Televisions: 3.5 million (1992 est.)

@Belarus:Transportation

Railways:
total: 5,488 km
broad gauge: 5,488 km 1.520-m gauge (873 km electrified) (1993)

Highways:
total: 52,131 km
paved: 36,544 km
unpaved: 15,587 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: NA km; note-Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and
river systems

Pipelines: crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas
1,980 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Mazyr

Merchant marine:
note: claims 5% of former Soviet fleet (1995 est.)

Airports: 118 (1996 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 11 (1996 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 82
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)

@Belarus:Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior
Ministry Troops, Border Guards

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,681,014 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 2,099,860 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 78,780 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: 4.5 trillion rubles (1997 est.);
note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (1997 est.)

@Belarus:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: demarcation has begun on border with Lithuania

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly
for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to
Russia and Western Europe

______________________________________________________________________

BELGIUM

@Belgium:Geography

Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
the Netherlands

Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km
water: 280 sq km

Area-comparative: about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
Netherlands 450 km

Coastline: 64 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: median line with neighbors
exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68
km from coast)
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources: coal, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 21%
other: 34%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km including Luxembourg (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal
land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment-current issues: Meuse River, a major source of drinking
water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by
animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to
acid rain in neighboring countries

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Law of
the Sea

Geography-note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West
European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of
both the EU and NATO

@Belgium:People

Population: 10,174,922 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 903,954; female 860,940)
15-64 years: 66% (male 3,387,329; female 3,318,221)
65 years and over: 17% (male 693,519; female 1,010,959) (July 1998
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.09% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 10.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 10.41 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.13 years
female: 80.74 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%

Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages: Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

@Belgium:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Data code: BE

Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a
constitutional monarch

National capital: Brussels

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French: provinces,
singular-province; Flemish: provincien, singular-provincie);
Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen
note: constitutional reforms passed by Parliament in 1993
theoretically increased the number of provinces to 10 by splitting the
province of Brabant into two new provinces, Flemish Brabant and
Walloon Brabant, but this has not been confirmed by the US Government

Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King LEOPOLD to
the throne in 1831)

Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament
approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional
theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent
Prince PHILIPPE, son of the king
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March
1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king and approved by
Parliament
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister
appointed by the king and then approved by Parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or
Senaat in Flemish, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly
elected, 31 will be indirectly elected at a later date; members serve
four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
Volksvertegenwoordigers in Flemish, Chambre des Representants in
French (150 seats; members are directly elected by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies-last held 21 May 1995 (next
to be held by the end of 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3,
ECOLO 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats; Chamber
of Deputies-percent of vote by party-CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%,
VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV
4.4%, FN 2.3%; seats by party-CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18,
PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2; note-before the 1995
elections, there were 212 seats
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms
of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in
Flemish, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by
the Belgian monarch

Political parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP
(Christian People's Party) [Marc VAN PEEL, president]; Francophone
Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Gerard DEPREZ,
president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Louis TOBBACK, president];
Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Philippe BUSQUIN, president];
Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Herman DE CROO, president];
Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Louis MICHEL,
president]; Francophone Democratic Front or FDF [Olivier MAINGAIN,
president]; Volksunie or VU [Bert ANCIAUX, president]; Vlaams Blok or
VB [Karel DILLEN]; National Front or FN [Frank VANHECKE, president];
AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [no president]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no
president]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade
Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations
representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the
legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the
cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such
as the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax
Christi

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN
embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side),
yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

@Belgium:Economy

Economy-overview: This highly developed private enterprise economy has
capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed
transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base.
Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the
north, although the government is encouraging reinvestment in the
southern region of Walloon. With few natural resources, Belgium must
import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large
volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the
state of world markets. Two-thirds of its trade is with other EU
countries. The economy grew at a strong 4% annual pace during the
period 1988-90, slowed to 1% in 1991-92, dropped by 1.5% in 1993,
recovered with moderate 2.3% growth in 1994 and 1995, and fell off
again to 1.4% in 1996, with continued substantial unemployment.
Belgium's public debt fell from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 124% in 1997,
and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the
figure more into line with other industrialized countries. GDP growth
of 2.5% is forecast for 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$236.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$23,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 28%
services: 70% (1994)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
total: 4.283 million (1997)
by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%, agriculture 2.6% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 12.75% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles,
glass, petroleum, coal

Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (1995)

Electricity-capacity: 13.592 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 69.56 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,306 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture-products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain,
tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk

Exports:
total value: $172 billion (f.o.b., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union (BLEU)
commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors,
diamonds, petroleum products
partners: EU 67.2% (Germany 19%), US 5.8%, former Communist countries
1.4% (1994)

Imports:
total value: $158.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union
commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners: EU 75% (Germany 22.1%), US 5%, former Communist countries
0.8% (1997)

Debt-external: $31.3 billion (1992 est.)

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $808 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Belgian francs (BF) per US$1-37.459 (January 1998),
35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597
(1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
completely automated domestic and international telephone and
telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 39, shortwave 0

Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 32 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)

@Belgium:Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,368 km (2,386 km electrified; 2,563 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,368 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 143,175 km
paved: 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)

Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas
3,300 km

Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge,
Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,082 GRT/93,973 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas
tanker 1, oil tanker 10 (1997 est.)

Airports: 42 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

@Belgium:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,549,277 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 2,111,332 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 63,937 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)

@Belgium:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish,
and marijuana entering Western Europe

______________________________________________________________________

BELIZE

@Belize:Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico

Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 22,960 sq km
land: 22,800 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note-from the
mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea
is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose
of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a
definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala

Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)

Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 92%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to
December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)

Environment-current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Marine Dumping, Ship
Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City
to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America
without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

@Belize:People

Population: 230,160 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 49,486; female 47,596)
15-64 years: 54% (male 63,259; female 61,567)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,048; female 4,204) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.42% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 31.05 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 32.36 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.97 years
male: 67.01 years
female: 71.03 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other
8%

Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist
6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)

Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)

Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school
total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%

@Belize:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Data code: BH

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Belmopan

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange
Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution: 21 September 1981

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993);
Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA July 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor
general

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate
(8 members; members are appointed for five-year terms, five on the
advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the
opposition, and one after consultation with the Belize Advisory
Council-this council serves as an independent body to advise the
governor general with respect to difficult decisions such as granting
pardons, commutations, stays of execution, the removal of justices of
appeal who appear to be incompetent, etc.) and the National Assembly
(29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly-last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held
no later than September 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUP 13,
UDP 15, NABR 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the
governor general on advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders: People's United Party or PUP [Said
MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW];
National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR [Philip GOLDSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of
Education and Research or SPEAR [Assad SHOMAN]; United Workers Front

