD to anti-government Islamic fighters in Tajikistan's civil war; support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN world's second-largest illicit opium producer after Burma (1,230 metric tons in 1996 - down 2% from 1995) and a major source of hashish Albania Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro 41 00 N, 20 00 E Europe total: 28,750 sq km land: 27,400 sq km water: 1,350 sq km slightly smaller than Maryland total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro) 362 km continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea : 12 nm mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point : Maja e Korabit 2,753 m petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel arable land: 21% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 38% other: 21% (1993 est.) 3,410 sq km (1993 est.) destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) 3,299,757 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 34% (male 575,087; female 534,618) 15-64 years: 60% (male 927,791; female 1,068,922) 65 years and over: 6% (male 80,135; female 113,204) (July 1997 est.) 0.9% (1997 est.) 21.96 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 7.54 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) -5.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population : 68.28 years male: 65.24 years female: 71.55 years (1997 est.) 2.64 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 72% male: 80% female: 63% (1955 est.) conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania AL emerging democracy Tirane 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore note: some new administrative units may have been created 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) Independence Day, 28 November (1912) an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a draft constitution was rejected by popular referendum in the fall of 1994 and a new draft is pending has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 18 years of age; universal and compulsory chief of state : President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992) head of government: Prime Minister of the interim National Reconciliation Government Bashkim FINO (since 12 March 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held NA 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); prime minister appointed by the president election results : Sali BERISHA elected president; percent of People's Assembly vote - NA unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms) elections: last held 26 May 1996 (next tentatively scheduled for 29 June 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DP 122, PS 10, RP 3, UHP 3, Balli Kombetar 2 Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is elected by the People's Assembly Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Tritan SHEHU]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Sabri GODO]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Skender GJINUSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Neritan CEKA, chairman]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]; Movement for Democracy Party or LDP [ruled by committee of Genc RULI, Alfred SERREQI, Dashimir SHEHI, Maksim KONOMI]; Balli Kombetar [Hysen SELFO] BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) chief of mission : Ambassador Lublin DILJA chancery: Suite 1000, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942, 8187 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 chief of mission : Ambassador Marisa R. LINO (15 July 1996) embassy: Rruga E. Labinoti 103, Tirane mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624 telephone: [355] (42) 328-75, 335-20 FAX: [355] (42) 322-22 red with a black two-headed eagle in the center An extremely poor country by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12%. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's adult population - triggered unrest in much of the south in early 1997. The economy continues to be buoyed by remittances of some 20% of the labor force which works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. Overall economic performance is likely to be substantially worse in 1997; inflation will easily top 50% and GDP may drop by 5% or more. purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1996 est.) 5% (1996 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,290 (1996 est.) agriculture: 56% industry: 21% services: 23% (1995) 17.4% (1996) total: 1.692 million (1994 est.) (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) by occupation : agriculture (nearly all private) 49.5%, private sector 22.2%, state (nonfarm) sector 28.3% (including state-owned industry 7.8%); note - includes only those domestically employed 13% (1996 est.) revenues: $624 million expenditures : $996 million, including capital expenditures of $NA food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower 6% (1995 est.) 1.533 million kW (1995) 3.86 billion kWh (1994) 1,221 kWh (1995 est.) wide range of temperate-zone crops and livestock total value: $205 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : asphalt, metals and metallic ores, electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco partners: Italy, US, Greece, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia total value: $680 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : machinery, consumer goods, grains partners: Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia $500 million (1994 est.) recipient : ODA, $NA 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars leke (L) per US$1 - 150.00 (May 1997), 104.50 (1996), 92.70 (1995), 94.62 (1994), 102.06 (1993), 75.03 (1992) calendar year 55,000 domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences international : inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirane exchange to Italy and Greece AM 17, FM 1, shortwave 0 577,000 (1991 est.) 9 300,000 (1993 est.) total : 670 km standard gauge: 670 km 1.435-m gauge (1995) total: 15,500 km paved: 4,650 km unpaved: 10,850 km (1995 est.) 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990) crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991) Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore total: 8 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 39,201 GRT/57,938 DWT (1996 est.) 11 (1994 est.) total: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1994 est.) total: 6 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1994 est.) Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards 19 years of age males age 15-49: 738,082 (1997 est.) males: 600,403 (1997 est.) males: 31,823 (1997 est.) $42 million (1996) 1.5% to 2.0% (1996) the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active in Central and Eastern Europe Algeria Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia 28 00 N, 3 00 E Africa total : 2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas total: 6,343 km border countries : Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km 998 km exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm territorial sea: 12 nm arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain lowest point : Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 2% other : 82% (1993 est.) 5,550 sq km (1993 est.) mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) 29,830,370 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years : 39% (male 5,923,391; female 5,712,088) 15-64 years: 57% (male 8,619,009; female 8,450,774) 65 years and over: 4% (male 525,556; female 599,552) (July 1997 est.) 2.18% (1997 est.) 28.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 68.62 years male : 67.5 years female: 69.79 years (1997 est.) 3.48 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun : Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.6% male: 73.9% female : 49% (1995 est.) conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah local short form: Al Jaza'ir AG republic Algiers 48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen 5 July 1962 (from France) Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954) 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996; note - referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was signed into law 7 December 1996 socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 18 years of age; universal chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995) head of government : Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results : Liamine ZEROUAL elected president; percent of vote - Liamine ZEROUAL 61.3% bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (380 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; suspended since 1992) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; created as a result of the constitutional revision of November 1996) elections : National People's Assembly - first-round held 26 December 1991; second round canceled by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992, effectively suspending the assembly (next election scheduled for 5 June 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first round of the 1991 elections Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland); Movement of a Peaceful Society (Hamas), Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party (PRA), Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman; Nahda Movement (Al Nahda), Abdallah DJABALLAH, president; Democratic National Rally (RND), Abdelkader BENSALAH, chairman; Movement for Democracy in Algeria (MDA), Ahmed Ben BELLA note : the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed; a new party law was enacted in March 1997 ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) chief of mission: Ambassador Ramtane LAMAMRA chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX : [1] (202) 667-2174 chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy : 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-12-55 FAX: [213] (2) 69-39-79 two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion) The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of GDP, and almost all export earnings; Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; and it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve economic stabilization and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy. Despite substantial progress toward economic adjustment, in 1992 the reform drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political turmoil. In September 1993, a new government was formed, and one priority was the resumption and acceleration of the structural adjustment process. Buffeted by the slump in world oil prices and burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994. Following a Paris Club debt rescheduling in 1995, a robust harvest, and elevated oil prices, the economy experienced a strong recovery and key economic improvements. Recent and planned investments in developing hydrocarbon resources are likely to increase growth and export earnings. purchasing power parity - $115.9 billion (1996 est.) 4% (1996 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,000 (1996 est.) agriculture: 12% industry: 50% services: 38% (1995 est.) 19.8% (1996 est.) total: 7.8 million (1996 est.) by occupation: government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989) 28% (1996 est.) revenues : $14.3 billion expenditures: $17.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.) petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing NA% 6.01 million kW (1994) 18.7 billion kWh (1994) 583 kWh (1995 est.) wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle total value: $11 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97% partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%, Germany 7.9% (1995 est.) total value : $10.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods partners: France 29%, Spain 10.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 8%, Germany 5.6% (1995 est.) $32 billion (1996 est.) recipient: ODA, $420 million (1996) 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 57.136 (January 1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993), 21.836 (1992) calendar year 862,000 (1991 est.) domestic: excellent service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned) international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0 6 million (1991 est.) 18 2 million (1993 est.) total : 4,772 km standard gauge: 3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km double track) narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge total: 102,424 km paved : 70,570 km (including 6,080 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,854 km (1995 est.) crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes total : 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 925,261 GRT/1,094,281 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas tanker 11, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.) 