Practically all people, irrespective of their incomes and a way of life, dream of rest. Thus the majority of them as the most comprehensible kind of rest will name tourism. Today travel companies offer a huge choice of routes for rest and travel. You can get the permit in sanatorium, have a rest in comfortable hotel or go to automobile travel. Rest in small family hotel where the house comfort and a home cookery will be offered you is possible also . If you are the convinced supporter of productive leisure – for you great opportunities open to test the endurance and force, and also to be loaded by energy and to lift adrenaline level in blood. A choice for you!
четверг, 29 октября 2009 г.
TOURISM
Practically all people, irrespective of their incomes and a way of life, dream of rest. Thus the majority of them as the most comprehensible kind of rest will name tourism. Today travel companies offer a huge choice of routes for rest and travel. You can get the permit in sanatorium, have a rest in comfortable hotel or go to automobile travel. Rest in small family hotel where the house comfort and a home cookery will be offered you is possible also . If you are the convinced supporter of productive leisure – for you great opportunities open to test the endurance and force, and also to be loaded by energy and to lift adrenaline level in blood. A choice for you!
Afghanistan.
OFFICIAL NAME: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
CAPITAL: Kabul
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary Islamic State
AREA: 647,497 Sq Km (251,773 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2010 POPULATION: 28,926,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South West Asia. It is bound by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north and China to the northeast. The country is divided from southeast to northwest by the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountain Ranges and is divided into three geographical regions. (1.) The central highlands which account for 64% of the land area and are part of the Himalayan Ranges. The Hindu Kush ridge rises above 6,400 metres (21,000 feet). (2.) The fertile northern plains with elevations of up to 600 metres (2,000 feet). (3.) The southwestern plateau which accounts for 25% of the land area and is an arid region vegetated mostly by scrub with an average elevation of about 900 metres (3,000 feet). The principal rivers are the Kabul and Amu-Darya which rises in the Hindu Kush and flows northwestward. Major Cities (pop. est.); Kabul 2,800,000, Kandahar 324,000, Herat 255,000, Mazar-e Sharif 188,000 (2004). Land Use; forested 2%, pastures 46%, agricultural-cultivated 12%, other 39% (2000).
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CLIMATE: Afghanistan has a continental dry climate with large differences between day and night temperatures as well as quick seasonal transitions. Summer temperatures in the plains can reach 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) while in the higher plateaux winter temperatures can fall to -26 degrees Celsius (-15 degrees Fahrenheit). The "Winds of 120 Days" which occur between June to September can have velocities of up to 180 kmph (108 mph) and the rainy season is from October to April, although rainfall is very irregular. Average temperature ranges in Kabul are from -8 to 2 degrees Celsius (18 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 16 to 33 degrees Celsius (61 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Pushtuns also known as Pukhtuns and Pathan who account for around 49% of the population and are divided into two sub-tribes (1.) the Durranis and (2.) the Ghilzais. The principal ethnic minority are the Tajikis who account for almost 18% of the population. Other smaller ethnic minorities include the Hazara Mongols (Hazars) who account for 9%, Aimaks, Uzbekis, Turkmens, Nuristanis and Qisilbashes.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Population; 23,867,000 (2005) Density; 37 persons per sq km (96 persons per sq mi) (2004). Urban-Rural; 22.4% urban, 77.6% rural (2003). Sex Distribution; 51.2% male, 48.8% female (1004). Life Expectancy at Birth; 42.3 years male, 42.7 years female (2004). Age Breakdown; 45% under 15, 27% 15 to 29, 16% 30 to 44, 8% 45 to 59, 3.5% 60 to 74, 0.5% 75 and over (2004). Birth Rate; 47.3 per 1,000 (2004). Death Rate; 21.1 per 1,000 (2004). Increase Rate; 26.2 per 1,000 (2004). Infant Mortality Rate; 166.0 per 1,000 live births (2004).