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
mailing address: 5825 W. Sunset Boulevard, Suite 206, Hollywood, CA
90028
telephone: [1] (213) 469-7343

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL
embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025
telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163
FAX: [501] (2) 30802

Flag description: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the
bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms;
the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of
a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in
the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

@Belize:Economy

Economy-overview: The small, essentially private enterprise economy is
based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and
merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater
importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for more than one-third of
exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer.
The government's tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an
economic slowdown that is likely to continue in 1998. Political
tension in the run-up to the elections will tend to discourage
investment, already suffering as a result of tight monetary and fiscal
policies. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of
low export prices for sugar and bananas and could increase further if
a pre-election boost in government spending leads to a rise in
imports. The ruling in 1997 by the World Trade Organization against
the European Union's banana import regime-which had granted Belize
preferential treatment - is also hurting the prospects for growth, and
could contribute to an increase in already high unemployment.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$680 million (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 2.9% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 27%
services: 53% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
total: 71,000
by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%,
commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $140 million
expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)

Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 23,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 105 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 491 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish,
cultured shrimp

Exports:
total value: $166 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products,
molasses, wood
partners: US 44%, UK 42%, other EU 5%, Canada 3% (1996)

Imports:
total value: $262 million (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food,
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
partners: US 55%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% (1997)

Debt-external: $217 million (1996)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 29,000 (1996 est.)

Telephone system: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 9, shortwave 1

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2

Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)

@Belize:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 2,248 km
paved: 427 km
unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft;
seasonally navigable

Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Merchant marine:
total: 265 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,298,562 GRT/2,055,027
DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 184, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk
1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, passenger-cargo
2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, specialized tanker
2, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries:
Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Panama 1, Singapore 2, UAE 2,
and US 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 44 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 30 (1997 est.)

@Belize:Military

Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces,
Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 56,142 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 33,328 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 2,536 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $15 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2%

@Belize:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to
resolve the dispute are ongoing

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit
producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor
money-laundering center

______________________________________________________________________

BENIN

@Benin:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
Togo 644 km

Coastline: 121 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble,
timber

Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 48% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in
winter

Environment-current issues: recent droughts have severely affected
marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water;
poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation;
desertification

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: no natural harbors

@Benin:People

Population: 6,100,799 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,465,067; female 1,455,852)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,455,224; female 1,582,880)
65 years and over: 2% (male 61,523; female 80,253) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 45.82 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.77 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 100.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.61 years
male: 51.56 years
female: 55.72 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being
Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars
in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8% (1995 est.)

@Benin:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey

Data code: BN

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

National capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the
seat of government

Administrative divisions: 6 departments; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Mono, Oueme, Zou

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)

Constitution: 2 December 1990

Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
Prime Minister Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (since 9 April 1996) acts as
assistant to the president; a prime minister is not provided for in
the constitution but was appointed by President KEREKOU with the
permission of the constitutional court
cabinet: Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister; all are
appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of
vote-Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RB 20,
PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, PCB 2, AC 1, RDP
1, other 17

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle,
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of the National Party for
Democracy and Development or PNDD and the Democratic Renewal Party or
PRD [Pascal Chabi KAO]; Action for Renewal and Development or
FARD-ALAFIA [Mathieu KEREKOU]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party
or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP
[Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Alliance Chameleon or AC; Alliance for Democracy and
Progress or ADP [Adekpedjon AKINDES]; Alliance for Social Democracy or
ASD [Robert DOSSOU]; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National
Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Communist
Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal TODJINOU, first secretary]; Our Common
Cause or NCC [Albert TEVOEDJRE]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or
RDP; The Renaissance Party of Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]
note: as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were
officially recognized

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red
with a vertical green band on the hoist side

@Benin:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and
dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional
trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% during
1990-95, rose to 5.5% in 1996 and was targeted at 4.8% for 1997. Rapid
population growth offset much of this growth in output. Inflation
jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50%
currency devaluation in January 1994, but has subsided over the past
three years, with a target of 3.5% inflation in 1997. Commercial and
transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are extremely
vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages.
Support by the Paris Club and official bilateral creditors has eased
the external debt situation in recent years. The government, still
burdened with money-losing state enterprises and a bloated civil
service, has been gradually implementing a World Bank supported
structural adjustment program since 1991.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$11.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5.8% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,900 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 14%
services: 52% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.5% (1997 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $299 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14
million (1995 est.)

Industries: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction
materials, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 15,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 6 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 45 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans,
rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock

Exports:
total value: $192 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
partners: Brazil 18%, Portugal 14%, Morocco, Libya, France

Imports:
total value: $693 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products,
intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
partners: France 27%, Thailand 9%, China, Hong Kong

Debt-external: $1.7 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998),
583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16
(1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100
per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 16,200 (1986 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2

Televisions: 20,000 (1993 est.)

@Benin:Transportation

Railways:
total: 578 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways:
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 6 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)

@Benin:Military

Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
National Gendarmerie

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,311,490
females age 15-49: 1,378,979 (1998 est.)
note: both sexes are liable for military service

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 671,230
females: 698,290 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 65,498
females: 65,112 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $33 million (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.2% (1994)

@Benin:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with
Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for
Western Europe and the US

______________________________________________________________________

BERMUDA

(dependent territory of the UK)

@Bermuda:Geography

Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of North Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references: North America

Area:
total: 50 sq km
land: 50 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 103 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
winter

Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA (1997 est.)
note: developed (55%), and rural and open space (39%) comprise 94% of
Bermudian land area

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)

Environment-current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution;
preservation of open space

Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample
rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and
otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

@Bermuda:People

Population: 62,009 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 6,191; female 6,046)
15-64 years: 70% (male 21,330; female 21,912)
65 years and over: 10% (male 2,777; female 3,753) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.77% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 12.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.22 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.77 years
male: 75 years
female: 78.63 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups: black 61%, white and other 39%

Religions: Anglican 28%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist
Episcopal (Zion) 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Methodist 5%, other
34% (1991)

Languages: English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)

@Bermuda:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda

Data code: BD

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Hamilton

Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*;
Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint
Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution: 8 June 1968

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Thorold MASEFIELD (since June 1997)
head of government: Premier Pamela GORDON (since 25 March 1997);
Deputy Premier Jerome DILL (since 1 September 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed
by the queen; premier appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an
11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House of Assembly
(40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 5 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October
1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-UBP 50%, PLP 46%,
independents 4%; seats by party-UBP 22, PLP 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela
GORDON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; National
Liberal Party or NLP [Charles JEFFERS]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU
[Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA
(Leleath BAILEY)