119 (1996 est.) total: 66 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m : 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (1996 est.) total: 53 2,438 to 3,047 m : 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 31 (1996 est.) 1 (1996 est.) National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie 19 years of age males age 15-49: 7,666,961 (1997 est.) males: 4,700,502 (1997 est.) males: 337,630 (1997 est.) $1.3 billion (1994) 2.7% (1994) part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993 American Samoa Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand 14 20 S, 170 00 W Oceania total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island slightly larger than Washington, DC 0 km 116 km exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m pumice, pumicite arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland : 70% other: 15% (1993 est.) NA sq km typhoons common from December to March limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean 61,819 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA 3.72% (1997 est.) 35.23 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 4.01 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population : NA male(s)/female 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 72.91 years male: 71.03 years female: 74.85 years (1997 est.) 4.16 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5% Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30% Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS AQ unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs NA Pago Pago none (territory of the US) none (territory of the US) Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900) ratified 1966, in effect 1967 NA 18 years of age; universal chief of state : President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola Tulafono (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor of American Samoa; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (Independent) 49% bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs who serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results : House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate High Court, chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior NA ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC none (territory of the US) none (territory of the US) blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers. Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist industry. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. According to one observer, attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. purchasing power parity - $128 million (1991 est.) NA% purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1991 est.) agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA% NA % total: 14,400 (1990) by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) 12% (1991) revenues: $97 million ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in grant revenue) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90/91) tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts NA% 33,000 kW (1993) 100 million kWh (1994) 1,743 kWh (1995 est.) bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy farming total value: $306 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners : US 99.6% total value: $360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% partners : US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7% $NA recipient: ODA, $NA note : important financial support from the US 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents US currency is used 1 October - 30 September 9,000 (1994 est.) domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 NA 1 8,000 (1993 est.) 0 km total : 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u none 3 (1996 est.) total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.) defense is the responsibility of the US none Andorra Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain 42 30 N, 1 30 E Europe total : 450 sq km land: 450 sq km water: 0 sq km 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC total: 125 km border countries : France 60 km, Spain 65 km 0 km (landlocked) none (landlocked) temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys lowest point: Riu Valira 840 m highest point : Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 56% forests and woodland: 22% other: 20% (1993 est.) NA sq km snowslides, avalanches deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements landlocked 64,000 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 14% (male 4,788; female 4,452) 15-64 years : 74% (male 25,291; female 21,807) 65 years and over: 12% (male 3,903; female 3,759) (July 1997 est.) 0.72% (1997 est.) 10.67 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 1.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 83.45 years male : 80.53 years female: 86.53 years (1997 est.) 1.21 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran Spanish 61%, Andorran 30%, French 6%, other 3% Roman Catholic (predominant) Catalan (official), French, Castilian NA conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form : Andorra AN parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called veguers Andorra la Vella 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Les Escaldes, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria 1278 Mare de Deu de Meritxell, 8 September Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; adopted 14 March 1993 based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 18 years of age; universal chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) and Spanish Episcopal Coprince Monseigneur Juan MARTI Alanis (since 31 January 1971); note - each coprince is represented by a veguer (current names NA) head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne (since 21 December 1994) cabinet: Executive Council designated by the executive council president elections: executive council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces; election last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 February 1997 (next to be held February 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - UL 57%, AND 21%, IDN 7%, ND 7%, other 8%; seats by party - UL 16, AND 6, ND 