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RELIGIONS: The official religion is Islam with approximately 89% of the population Sunni Muslims while 9% are Shiite Muslims and 1% belong to the other Islamic sects. Other religious minorities include small amounts of Hindus, Sikhs and Parsis.
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LANGUAGES: The official languages are Dari (Afghan Persian) and Pashto. A little English, French and German is also spoken while English and French are taught in schools as secondary languages. In the north Turkmen and Uzbeki are also widely spoken.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 88.5%, some primary 6.8%, complete primary 0.3%, some secondary 1.2%, higher 3.2% (1980). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 29% (2003).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1953 Mohammed Daoud Khan became Prime Minister, following which he established close military, economic and political ties with the USSR. In 1964 provisions were made for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy after Prime Minister Daoud resigned. In 1973 while King Zahir Shah was receiving medical treatment in Italy a military coup led by Daoud overthrew the government, established a republic and abolished the monarchy. On Apr. 27, 1978 pro-Soviet leftists took power in a bloody coup known as the "Great Saur Revolution" which resulted in the death of President Daoud and an economic and military treaty with the USSR. In Dec. 1979, the USSR began a massive military airlift into Kabul and the three month old regime of Hafizullah Amin ended with a Soviet backed coup on Dec. 27, 1979. Pres. Amin was replaced by Babrak Karmal, a greater pro-Soviet faction leader. For the next 9 years the Soviet troops fanned out over Afghanistan fighting the Muslim "Holy Warriors" or Mujaheddin in a long, protracted guerrilla war. In Nov. 1987 Dr. Najibullah was elected President. On Apr. 14, 1988 a UN-mediated agreement was signed which provided for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, the creation of a neutral Afghan state and the repatriation of millions of Afghan refugees. The US and USSR pledged to serve as guarantors of the agreement, however, Afghan rebels rejected the pact and vowed to continue fighting while the Soviets remained in Afghanistan. On Feb. 15, 1989 the Soviets completed their troop withdrawal as fighting between the Afghan rebels and government forces escalated for control of the government. In Mar. 1990 there was an unsuccessful coup attempt led by Afghan military forces and in Sept. 1991 the US and USSR declared that they would halt arms supplies from Jan. 1992 with the purpose of achieving a permanent cease-fire. In Apr. 1992 Afghan rebels with the assistance of General Abdul Rashid Dostam, leader of the government's secret police, seized control of Kabul ousting President Najibullah's regime. On June 28, 1992 caretaker President Sibgatullah Mojadedi surrendered power to Burhanuddin Rabbani who headed a 10-member Supreme Leadership Council of guerrilla leaders. In June 1992 fighting escalated between rival Shiite and Sunni Muslim factions around Kabul with some 100 people killed and 1,000 injured in four days of conflict. On Dec. 30, 1992 some 1,335 delegates from around the country formed a National Council which met in Kabul and elected Rabbani to a two-year term as president. The majority of the rebels boycotted the council meeting and shelled the city from their hill strongholds while voting was in progress. In Jan. 1993 the national assembly of tribal and religious leaders reaffirmed Rabbani's presidency, approved the creation of new armed forces and a parliament, and set out a strict Islamic path for the country. In Mar. 1993 Gulbuddin Hekmatyar leader of the Hezb-i-Islami was designated Prime Minister with a 22-member cabinet divided amongst the 10 major rebel groups being formed on May 20 despite continuing fighting. On June 17. 1993 Hekmatyar was formally sworn in and on Sept. 27, 1993 after four days of negotiations an interim constitution had been approved with planned elections announced for 1994.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Afghani (Af) divided into 100 Puls.