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC,
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert A. FARMER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate
General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592

Flag description: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a
red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea
Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

@Bermuda:Economy

Economy-overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes
in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing
financial services for international firms and luxury tourist
facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry, which
accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP, attracts 84% of its business
from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is
severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs
are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda's
economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be
partially attributed to Bermudian fears of scaring away foreign firms.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$29,000 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.8% (November 1997)

Labor force:
total: 34,633
by occupation: clerical 23%, services 22%, laborers 17%, professional
and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 12%, sales 7%,
agriculture and fishing 2% (1996)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)

Budget:
revenues: $430.9 million
expenditures: $452.9 million, including capital expenditures of $50
million (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products,
paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 145,000 kW (1996)

Electricity-production: 527,526,728 kWh (1996)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,856 kWh (1996)

Agriculture-products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy
products

Exports:
total value: $67.7 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
partners: Netherlands 50%, Brazil 13%, Canada 6% (1996)

Imports:
total value: $569 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: miscellaneous manufactured articles, machinery and
transport equipment, food and live animals, chemicals
partners: US 73%, UK 5%, Canada 4% (1996 est.)

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Bermudian dollar (Bd$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1-1.0000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 54,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 78,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3

Televisions: 57,000 (1992 est.)

@Bermuda:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 225 km
paved: 225 km
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
note: in addition, there are 232 km of paved and unpaved roads that
are privately owned

Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George

Merchant marine:
total: 91 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,590,132 GRT/7,440,524
DWT
ships by type: bulk 18, chemical tanker 1, container 18, liquefied gas
tanker 7, oil tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo
3, short-sea passenger 2, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 8 countries
among which are UK 31, Canada 13, US 10, Norway 2, Hong Kong 1,
Nigeria 4, Sweden 4, and Mexico 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Bermuda:Military

Military branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda
Reserve Constabulary

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Bermuda:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

BHUTAN

@Bhutan:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
Himalayas

Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dangme Chu 97 m
highest point: Khula Kangri I 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the
source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder
Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Environment-current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable
water

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography-note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

@Bhutan:People

Population: 1,908,307 (July 1998 est.)
note: other estimates range as low as 600,000

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 396,839; female 368,391)
15-64 years: 56% (male 549,050; female 518,780)
65 years and over: 4% (male 38,235; female 37,012) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.27% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 37.33 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 14.6 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 111.66 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.31 years
male: 52.77 years
female: 51.83 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.22 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant
tribes 15%

Religions: Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%

Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

People-note: refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately
91,000 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations
Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps

@Bhutan:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan

Data code: BT

Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

National capital: Thimphu

Administrative divisions: 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and
plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi,
Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang,
Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday: National Day, 17 December (1907) (Ugyen WANGCHUCK
became first hereditary king)

Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights
note: Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the
National Assembly

Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972);
note-the king is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972);
note-the king is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) appointed by the
king
note: there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members
nominated by the king
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150
seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious
bodies, and 35 are designated by the king to represent government and
other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: NA

Judicial branch: the Supreme Court of Appeal is the king; High Court,
judges appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders: no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; Indian
merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
antigovernment campaign

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note-Bhutan has a Permanent
Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New
York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to
the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general: New York
honorary consulate(s): San Francisco; Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no
formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained
between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner;
the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange;
centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon
facing away from the hoist side

@Bhutan:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and least
developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the
main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about 40% of
GDP. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal
husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building
of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy
is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary
links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most
production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects,
such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's
hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key
resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in
expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare.
Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are
underway with support from multilateral development organizations.
Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to
protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. GDP growth
averaged 5% per year in 1991-95, with information not yet available
for 1996-97. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like
industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper
foreign investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 6.9% (1995 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$730 (1995 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 32%
services: 26% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7% (FY96/97 est.)

Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%
note: massive lack of skilled labor

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $146 million
expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $94
million (FY95/96 est.)
note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's
budget expenditures

Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic
beverages, calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate: 7.6% (1992 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 361,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 1.707 billion kWh (1995)
note: exports electricity to India

Electricity-consumption per capita: 143 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains;
dairy products, eggs

Exports:
total value: $77.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit,
electricity (to India), precious stones, spices
partners: India 94%, Bangladesh

Imports:
total value: $104.1 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts,
vehicles, fabrics, rice
partners: India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US

Debt-external: $129 million (FY94/95)

Economic aid:
recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note-Indian currency is also
legal tender

Exchange rates: ngultrum (Nu) per US$1-39.358 (January 1998), 36.313
(1997), 35.433 (1996), 32.427 (1995), 31.374 (1994), 30.493 (1993);
note-the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Communications

Telephones: 4,620 (1991 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with very few
telephones in use
international: international telephone and telegraph service is by
landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1990)

Radios: 23,000 (1989 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1990 est.)

Televisions: 200 (1985 est.)

@Bhutan:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 3,285 km
paved: 1,994 km
unpaved: 1,291 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Bhutan:Military

Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 466,594 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 248,985 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 18,946 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Bhutan:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: with Nepal over 91,000 Bhutanese refugees in
Nepal

______________________________________________________________________

BOLIVIA

@Bolivia:Geography

Location: Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 1,098,580 sq km
land: 1,084,390 sq km
water: 14,190 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 6,743 km
border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
highest point: Cerro Illimani 6,882 m

Natural resources: tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten,
antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 53%
other: 21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,750 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to
efficient fuel combustion, as well as to physical activity by those
unaccustomed to it from birth; flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment-current issues: the clearing of land for agricultural
purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are
contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor
cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture);
desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water
supplies used for drinking and irrigation

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography-note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's
highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

@Bolivia:People

Population: 7,826,352 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 1,559,149; female 1,526,646)
15-64 years: 56% (male 2,139,680; female 2,245,268)
65 years and over: 5% (male 161,431; female 194,178) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 31.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 9.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 63.86 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.89 years
male: 57.98 years
female: 63.94 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.05 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bolivian(s)
adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and
Amerindian ancestry) 25%-30%, white 5%-15%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.1%
male: 90.5%
female: 76% (1995 est.)