2, IDN 2, UPO 2 Supreme Court of Andorra at Perpignan (France) two civil judges appointed by the veguers, one appeals judge appointed by the coprinces alternately; Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Seo de Urgel (Spain); Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal des Cortes presided over by the two civil judges, one appeals judge, the veguers, and two members of the General Council National Democratic Group or AND [Oscar RIBAS Reig and Jordi FARRAS]; Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU]; Andorran National Coalition or CNA [Antoni CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vincenc MATEU]; Liberal Party of Andorra (Partit Liberal d'Andorra) or PLA [Marc FORNE]; Unio Parroquial d'Ordino or UDO note : there are two other small parties CE, ECE, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, WIPO, WToO chief of mission : Ambassador Juli MINOVES-TRIQUELL (also Permanent Representative to the UN) chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (343) 280-2227; FAX: (343) 205-7705; note - Consul General Maurice S. PARKER makes periodic visits to Andorra three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania that do not have a national coat of arms in the center Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 10 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its -tax haven- status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1995 est.) NA% purchasing power parity - $18,000 (1995 est.) agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% NA% NA 0% revenues : $138 million expenditures: $177 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993) tourism (particularly skiing), sheep, timber, tobacco, banking NA% 35,000 kW (1992) 140 million kWh (1992) NA kWh; note - Andorra exports most of its electricity to France and Spain small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep raising total value : $47 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: electricity, tobacco products, furniture partners : France 49%, Spain 47% total value: $1 billion (1995) commodities: consumer goods, food partners: France, Spain, US 4.2% $NA none 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992); Spanish pesetas (Ptas) per US$1 - 134.77 (January 1997), 126.66 (1996), 124.69 (1995), 133.96 (1994), 127.26 (1993), 102.38 (1992) calendar year 21,258 (1983 est.) domestic : modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: landline circuits to France and Spain AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 10,000 (1993 est.) 0 7,000 (1991 est.) 0 km total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved : 71 km (1991 est.) none none defense is the responsibility of France and Spain none Angola Transnational Issues. Civil war has been the norm since independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975. A cease-fire lasted from 31 May 1991 until October 1992 when the insurgent National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) refused to accept its defeat in internationally monitored elections and fighting resumed throughout much of the countryside. The two sides signed another peace accord on 20 November 1994 and the cease-fire is generally holding, but military tensions persist and banditry is increasing. In order to bring armed insurgents under government control the peace accord of 20 November 1994 provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the Angolan armed forces. Military integration began in June 1996 and a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation was installed in April 1997. Efforts which began in May 1997 to extend government into UNITA-occupied areas are proceeding slowly. The original 7,200-man UN peacekeeping force began a phased drawdown in late 1996. All UN peacekeepers are scheduled to depart by September 1997 but a small UN military observer force will probably remain in Angola through 1998. Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo 12 30 S, 18 30 E Africa total: 1,246,700 sq km land : 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km slightly less than twice the size of Texas total: 5,198 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km of which 220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda province, Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km 1,600 km exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 20 nm semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 43% other : 32% (1993 est.) 750 sq km (1993 est.) locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau the overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water party to: Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Congo (Kinshasa) 10,548,847 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 45% (male 2,393,009; female 2,327,186) 15-64 years: 52% (male 2,793,038; female 2,753,624) 65 years and over: 3% (male 131,720; female 150,270) (July 1997 est.) 3.06% (1997 est.) 44.11 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population : 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 135.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population : 47.32 years male: 45.12 years female: 49.64 years (1997 est.) 6.27 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.) Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42% male : 56% female: 28% (1990 est.) conventional long form : Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola AO transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system Luanda 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire 11 November 1975 (from Portugal) Independence Day, 11 November (1975) 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992 based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets 18 years of age; universal chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979) head of government: Prime Minister Fernando Jose de Franca Vieira Dias VAN DUNEM (since 8 June 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: President DOS SANTOS originally elected without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections in 28-29 September 1992, the last elections to be held, (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president and answerable to the Assembly election results: DOS SANTOS received 49.6% of the total vote, making a run-off election necessary between him and second-place Jonas