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ECONOMY: Gross Domestic Product; USD $7,000,000,000,000 (2003). Public Debt; USD $5,319,000,000 (2000). Imports; USD $2,101,000,000 (2004). Exports; USD $144,000,000 (2004). Tourism Receipts; USD $1,000,000 (1998). Balance of Trade; USD$ -1,957,000,000 (2004). Economically Active Population; 5,557,000 or 29.4% of total population (1994). Unemployed; 30% (2004).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the China, Pakistan, India, Japan and Russia.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Coal, Copper, Cotton, Fruit, Goats, Iron, Maize, Natural Gas, Nuts, Rice, Sheep, Sugar, Vegetables, Wheat.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Bicycles, Carpets, Cement, Food Processing, Footwear, Fur and Leather Products, Furniture, Plastics, Textiles.
MAIN EXPORTS: Carpets, Cotton, Fruit, Karakul Skins and Wool, Natural Gas, Nuts.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 25 km (15.3 mi) (2001). Roads; length 20,720 km (12,875 mi) (2001). Vehicles; cars 176,700 (2004), trucks and buses 116,278 (2004). Merchant Marine; vessels nil. Air Transport; passenger-km 143,000,000 (88,856,000 passenger-mi) (2000), cargo ton-km 21,000,000 (13,048,000 short ton-mi) (2000).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total circulation of 129,000 (2000). Radio; receivers 2,950,000 (2000). Television; receivers 362,000 (2000). Telephones; units 36,700 (2003). Cell/Mobile; subscribers 135,000 (2003). Internet; users 700 ( 2003).
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MILITARY: 13,000 (2004) total active duty personnel with 100% army, 0.0% navy and 0.0% air force while military expenditure accounts for 9% (2003) of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Albania.
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Albania
CAPITAL: Tirane
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Multiparty Republic
AREA: 28,748 Sq Km (11,100 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 3,875,200
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Albania is one of the smallest nations in Europe. It is bound by the Adriatic Sea to the west, Serbia and Montenegro to the north and northeast, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. Just over 20% of the land area is coastal or flat plains which are poorly drained while the major cities are located on the coastal plains or in the upland valleys. The remainder of the country is mountainous and hilly covered by scrub forest while there are many lagoon lakes in the lowlands as well as small glacial lakes in the uplands. The principal river is the Buene River. Major Cities (pop. est.); Tirane 243,000, Durres 85,000, Elbasan 83,000, Shkoder 82,000, Vlore 74,000 (1990). Land Use; forested 37%, pastures 15%, agricultural-cultivated 24%, other 24% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Albania has a Mediterranean climate with the coastal plains experiencing hot and dry summers, and frequent thunderstorms. Winters are mild as well as wet and can be quite severe in the mountains with snow cover lasting for long periods of time. Average annual precipitation in the mountain areas can exceed 1,000 mm (39 inches). The average temperature ranges in Tirane are from 17 to 31 degrees Celsius (63 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 2 to 21 degrees Celsius (36 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Albanians who account for around 98% of the population and are divided into two groups (1.) the Gegs (Ghegs) to the north of the Shkumbin River and (2.) the Tosks to the south. Other ethnic minorities include Greeks, Macedonians, Vlachs, Bulgarians, Gypsies and Serbs.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 115 persons per sq km (298 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 35.8% urban, 64.2% rural (1989). Sex Distribution; 51.5% male, 48.5% female (1989). Life Expectancy at Birth; 69.6 years male, 75.5 years female (1989). Age Breakdown; 33% under 15, 29% 15 to 29, 19% 30 to 44, 12% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 74, 2% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 24.7 per 1,000 (1989). Death Rate; 5.7 per 1,000 (1989). Increase Rate; 19.0 per 1,000 (1989). Infant Mortality Rate; 28.2 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Muslims which account for around 21% of the population, while some Christians both Orthodox and Roman Catholics account for 5.4% and the remainder are atheist. Prior to 1944's communist takeover approximately 70% of the population were Muslims, 20% were Orthodox Christians and 10% were Roman Catholic.