@Bolivia:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form: Bolivia
local long form: Republica de Bolivia
local short form: Bolivia

Data code: BL

Government type: republic

National capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital
and seat of judiciary)

Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos,
singular-departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro,
Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution: 2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system: based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August 1997);
Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Hugo BANZER Suarez (since 6 August
1997); Vice President Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez (since 6 August
1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from a panel of candidates
proposed by the Senate
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 1 June 1997 (next
to be held June 2002)
election results: Hugo BANZER Suarez elected president; percent of
vote-Hugo BANZER Suarez (ADN) 22%; Jaime PAZ Zamora (MIR) 17%, Juan
Carlos DURAN (MNR) 18%, Ivo KULJIS (UCS) 16%, Remedios LOZA (CONDEPA)
17%; no candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Hugo BANZER
Suarez won a congressional runoff election on 5 August 1997 after
forming a "megacoalition" with MIR, UCS, CONDEPA, NFR and PCD

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies-last held 1
June 1997 (next to be held June 2002)
election results: Chamber of Senators-percent of vote by party-NA;
seats by party - ADN 11, MIR 7, MNR 4, CONDEPA 3, UCS 2; Chamber of
Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ADN 32, MNR 26,
MIR 23, UCS 21, CONDEPA 19, MBL 5, IU 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges appointed for a
10-year term by National Congress

Political parties and leaders:
Left Parties: Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Antonio ARANIBAR];
Patriotic Axis of Convergence or EJE-P [Ramiro BARRANECHEA]; April 9
Revolutionary Vanguard or VR-9 [Carlos SERRATE]; Alternative of
Democratic Socialism or ASD [Jerjes JUSTINIANO]; Revolutionary Front
of the Left or FRI [Oscar ZAMORA]; Bolivian Communist Party or PCB
[Marcos DOMIC]; United Left or IU [Marcos DOMIC]; Front of National
Salvation or FSN [Manual MORALES Davila]; Socialist Party One or PS-1;
Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB; Socialist Unzaguista Movement or
MAS
Center-Left Parties: Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Oscar
EID]; Christian Democrat or PDC [Benjamin MIGUEL]; New Youth Force
[Alfonso SAAVEDRA Bruno]
Center Party: Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo
SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]
Center-Right Parties: Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN [Enrique
TORO]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES VILLA]
Populist Parties: Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ];
Conscience of the Fatherland or CONDEPA [Remedios LOZA Alvarado];
Solidarity and Democracy or SYD; Unity and Progress Movement or MUP
[Ivo KULJIS]; Popular Patriotic Movement or MPP [Julio MANTILLA]
Evangelical Party: Bolivian Renovating Alliance or ARBOL [Marcelo
FERNANDEZ, Hugo VILLEGAS]
Indigenous Parties: Tupac Katari Revolutionary Liberation Movement or
MRTK-L [Victor Hugo CARDENAS Conde]; Nationalist Katarista Movement or
MKN [Fernando UNTOJA]; Front of Katarista Unity or FULKA [Genaro
FLORES]; Katarismo National Unity or KND [Filepe KITTELSON]

International organization participation: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelo PEREZ Monasterios
chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 through 4412
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK
embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
telephone: [591] (2) 430251
FAX: [591] (2) 433900

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow,
and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar
to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star
centered in the yellow band

@Bolivia:Economy

Economy-overview: With its long history of semifeudal social controls,
dependence on volatile prices for its mineral exports, and bouts of
hyperinflation, Bolivia has remained one of the poorest and least
developed Latin American countries. However, Bolivia has experienced
generally improving economic conditions since the PAZ Estenssoro
administration (1985-89) introduced market-oriented policies which
reduced inflation from 11,700% in 1985 to about 20% in 1988. PAZ
Estenssoro was followed as president by Jaime PAZ Zamora (1989-93) who
continued the free-market policies of his predecessor, despite
opposition from his own party and from Bolivia's once powerful labor
movement. By maintaining fiscal discipline, PAZ Zamora helped reduce
inflation to 9.3% in 1993, while GDP grew by an annual average of
3.25% during his tenure. President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-1997) vowed
to advance the market-oriented economic reforms he helped launch as
PAZ Estenssoro's planning minister. His successes included the signing
of a free trade agreement with Mexico and the Southern Cone Common
Market (Mercosur) as well as the privatization of the state airline,
phone company, railroad, electric power company, and oil company.
Furthermore, SANCHEZ DE LOZADA sponsored legislation creating private
social security accounts for all adult Bolivians and capitalized these
new accounts with the state's remaining 50% share in the privatized
companies. Hugo BANZER Suarez took office in August 1997 and has
proclaimed his commitment to the economic reforms of the previous
administration.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$23.1 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 4.4% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 26%
services: 57% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7% (1997)

Labor force:
total: 2.5 million
by occupation: agriculture NA%, services and utilities NA%,
manufacturing, mining and construction NA%

Unemployment rate: 10%

Budget:
revenues: $3.75 billion
expenditures: $3.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $556.2
million (1995 est.)

Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1995 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 786,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 2.9 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 370 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
potatoes; timber

Exports:
total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: metals 34%, natural gas 9.4%, soybeans 8.4%, jewelry 11%,
wood 6.9%
partners: US 22%, UK 9.3%, Colombia 8.7%, Peru 7.4%, Argentina 7.2%

Imports:
total value: $1.7 billion (c.i.f. 1997)
commodities: capital goods 48%, chemicals 11%, petroleum 5%, food 5%
(1993 est.)
partners: US 20%, Japan 13%, Brazil 12, Chile 7.5% (1996)

Debt-external: $4.2 billion (1997)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $588 million (1997)

Currency: 1 boliviano ($B) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: bolivianos ($B) per US$1-5.3724 (January 1998), 5.2543
(1997), 5.0746 (1996), 4.8003 (1995), 4.6205 (1994), 4.2651 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 144,300 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most
telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities
domestic: microwave radio relay system being expanded
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 129, FM 0, shortwave 68

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 43

Televisions: 500,000 (1993 est.)

@Bolivia:Transportation

Railways:
total: 3,691 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 3,652 km 1.000-m gauge; 39 km 0.760-m gauge (13 km
electrified) (1995)

Highways:
total: 52,216 km
paved: 2,872 km (including 27 km of expressways)
unpaved: 49,344 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways

Pipelines: crude oil 1,800 km; petroleum products 580 km; natural gas
1,495 km

Ports and harbors: none; however, Bolivia has free port privileges in
the maritime ports of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,214 GRT/6,390 DWT
(1997 est.)

Airports: 1,153 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1,142
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 229
under 914 m: 837 (1997 est.)