SAVIMBI; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) disputed the results of the first election; the civil war was resumed unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (223 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA) election results : percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party - NA Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao, judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], is the ruling party and has been in power since 1975; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], is the largest opposition party and engaged in years of armed resistance to the government note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but won few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio dos Santos FRANCA -N'dalu- chancery: 1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 760, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX : [1] (202) 785-1258 chief of mission: Ambassador Donald K. STEINBERG embassy: No. 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne, Miramar, Luanda mailing address: C.P. 6484, Luanda; American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 (pouch) telephone : [244] (2) 345-481, 346-418 FAX: [244] (2) 346-924 two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle) Angola is an economy in disarray. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 80%-90% of the population but accounts for about 12% of GDP. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 50% to GDP. Notwithstanding the signing of a peace accord in November 1994, sporadic violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich resources - notably gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, arable land, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to observe the cease-fire, implement the peace agreement, and reform government policies. Despite the high inflation and political difficulties, total output grew an estimated 9% in 1996, largely due to increased oil production. purchasing power parity - $8.3 billion (1996 est.) 9% (1996 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (1996 est.) agriculture: 12% industry: 56% services: 32% (1994 est.) 1,700% (1996 est.) total: 2.783 million economically active by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry 15% (1985 est.) extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (1994 est.) revenues: $928 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (1992 est.) petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles; NA% 620,000 kW (1994) 1.82 billion kWh (1994) 171 kWh (1995 est.) bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish total value: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton partners: US 70%, EU total value : $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial military supplies partners : Portugal, Brazil, US, France, Spain $12.5 billion (1996 est.) recipient: ODA, $451 million (1994) 1 new kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei new kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 201,994 (November 1996), 900,000 (25 April 1995), 600,000 (10 January 1995), 90,000 (1 June 1994), 7,000 (16 December 1993), 3.884 (July 1993), 550 (April 1992) note: black market rates - new Kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 1,900,000 (6 April 1995), 180,000 (1 June 1994), 50,000 (16 December 1993) calendar year 78,000 (1991 est.) telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) AM 17, FM 13, shortwave 0 NA 6 50,000 (1993 est.) total : 2,952 km limited trackage in use because of land mines still in place from the civil war) (1997 est.) narrow gauge: 2,798 km 1.067-m gauge; 154 km 0.600-m gauge total: 72,626 km paved: 18,157 km unpaved: 54,469 km (1995 est.) 1,295 km navigable crude oil 179 km Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malogo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo total : 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 55,255 GRT/86,886 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, oil tanker 1 (1996 est.) 144 (1996 est.) total : 67 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m : 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 40 (1996 est.) total : 77 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 48 (1996 est.) Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force 18 years of age males age 15-49: 2,412,445 (1997 est.) males: 1,213,988 (1997 est.) males : 102,712 (1997 est.) $1.1 billion (1993) 31% (1993) none increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states Anguilla Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico 18 15 N, 63 10 W Central America and the Caribbean total: 91 sq km land : 91 sq km water: 0 sq km about half the size of Washington, DC 0 km 61 km exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone lowest point : Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m salt, fish, lobster arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) NA sq km frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA 10,785 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 28% (male 1,527; female 1,483) 15-64 years : 65% (male 3,563; female 3,407) 65 years and over: 7% (male 351; female 454) (July 1997 est.) 3.36% (1997 est.) 17.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 5.47 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 21.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth : 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 77.02 years male: 74.07 years female: 80.08 years (1997 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan black Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% English (official) definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population : 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) conventional long form: none conventional short form : Anguilla AV dependent territory of the UK NA The Valley none (dependent territory of the UK) none (dependent territory of the UK) Anguilla Day, 30 May Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 based on English common law 18 years of age; universal chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Alan HOOLE (since 1 November 1995) head of government: Chief Minister Hubert HUGHES (since 16 March 1994) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANA 2, AUP 2, ADP 2, independent 1 High Court, judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Anguilla National Alliance or ANA [Osbourne FLEMING]; Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP [Victor BANKS] Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) none (dependent territory of the UK) none (dependent territory of the UK) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on high-class tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Output growth had averaged about 7% in recent years, mainly as a result of a boom in tourism thanks to economic expansion in North America and the UK. The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September. Agricultural output had only just begun to recover from a drought in 1994 when Luis hit. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financing sector. A comprehensive package of financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the industrialized nations. purchasing power parity - $52 million (1995 est.) -4.3% (1995 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,400 (1995 est.) agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA% 1.6% (1995 est.) total: 4,400 (1992) by occupation: commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% 7% (1992 est.) revenues: $13.5 million (1993) expenditures: $17.6 million, including capital expenditures of $740,000 (1995 est.) tourism, boat building, offshore financial services NA% NA kW NA kWh NA kWh pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes; sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, poultry; fishing (including lobster) total value : $1.3 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: lobster and salt partners : NA total value: $39.8 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: NA partners: NA $8.5 million (1995 est.) $NA 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976) 1 April - 31 March 890 domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 2,000 (1992 est.) 1 NA 0 km total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved : 40 km (1992 est.) Blowing Point, Road Bay none 2 (1996 est.) total: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.) defense is the responsibility of the UK none Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico 17 03 N, 61 48 W Central America and the Caribbean total: 440 sq km land: 440 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC 0 km 153 km contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf : 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism arable land : 18% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 11% other: 62% (1993 est.) NA sq km hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification 63,739 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 26% (male 8,514; female 8,221) 15-64 years: 68% (male 21,499; female 21,891) 65 years and over : 6% (male 1,571; female 2,043) (July 1997 est.) 0.44% (1997 est.) 17.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 5.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) -6.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 70.93 years male : 68.58 years female: 73.4 years (1997 est.) 1.76 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic English (official), local dialects definition : age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.) conventional long form : none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda AC parliamentary democracy Saint John's 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip 1 November 1981 (from UK) Independence Day, 1 November (1981) 1 November 1981 based on English common law 18 years of age; universal chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general chosen by the queen on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve 5-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 8 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 11, UPP 5, independent 1 Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER], a coalition of three opposition political parties - the United National Democratic Party or UNDP; the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM; and the Progressive Labor Movement or PLM Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL] ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211, 5166, 5122 FAX : [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy but the combined share in GDP of transport and communications, trade, and public utilities has increased markedly in recent years. Tourism's direct contribution to output in 1994 was about 20%. In addition, increased tourist arrivals helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals. purchasing power parity - $446 million (1996 est.) 4.7% (1996 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,800 (1996 est.) agriculture : 3.5% industry: 19.3% services: 77.2% (1994 est.) 4% (1996 est.) total: 30,000 by occupation : commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983) 5%-10%(1995 est.) revenues : $134 million expenditures: $135.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995) tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) NA 54,000 kW (1995) NA kWh NA kWh cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock total value: $45 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3% total value: $350.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50% $435 million (1996 est.) $NA 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976) 1 April - 31 March 6,700 domestic: good automatic telephone system international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 2 NA 2 28,000 (1993 est.) total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane) total: 245 km (1995 est.) paved : NA km unpaved: NA km Saint John's total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,965,180 GRT/2,637,644 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 285, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 1, container 83, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 19 note : a flag of convenience registry: Germany owns 13 ships, Slovenia 3, Croatia 1, Cyprus 1, and US 1 (1996 est.) 3 (1996 est.) total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m : 2 (1996 est.) Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes the Coast Guard) males age 15-49: NA males: NA $1.4 million (FY90/91) 1% (FY90/91) none considered a long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US; potentially more significant as a drug money-laundering center Argentina Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay 34 00 S, 64 00 W South America total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water : 30,200 sq km slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km 4,989 km contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 52% forests and woodland: 19% other: 19% (1993 est.) 17,000 sq km (1993 est.) San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding erosion results from inadequate flood controls and improper land use practices; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air pollution in Buenos Aires and other major cities; water pollution in urban areas; rivers becoming polluted due to increased pesticide and fertilizer use party to : Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage) 35,797,985 (July 1997 est.) 0-14 years: 28% (male 5,042,521; female 4,855,874) 15-64 years : 62% (male 11,133,884; female 11,155,104) 65 years and over: 10% (male 1,499,538; female 2,111,064) (July 1997 est.) 1.3% (1997 est.) 20.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) 7.68 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.) 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) total population: 74.31 years male: 70.67 years female: 78.12 years (1997 est.) 2.69 children born/woman (1997 est.) noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine white 85%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 15% nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6% Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male : 96.2% female: 96.2% (1995 est.) conventional long form : Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina AR republic Buenos Aires 23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; Entre Rios; Formosa; Jujuy; La Pampa; La Rioja; Mendoza; Misiones; Neuquen; Rio Negro; Salta; San Juan; San Luis; Santa Cruz; Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero; Tierra del Fuego, Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur; Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica 9 July 1816 (from Spain) Revolution Day, 25 May (1810) 1 May 1853; revised August 1994 mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 18 years of age; universal chief of state : President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Carlos RUCKAUF (since 8 July 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 14 May 1995 (next to be held May 1999) election results : Carlos Saul MENEM reelected president; percent of vote - NA bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; three members appointed by each of the provincial legislatures, one-third of the members appointed every three years to a 9-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; one-half of the members elected every two years to four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held NA May 1995 (next to be held NA 1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14 May 1995; (next to be held NA October 1997) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PJ 38, others 34; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PJ 132, UCR 68, Frepaso 26, other 31 Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of the Senate Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos Saul MENEM] (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Rodolfo TERRAGNO] (moderately left-of-center party); Union of the Democratic Center or UCD (conservative party); Dignity and Independence Political Party or MODIN [Aldo RICO] (right-wing party); Front for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four party coalition) [leader Carlos ALVAREZ]; several provincial parties Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G- 6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MTCR, NSG (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO chief of mission : Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6400 through 6403 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general : Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) chief of mission: Ambassador James R. CHEEK has returned to Washington; replacement not yet appointed embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address : Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 777-4533, 4534 FAX : [54] (1) 777-0197 three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years. Argentines have responded to price stability by repatriating capital and investing in domestic industry. Growth averaged more than 8% between 1991 and 1994, then fell to 4.6% in 1995, largely in reaction to the Mexican peso crisis. The economy grew at 4.4% in 1996, with the strongest growth occurring in the second half of the year. Unemployment increased slightly - to over 17% - and Buenos Aires was forced to renegotiate fiscal targets with the IMF. Although the economy is expected to grow by at least 5% in 1997, unemployment and fiscal concerns will continue to challenge the MENEM administration. purchasing power parity - $296.9 billion (1996 est.) 4.4% (1996) purchasing power parity - $8,600 (1996 est.) agriculture: 7% industry: 29% services: 64% (1995 est.) 0.1% (yearend 1996) total: 14.5 million (1995 est.) by occupation : agriculture 12%, industry 31%, services 57% (1985 est.) 17.3% (October 1996) revenues: $50.3 billion expenditures : $51.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.2 billion (1995 est.) food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel 5% (1996 est.) 20.207 million kW (1995) 67.369 billion kWh (1995) 1,606 kWh (1995 est.) wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; livestock total value: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, manufactures, fuels partners: Brazil 26.1%, US 8.5%, Chile 7.0%, Netherlands 5.7%, Italy 3.5% (1995) total value: $23.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, transport equipment, agricultural products partners: Brazil 20.8%, US 20.7%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 6.2%, France 5.2% (1995) $95 billion (1996 est.) $NA 1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos pesos per US$1 - 0.99950 (January 1997), 0.99966 (1996), 0.99975 (1995), 0.99901 (1994), 0.99895 (1993), 0.99064 (1992) calendar year 4.6 million (1990) 12,000 public telephones; extensive modern system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires domestic: microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network inter