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Albanian with two dialects (1.) Geg (Gheg) to the north of the Shkumbin river and (2.) Tosk to the south.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: primary education 74.7%, secondary 20.9%, higher 4.4% (1979). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over virtually 100% (1989).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Albania was proclaimed a republic on Jan. 11, 1946. In 1948 the Friendship Treaty between Albania and Yugoslavia was canceled due to serious conflict in Soviet dominated Communist Information Bureau. During the 1950's Yugoslav-Albanian diplomatic relations were broken off, although they were later resumed in 1953. In 1955 Albania was admitted to the UN as part of a general agreement between the East and West. Soviet influence was replaced by a strong political alliance with China which led to several billion dollars in financial aid, although China cut off the aid in 1978. From 1985 to 1990 diplomatic relations with most European nations as well as the former USSR and the US were resumed. In 1990 the government announced plans for gradual democratization with the lifting of religious restrictions and the freedom to travel abroad. By the close of 1990 the regime agreed to free multiparty elections to take place in Mar. 1991. Within days after the elections, protests and general industrial strikes forced the communist cabinet to resign and share power with the Democratic Party which pledged to introduce a free market economy and raise the standard of living. In Jan. 1991 some 15,000 refugees fled to Greece while in March some 24,000 boat people left for Italy. In Aug. 1991 another exodus of 18,000 people for Italy resulted in their subsequent forced repatriation and in a step up in Italian governmental aid for Albania. In Dec. 1991 after continuing food riots resulted in a number of deaths a nonpartisan, Vilson Ahmeti was named to head a new government. On Mar. 22, 1992 landslide elections were won by Democratic Party over the Socialist Party. On April 9, 1992 Sali Berisha became the first democratically elected President in 70 years. In July 1992 local elections were held in which the Socialist Party made gains and held local admistrative control over the countryside while the Democrats continued to hold control over most of the large cities. In Nov. 1992 the a rift developed within the Democrats with the spilt resulting in the formation of a new party, the Democratic Alliance. Also during 1992, the massive humanitarian aid program by the Italian government continued. During 1993, former Communist leader Ramiz Alia, the Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano and most of the former Politburo members were under arrest awaiting trial on charges of abusing their office. Economically, the government had actively pursued its program of stabilizing the economy, although it would still have to rely heavily on foreign aid to ensure the program's successful completion. In Apr. 1993 Pope John Paul II made a historic visit, the first since visit since the last pontiff died en route in 1464.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Lek (plural; Leke) divided into 100 Quindars.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $1,163,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD $861,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $601,000,000 (1994). Exports; USD $ 141,000,000 (1994). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; Lek -460,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 1,540,000 or 49.4% of total population (1993). Unemployed; 17.5% (1993).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are Serbia and Montenegro, Czech Fed. Rep., Slovakia, Romania, Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece and France.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Asphalt, Bitumen, Cereals, Chrome, Copper, Cotton, Grapes, Olives, Potatoes, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Timber, Tobacco.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Food Processing, Fertilizers, Mining, Petroleum, Refining, Textiles, Tobacco.
MAIN EXPORTS: Asphalt and Bitumen, Clothing, Food, Fruit and Vegetables, Non-Ferrous Metal Ores, Petroleum and Petroleum Products, Tobacco.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 684 km (425 mi) (1989), passenger-km 752,000,000 (467,000,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 674,000,000 (462,000,000 short ton-mi) (1989). Roads; length 16,700 km, (10,377 mi) (1989). Vehicles; cars 3,500 (1970), trucks and buses 11,200 (1970). Merchant Marine; vessels 19 (1990), deadweight tonnage 74,648 (1990). Air Transport; N/A.