@Bolivia:Military

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval
Boliviana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana),
National Police Force (Policia Nacional de Bolivia)

Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,859,823 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 1,209,537 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 82,670 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $154 million (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.9% (1996)

@Bolivia:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South
Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884;
dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights

Illicit drugs: world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Peru
and Colombia) with an estimated 46,900 hectares under cultivation in
1997, a 2.5% decrease in overall cultivation of coca from 1996 levels;
Bolivia, however, is the second-largest producer of coca leaf; even
so, farmer abandonment and voluntary and forced eradication programs
resulted in leaf production dropping from 75,100 metric tons in 1996
to 73,000 tons in 1997, a 3% decrease from 1996; government considers
all but 12,000 hectares illicit; intermediate coca products and
cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile
to the US and other international drug markets; alternative crop
program aims to reduce illicit coca cultivation

______________________________________________________________________

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Introduction

Current issues: On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the former
Yugoslavia's three warring parties signed a peace agreement that
brought to a halt over three years of interethnic civil strife in
Bosnia and Herzegovina (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14
December 1995). The Dayton Agreement, signed then by Bosnian President
IZETBEGOVIC, Croatian President TUDJMAN, and Serbian President
MILOSEVIC, divides Bosnia and Herzegovina roughly equally between the
Muslim/Croat Federation and the Bosnian Serbs while maintaining
Bosnia's currently recognized borders. 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 is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR will remain in
place until June 1998. A High Representative appointed by the UN
Security Council is responsible for civilian implementation of the
accord, including monitoring implementation, facilitating any
difficulties arising in connection with civilian implementation, and
coordinating activities of the civilian organizations and agencies in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian conflict began in the spring of
1992 when the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina held a referendum
on independence and the Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring
Serbia-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, Bosnia's Muslims and Croats reduced
the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an
agreement in Washington creating their joint Muslim/Croat Federation
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Federation, formed by the Muslims and
Croats in March 1994, is one of two entities (the other being the
Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska) that comprise Bosnia and
Herzegovina.

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe

Area:
total: 51,233 sq km
land: 51,233 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,459 km
border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km (312 km
with Serbia, 215 km with Montenegro)

Coastline: 20 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have
short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters
along coast

Terrain: mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources: coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests, copper,
chromium, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 22% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent and destructive earthquakes

Environment-current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants;
sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; widespread casualties,
water shortages, and destruction of infrastructure because of the
1992-95 civil strife

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders,
the country is divided into a joint Muslim/Croat Federation (about 51%
of the territory) and a Serb Republic, The Republika Srpska [RS]
(about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is
contiguous to Croatia and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic
Croat majority

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:People

Population: 3,365,727 (July 1998 est.)
note: all data dealing with population is subject to considerable
error because of the dislocations caused by military action and ethnic
cleansing

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 307,857; female 291,424)
15-64 years: 71% (male 1,177,516; female 1,195,419)
65 years and over: 11% (male 156,041; female 237,470) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.63% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 8.72 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.32 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 39.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.03 years
male: 58.35 years
female: 68.02 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.14 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups: Serb 40%, Muslim 38%, Croat 22% (est.)

Religions: Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%,
other 10%

Languages: Serbo-Croatian (often called Bosnian) 99%

Literacy: NA

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form: none
local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Data code: BK

Government type: emerging democracy

National capital: Sarajevo

Administrative divisions: there are two first-order administrative
divisions approved by the US Government-the Muslim/Croat Federation of
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and Republika
Srpska; it has been reported that the Muslim/Croat Federation is
comprised of 10 cantons identified by either number or name - Goradzde
(5), Livno (10), Middle Bosnia (6), Neretva (7), Posavina (2),
Sarajevo (9), Tuzla Podrinje (3), Una Sana (1), West Herzegovina (8),
Zenica Doboj (4)

Independence: NA April 1992 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Republika Srpska-"Republic Day," 9 January;
Independence Day, 1 March; Bosnia-"Republic Day," 25 November

Constitution: the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included
a new constitution now in force

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Alija IZETBEGOVIC (since 14
September 1996); other members of the three-member rotating
presidency: Kresimir ZUBAK (since 14 September 1996-Croat) and Momcilo
KRAJISNIK (since 14 September 1996 - Serb)
head of government: Cochairman of the Council of Ministers Haris
SILAJDZIC (since NA January 1997); Cochairman of the Council of
Ministers Boro BOSIC (since NA January 1997) NA
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairmen
note: president of the Muslim/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina: Ejup GANIC (since 1 January 1998); president of the
Republika Srpska: Biljana PLAVSIC (since September 1996)
elections: the three presidency members (one each Muslim, Croat, Serb)
are elected by direct election (first election for a two-year term,
thereafter for a four-year term); the president with the most votes
becomes the chairman; election last held 14 September 1996 (next to be
held September 1998); the cochairmen are nominated by the presidency
election results: Alija IZETBEGOVIC elected chairman of the collective
presidency with the highest number of votes; percent of vote-Alija
IZETBEGOVIC received 80% of the Muslim vote to Haris SILAJDZIC's 14%;
Kresimir ZUBAK received 88% of the Croat vote to Ivo KOMSIC's 11%;
Momcilo KRAJISNIK received 68% of the Serb vote to Mladen IVANIC's 30%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina
consists of the National House of Representatives or Vijece Opcina (42
seats-14 Serb, 14 Croat, and 14 Muslim; members serve two-year terms)
and the House of Peoples or Vijece Gradanstvo (15 seats-5 Muslim, 5
Croat, 5 Serb; members serve two-year terms)
elections: National House of Representatives-elections last held 14
September 1996 (next to be held NA); note-the House of Peoples is
elected by the Muslim/Croat Federation's 140-seat House of
Representatives (two-thirds) and the Republika Srpska's 83-seat
National Assembly (one-third)
election results: National House of Representatives: two-thirds chosen
from the Muslim/Croat Federation: percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party-SDA 16, HDZ-BiH 7, Joint List of Social Democrats 3, Party
for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2; one-third chosen from the Bosnian Serb
Republic: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-SDS 9, SDA 3,
Democratic Patriotic Front/Union for Peace and Progress 2
note: the Muslim/Croat Federation has a House of Representatives with
140 seats: seats by party-SDA 80, HDZ-BiH 33, Party for Bosnia and
Herzegovina 11, Joint List of Social Democrats 10, other 6; the
Republika Srpska has a National Assembly with 83 seats: seats by
party-SDS 24, Serb Radical Party 15, Serb National Alliance 15,
Socialist Party 9, Independent Social Democrats 2, Coalition for
United Bosnia and Herzegovina and others 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, supervised by the Ministry of Justice;
Constitutional Court, supervised by the Ministry of Justice