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 2 with a total circulation of 165,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 550,000 (1994). Television; receivers 324,900 (1990). Telephones; 49,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 73,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 82.2% army, 3.4% navy and 13.7% air force while military expenditure accounts for 8.2% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
CAPITAL: Tirane
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Multiparty Republic
AREA: 28,748 Sq Km (11,100 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 3,875,200
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Albania is one of the smallest nations in Europe. It is bound by the Adriatic Sea to the west, Serbia and Montenegro to the north and northeast, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. Just over 20% of the land area is coastal or flat plains which are poorly drained while the major cities are located on the coastal plains or in the upland valleys. The remainder of the country is mountainous and hilly covered by scrub forest while there are many lagoon lakes in the lowlands as well as small glacial lakes in the uplands. The principal river is the Buene River. Major Cities (pop. est.); Tirane 243,000, Durres 85,000, Elbasan 83,000, Shkoder 82,000, Vlore 74,000 (1990). Land Use; forested 37%, pastures 15%, agricultural-cultivated 24%, other 24% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Albania has a Mediterranean climate with the coastal plains experiencing hot and dry summers, and frequent thunderstorms. Winters are mild as well as wet and can be quite severe in the mountains with snow cover lasting for long periods of time. Average annual precipitation in the mountain areas can exceed 1,000 mm (39 inches). The average temperature ranges in Tirane are from 17 to 31 degrees Celsius (63 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 2 to 21 degrees Celsius (36 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Albanians who account for around 98% of the population and are divided into two groups (1.) the Gegs (Ghegs) to the north of the Shkumbin River and (2.) the Tosks to the south. Other ethnic minorities include Greeks, Macedonians, Vlachs, Bulgarians, Gypsies and Serbs.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 115 persons per sq km (298 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 35.8% urban, 64.2% rural (1989). Sex Distribution; 51.5% male, 48.5% female (1989). Life Expectancy at Birth; 69.6 years male, 75.5 years female (1989). Age Breakdown; 33% under 15, 29% 15 to 29, 19% 30 to 44, 12% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 74, 2% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 24.7 per 1,000 (1989). Death Rate; 5.7 per 1,000 (1989). Increase Rate; 19.0 per 1,000 (1989). Infant Mortality Rate; 28.2 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Muslims which account for around 21% of the population, while some Christians both Orthodox and Roman Catholics account for 5.4% and the remainder are atheist. Prior to 1944's communist takeover approximately 70% of the population were Muslims, 20% were Orthodox Christians and 10% were Roman Catholic.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Albanian with two dialects (1.) Geg (Gheg) to the north of the Shkumbin river and (2.) Tosk to the south.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: primary education 74.7%, secondary 20.9%, higher 4.4% (1979). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over virtually 100% (1989).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Albania was proclaimed a republic on Jan. 11, 1946. In 1948 the Friendship Treaty between Albania and Yugoslavia was canceled due to serious conflict in Soviet dominated Communist Information Bureau. During the 1950's Yugoslav-Albanian diplomatic relations were broken off, although they were later resumed in 1953. In 1955 Albania was admitted to the UN as part of a general agreement between the East and West. Soviet influence was replaced by a strong political alliance with China which led to several billion dollars in financial aid, although China cut off the aid in 1978. From 1985 to 1990 diplomatic relations with most European nations as well as the former USSR and the US were resumed. In 1990 the government announced plans for gradual democratization with the lifting of religious restrictions and the freedom to travel abroad. By the close of 1990 the regime agreed to free multiparty elections to take place in Mar. 1991. Within days after the elections, protests and general industrial strikes forced the communist cabinet to resign and share power with the Democratic Party which pledged to introduce a free market economy and raise the standard of living. In Jan. 1991 some 15,000 refugees fled to Greece while in March some 24,000 boat people left for Italy. In Aug. 1991 another exodus of 18,000 people for Italy resulted in their subsequent forced repatriation and in a step up in Italian governmental aid for Albania. In Dec. 1991 after continuing food riots resulted in a number of deaths a nonpartisan, Vilson Ahmeti was named to head a new government. On