Political parties and leaders: Party of Democratic Action or SDA
[Alija IZETBEGOVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of BiH or HDZ-BiH [Bozo
RAJIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Aleksa BUHA]; Party for Bosnia
and Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Joint List (consists of the
following parties: UBSD, RP, MBO, HSG, and SPP); Civic Democratic
Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croatian Peasants' Party of BiH or HSS
[Ivo KOMSIC]; Independent Social Democratic Party or SNSD [Milorad
DODIK]; Liberal Bosniak Organization or LBO [Muhamed FILIPOVIC];
Liberal Party or LS [Rasim KADIC, president]; Muslim-Bosniac
Organization or MBO [Adil ZULFIKARPASIC]; Republican Party of Bosnia
and Herzegovina or RS [Stjepan KLJUIC]; Serb Civic Council or SGV
[Mirko PEJANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP (formerly the
Democratic Party of Socialists or DSS) [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Socialist
Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Zivko RADISIC]; Social Democrats of
Bosnia Herzegovina [Selim BESLAGIC]; Serb Radical Party of RS [Nikola
POPLASEN]; Serb Party of Krojina and Posavina or SSKIP [Predrag
LAZAREVIC]; National Democratic Union (also known as Democratic
People's Union or DNZ) [Fikret ABDIC]; Serb National Alliance or SNS
[Biljana PLAVSIC]; Coalition for a United and Democratic BiH
(coalition of SDA, SBiH, LS, and GDS)
note: 82 parties participated in the September 1997 municipal
elections

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, ECE,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), OIC (observer),
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ
chancery: Suite 760, 1707 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 833-3612, 3613, 3615
FAX: [1] (202) 833-2061
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard KAUZLARICH
embassy: 43 Ul. Dure Dakovica, Sarajevo
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [387] (71) 445-700, 667-391, 667-389, 667-743, 667-390,
659-969, 659-992
FAX: [387] (71) 659-722

Flag description: a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side
with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the
flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full
five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the
hypotenuse of the triangle

Government-note: Until declaring independence in spring 1992, Bosnia
and Herzegovina existed as a republic in the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia
was partitioned by fighting during 1992-95 and governed by competing
ethnic factions. Bosnia's current governing structures were created by
the Dayton Accords, the 1995 peace agreement which was officially
signed in Paris on 14 December 1995 by Bosnian President IZETBEGOVIC,
Croatian President TUDJMAN, and Serbian President MILOSEVIC. This
agreement retained Bosnia's exterior border and created a joint
multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government-based
on proportional representation similar to that which existed in the
former socialist regime-is charged with conducting foreign, economic,
and fiscal policy. The Dayton Accords also recognized a second tier of
government, comprised of two entities-a joint Muslim/Croat Federation
and the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska (RS)-each presiding over roughly
one-half the territory. The Federation and RS governments are charged
with overseeing internal functions. As mandated by the Dayton Accords,
the Bosnians on 14 September 1996 participated in the first post-war
elections of national, entity, and cantonal leaders. The Bosnians have
been slow to form and install new joint institutions. A new Federation
cabinet was sworn in 18 December 1996 and the new Bosnian central
government cabinet was confirmed on 3 January 1997. The Bosnians on
13-14 September 1997 participated in municipal elections, postponed in
1996 because of voter registration irregularities.

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Economy

Economy-overview: Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old
Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture has been almost all in
private hands, farms have been small and inefficient, and the republic
traditionally has been a net importer of food. Industry has been
greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the rigidities of communist
central planning and management. TITO had pushed the development of
military industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted
a large share of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The bitter interethnic
warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1990 to
1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery to multiply. With an
uneasy peace in place, output has recovered in 1996-97 at high
percentage rates on a low base, but remains less than half the 1990
level. The country, especially in the Muslim-Croat area, receives
substantial amounts of humanitarian aid from the international
community. Wide regional differences in war damage and access to the
outside world have resulted in substantial variations in living
conditions among local areas and individual families.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$4.41 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 35% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,690 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 23%
services: 58% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force:
total: 1,026,254
by occupation: NA%

Unemployment rate: 40%-50% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite,
vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank
and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining; much of
capacity damaged or shut down (1995)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 2.339 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 1.4 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 506 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports:
total value: $152 million (1995 est.)
commodities: NA
partners: NA

Imports:
total value: $1.1 billion (1995 est.)
commodities: NA
partners: NA

Debt-external: $3.5 billion (yearend 1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: $1.2 billion (1997 pledged)

Currency: 1 convertible marka = 100 convertible pfenniga; former
currencies still used

Exchange rates: NA

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 727,000

Telephone system: telephone and telegraph network is in need of
modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average when
compared with services in other former Yugoslav republics
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 840,000

Television broadcast stations: 6

Televisions: 1,012,094

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,021 km (electrified 795 km; operating as diesel or steam
until grids are repaired)
standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (1995); note-some segments
still need repair and/or reconstruction

Highways:
total: 21,846 km
paved: 11,425 km
unpaved: 10,421 km (1996 est.)
note: roads need maintenance and repair

Waterways: NA km; Sava blocked by downed bridges

Pipelines: crude oil 174 km; natural gas 90 km (1992); note-pipelines
now disrupted

Ports and harbors: Bosanski Brod (an inland waterway port on the Sava
which is not useable), Orasje (ferry)

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 26 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Military

Military branches: Army

Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 912,536 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 733,931 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 26,114 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Bosnia and Herzegovina:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: disputes with Serbia over Serbian populated
areas

Illicit drugs: transit point for minor regional marijuana and opiate
trafficking routes

______________________________________________________________________

BOTSWANA

@Botswana:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
813 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain: predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
Desert in southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash,
coal, iron ore, silver

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 47%
other: 6% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from
the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
visibility

Environment-current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited
fresh water resources

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of
the country

@Botswana:People

Population: 1,448,454 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 310,253; female 302,960)
15-64 years: 54% (male 370,925; female 409,941)
65 years and over: 4% (male 20,637; female 33,738) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.11% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 32.02 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 20.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 59.29 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.09 years
male: 39.46 years
female: 40.75 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.03 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa, and Kgalagadi 4%, white
1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.8%
male: 80.5%
female: 59.9% (1995 est.)

@Botswana:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland

Data code: BC

Government type: parliamentary republic

National capital: Gaborone

Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*;
Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng,
Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Phikwe*, South-East,
Southern

Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 September (1966)

Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law;
judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year
term; election last held 15 October 1994 (next to be held NA October
1999); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Sir Ketumile MASIRE elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote-NA
note: President MASIRE resigned on 31 March 1998; Vice President MOGAE
assumed the presidency pending elections to be held in 1999; on 2
April 1998, Festus MOGAE, then president, designated S. K. Ian KHAMA
to be vice president after he is elected to the National Assembly in
accordance with constitutional requirements

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of
Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of
the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
selected by the other 12) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40
members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 appointed by the
majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly-elections last held 15 October 1994 (next
to be held October 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-BDP 27,
BNF 13

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party or BDP
[Festus MOGAE]; Botswana Freedom Party or BFP [leader NA]; Botswana
National Front or BNF [Kenneth KOMA]; Botswana People's Party or BPP
[Knight MARIPE]; Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO];
Unified Action Party or UAP [Lepetu SETSHWEALD]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Archibald Mooketsa MOGWE
chancery: Suite 7M, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990, 4991
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. KRUEGER
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 356947

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black
stripe in the center

@Botswana:Economy

Economy-overview: Agriculture still provides a livelihood for more
than 80% of the population but supplies only about 50% of food needs
and accounts for only 4% of GDP. Subsistence farming and cattle
raising predominate. Diamond mining and tourism also are important to
the economy. The sector is plagued by erratic rainfall and poor soils.
Substantial mineral deposits were found in the 1970s and the mining
sector grew from 25% of GDP in 1980 to 35% in 1997. Unemployment
officially is 21% but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. On
the plus side is the substantial positive trade balance.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,300 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 45% (including 35% mining)
services: 51% (1997 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 10% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
total: 235,000 formal sector employees (1995)
by occupation: 100,000 public sector; 135,000 private sector,
including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South Africa;
most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture
(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20-40% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.6 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560
million (FY96/97)

Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash;
livestock processing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (FY92/93)

Electricity-capacity: 217,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 1 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 962 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts
(peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock

Exports:
total value: $2.31 billion (f.o.b. 1996 est.)
commodities: diamonds 71%, copper and nickel 5%, meat 3%
partners: Europe 74%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 22%,
Zimbabwe 3%

Imports:
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles,
petroleum products
partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, Europe 8%,
Zimbabwe 6%

Debt-external: $619 million (1996)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $189 million (1993)

Currency: 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe

Exchange rates: pula (P) per US$1-3.8547 (January 1998), 3.6508
(1997), 3.3242 (1996), 2.7716 (1995), 2.6831 (1994), 2.4190 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 19,109 (1985 est.)

Telephone system: sparse system
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations
international: microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe and
South Africa; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1988 est.)

Televisions: 13,800 (1993 est.)

@Botswana:Transportation

Railways:
total: 971 km
narrow gauge: 971 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 18,482 km
paved: 4,343 km
unpaved: 14,139 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 92 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 55
under 914 m: 22 (1997 est.)

@Botswana:Military

Military branches: Botswana Defense Force (includes Army and Air
Wing), Botswana National Police

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 335,301 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 177,248 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 18,148 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $199 million (FY93/94)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 5.2% (FY93/94)

@Botswana:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: quadripoint with Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
is in disagreement; dispute with Namibia over uninhabited Kasikili
(Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River is presently at the ICJ; at
least one other island in Linyanti River is contested

______________________________________________________________________

BOUVET ISLAND

(territory of Norway)

@Bouvet Island:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean,
south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates: 54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 58 sq km
land: 58 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29.6 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 meters; coast is mostly
inaccessible

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 780 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all ice)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: NA

Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: covered by glacial ice

@Bouvet Island:People

Population: uninhabited

@Bouvet Island:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Data code: BV

Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Norway)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Norway)

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

@Bouvet Island:Economy

Economy-overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications

Communications-note: automatic meteorological station

@Bouvet Island:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

@Bouvet Island:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

@Bouvet Island:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

______________________________________________________________________

BRAZIL

@Brazil:Geography

Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total: 8,511,965 sq km
land: 8,456,510 sq km
water: 55,455 sq km
note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
Paulo

Area-comparative: slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 14,691 km
border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia 1,643
km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km, Peru
1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline: 7,491 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 58%
other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 28,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and
occasional frost in south

Environment-current issues: deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the
habitat and endangers the existence of a multitude of plant and animal
species indigenous to the area; air and water pollution in Rio de
Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation
and water pollution caused by improper mining activities

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note: largest country in South America; shares common
boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

@Brazil:People

Population: 169,806,557 (July 1998 est.)
note: Brazil took a census in August 1996 which showed a total of
157,079,573; this figure is about 5% lower than projections by the US
Census Bureau, which is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6%
for 1991; since the full results of the census have not been released
for analysis, the numbers shown for Brazil do not take into
consideration the results of this 1996 census

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (male 26,090,859; female 25,132,122)
15-64 years: 65% (male 54,199,642; female 55,769,122)
65 years and over: 5% (male 3,499,272; female 5,115,540) (July 1998
est.)

Population growth rate: 1.24% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 20.92 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 36.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.36 years
male: 59.39 years
female: 69.59 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups: white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish,
Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes
Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 70%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.3%
male: 83.3%
female: 83.2% (1995 est.)

@Brazil:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil

Data code: BR

Government type: federal republic

National capital: Brasilia

Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular-estado) and 1
federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas,
Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do
Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution: 5 October 1988

Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January
1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1
January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 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 3 October 1994
(next to be held NA October 1998)
election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO elected president; percent
of vote-Fernando Henrique CARDOSO 53%, Luis Inacio LULA da Silva 26%,
Eneas CARNEIRO 7%, Orestes QUERCIA 4%, Leonel BRIZOLA 3%, Espiridiao
AMIN 3%; note-second direct presidential election since 1960

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional
consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three
members from each state or federal district elected according to the
principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected
after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Federal Senate-last held 3 October 1994 for two-thirds of
Senate (next to be held October 1998 for one-third of the Senate);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 October 1994 (next to be held
October 1998)
election results: Federal Senate-percent of vote by party-PMDB 28%,
PFL 22%, PSDB 12%, PPR 7%, PDT 7%, PT 6%, PTB 6%, other 12%; seats by
party-NA; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-PMDB 21%, PFL
18%, PDT 7%, PSDB 12%, PPR 10%, PTB 6%, PT 10%, other 16%; seats by
party-NA
note: party totals since the fall of 1994 have changed considerably
due to extensive party-switching

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, 11 judges are appointed for
life by the president and confirmed by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or
PMDB [Paes DE ANDRADE, president]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jose
JORGE, president]; Workers' Party or PT [Jose DIRCEU, president];
Brazilian Workers' Party or PTB [Rodrigues PALMA, president];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA, president]; Brazilian
Progressive Party or PPB [Espiridiao AMIN, president]; Brazilian
Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Artur DA TAVOLA, president]; Popular
Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto FREIRE, president]; Communist Party of
Brazil or PCdoB [Joao AMAZONAS, chairman]; Liberal Party or PL [Alvaro
VALLE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic
Church, Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions allied to leftist
Workers' Party are critical of government's social and economic
policies

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), BIS
(pending member), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, 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 (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIPONUH, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS,
OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paulo Tarso FLECHA de LIMA
chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Melvyn LEVITSKY
embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal
mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
telephone: [55] (61) 321-7272
FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136
consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
consulate(s): Recife

Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center
bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one
for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern
as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band
with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

@Brazil:Economy

Economy-overview: Possessing large and well-developed agricultural,
mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs
that of all other South American countries and is expanding its
presence in world markets. Prior to the institution of a stabilization
plan-the Plano Real (Real Plan) in mid-1994, stratospheric inflation
rates had disrupted economic activity and discouraged foreign
investment. Since then, tight monetary policy has brought inflation
under control-consumer prices increased by less than 5% in 1997
compared to more than 1,000% in 1994. At the same time, GDP growth
slowed from 5.7% in 1994 to about 3.0% in 1997 due to tighter credit.
The strong currency, another cornerstone of the Real Plan, has
encouraged imports-contributing to a growing trade deficit-and
restrained export growth. Brazil's more stable economy allowed it to
weather the fallout in 1995 from the Mexican peso crisis relatively
well. Record levels of foreign investment have flowed in, helping
support the Real Plan through financial shocks in October-November
1997 that occurred in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. These
shocks caused Brazil's foreign exchange reserves to drop by $8 billion
to $52 billion and the stock market to decline by about 25%, although
it still ended up more than 30% for the year. President CARDOSO
remains committed to defending the Real Plan, but he faces several key
challenges domestically and abroad. His package of fiscal reforms
requiring constitutional amendments has progressed slowly through the
balkanized Brazilian legislature; in their absence, the government
continues to run deficits and has limited room to relax its interest
and exchange rate policies if it wants to keep inflation under
control. Some foreign investors remain concerned about the viability
of Brazil's exchange rate policy because of the country's fiscal and
current account deficits. The government thus has to contend with the
possibility of capital flight or a speculative attack that could draw
down foreign reserves to a critical level and force a devaluation.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.04 trillion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,300 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 38%
services: 49% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 4.8% (1997)

Labor force:
total: 57 million (1989 est.)
by occupation: services 42%, agriculture 31%, industry 27%

Unemployment rate: 7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $87.5 billion
expenditures: $96 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996)

Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 57.64 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 264.895 billion kWh (1995)
note: imported about 36.95 billion kWh of electricity from Paraguay

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,878 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane,
cocoa, citrus; beef

Exports:
total value: $53 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: iron ore, soybean bran, orange juice, footwear, coffee,
motor vehicle parts
partners: EU 28%, Latin America 23%, US 20%, Argentina 12% (1996)

Imports:
total value: $61.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs,
coal
partners: EU 26%, US 22%, Argentina 13%, Japan 5% (1996)

Debt-external: $192.9 billion (December 1997)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $107 million (1993)

Currency: 1 real (R$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: R$ per US$1-1.120 (January 1998), 1.078 (1997), 1.005
(1996), 0.918 (1995), 0.639 (1994); CR$ per US$1-390.845 (January
1994), 88.449 (1993)
note: on 1 August 1993 the cruzeiro real (CR$), equal to 1,000
cruzeiros, was introduced; another new currency, the real (R$) was
introduced on 1 July 1994, equal to 2,750 cruzeiro reais

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 14,426,673 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations-3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean Region East)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,223, FM 0, shortwave 151

Radios: 60 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 112
note: Brazil has the world's fourth largest television broadcasting
system

Televisions: 30 million (1993 est.)

@Brazil:Transportation

Railways:
total: 26,895 km (1,750 km electrified)
broad gauge: 5,730 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge: 20,958 km 1.000-m gauge; 13 km 0.760-m gauge
dual gauge: 523 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges

Highways:
total: 1.98 million km
paved: 184,140 km
unpaved: 1,795,860 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 50,000 km navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 2,000 km; petroleum products 3,804 km; natural
gas 1,095 km

Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus,
Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador,
Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine:
total: 188 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,498,081 GRT/7,279,945
DWT
ships by type: bulk 37, cargo 26, chemical tanker 9, combination
ore/oil 11, container 16, liquefied gas tanker 10, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 61, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11 (1997 est.)

Airports: 3,291 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 502
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 130
914 to 1,523 m: 319
under 914 m: 29 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 2,789
1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
914 to 1,523 m: 1,324
under 914 m: 1,389 (1997 est.)

@Brazil:Military

Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Marines),
Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 46,620,486 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 31,337,037 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 1,806,162 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $15.1 billion (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.9% (1997)

@Brazil:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: short section of the boundary with Paraguay,
just west of Salto das Sete Quedas (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana,
has not been precisely delimited; two short sections of boundary with
Uruguay are in dispute-Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada) area
of the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the islands at the confluence of
the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay River

Illicit drugs: limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca
cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic
consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to
control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian and
Colombian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; increasingly used by
Andean traffickers as a way station between Peru and Colombia

______________________________________________________________________

BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY

(dependent territory of the UK)

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about
one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references: World

Area:
total: 60 sq km
land: 60 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

Area-comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 698 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: flat and low (up to four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: NA

Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest
and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian
Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

@British Indian Ocean Territory:People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are UK-US military personnel and civilian contractors;
approximately 3,000 native inhabitants, known as the Chagosians or
Ilois, were evacuated to Mauritius before construction of UK-US
military facilities

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT

Data code: IO

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; administered by a
commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in
London

Legal system: NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994);
Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); note-both reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the queen

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of
the UK)

Flag description: white with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a
palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Economy

Economy-overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest
island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are
located. Construction projects and various services needed to support
the military installations are done by military and contract employees
from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no
industrial or agricultural activities on the islands.

Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh

Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: facilities for military needs only
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: NA

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Transportation

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield
on Diego Garcia
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Military

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease
on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

@British Indian Ocean Territory:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by
Mauritius; the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Seychelles

______________________________________________________________________

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

(dependent territory of the UK)

@British Virgin Islands:Geography

Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 150 sq km
land: 150 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the island of Anegada

Area-comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 33%
forests and woodland: 7%
other: 33% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
(except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)

Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto
Rico

@British Virgin Islands:People

Population: 18,705 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,008; female 1,957)
15-64 years: 74% (male 7,079; female 6,689)
65 years and over: 5% (male 535; female 437) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.41% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 16.15 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.94 years
male: 74.19 years
female: 75.73 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 90%, white, Asian

Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God
7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%,
other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

@British Virgin Islands:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI

Data code: VI

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Road Town

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution: 1 June 1977

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor David MACKILLIGIN (since NA June 1995)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995;
appointed after the death of former Chief Minister H. Lavity STOUTT)