Mar. 22, 1992 landslide elections were won by Democratic Party over the Socialist Party. On April 9, 1992 Sali Berisha became the first democratically elected President in 70 years. In July 1992 local elections were held in which the Socialist Party made gains and held local admistrative control over the countryside while the Democrats continued to hold control over most of the large cities. In Nov. 1992 the a rift developed within the Democrats with the spilt resulting in the formation of a new party, the Democratic Alliance. Also during 1992, the massive humanitarian aid program by the Italian government continued. During 1993, former Communist leader Ramiz Alia, the Socialist Party leader Fatos Nano and most of the former Politburo members were under arrest awaiting trial on charges of abusing their office. Economically, the government had actively pursued its program of stabilizing the economy, although it would still have to rely heavily on foreign aid to ensure the program's successful completion. In Apr. 1993 Pope John Paul II made a historic visit, the first since visit since the last pontiff died en route in 1464.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Lek (plural; Leke) divided into 100 Quindars.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $1,163,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD $861,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $601,000,000 (1994). Exports; USD $ 141,000,000 (1994). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; Lek -460,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 1,540,000 or 49.4% of total population (1993). Unemployed; 17.5% (1993).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are Serbia and Montenegro, Czech Fed. Rep., Slovakia, Romania, Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece and France.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Asphalt, Bitumen, Cereals, Chrome, Copper, Cotton, Grapes, Olives, Potatoes, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Timber, Tobacco.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Food Processing, Fertilizers, Mining, Petroleum, Refining, Textiles, Tobacco.
MAIN EXPORTS: Asphalt and Bitumen, Clothing, Food, Fruit and Vegetables, Non-Ferrous Metal Ores, Petroleum and Petroleum Products, Tobacco.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 684 km (425 mi) (1989), passenger-km 752,000,000 (467,000,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 674,000,000 (462,000,000 short ton-mi) (1989). Roads; length 16,700 km, (10,377 mi) (1989). Vehicles; cars 3,500 (1970), trucks and buses 11,200 (1970). Merchant Marine; vessels 19 (1990), deadweight tonnage 74,648 (1990). Air Transport; N/A.
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 2 with a total circulation of 165,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 550,000 (1994). Television; receivers 324,900 (1990). Telephones; 49,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 73,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 82.2% army, 3.4% navy and 13.7% air force while military expenditure accounts for 8.2% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
Algeria.
OFFICIAL NAME: Democratic and Popular Republic of AlgeriaCAPITAL: Algiers
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Multiparty Republic with interim military administration
AREA: 2,381,741 Sq Km (919,595 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 31,624,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Algeria is located in North Africa midway along the Mediterranean coastline. It is bound by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Morocco to the west, Mauritania and Mali to the southwest, Niger to the southeast, Libya to the east and Tunisia to the northeast. The two mountain ranges of the Tell Atlas and Sahara Atlas divide the country into three topographical zones, (1.) a narrow fertile coastal plain and (2.) a high plateau which is a vast steppe plain that forms a depression between the Tell and Sahara Atlases. The plateau is also covered by salt lakes and salt marshes. (3.) The Sahara Desert which accounts for over 85% of the land area. Most of the Sahara is covered by Hamadas which are rocky plateaux and two great sand deserts, the Great Western Erg and the Great Eastern Erg. The only permanent river is the Chelif River. Major Cities (pop. est.); Algiers 1,507,000, Oran 610,000, Constantine 441,000, Annaba 223,000, Batna 182,000 (1987). Land Use; forested 2%, pastures 13%, agricultural-cultivated 3%, other 82% (1993).
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CLIMATE: The climate of Algeria is divided into three types, (1.) a Mediterranean in the north with dry hot summers and mild wet winters with rainfall increasing from west to east. (2.) A continental in the high plateau regions with higher daily temperatures while rainfall is patchy falling mainly within a short period. (3.) A true desert climate in the Sahara with erratic and spasmodic rainfall. In the summer Algeria experiences hot winds from the south known as the Chehili or Sirocco. The average temperature ranges in Algiers are from 9 to 15 degrees Celsius (48 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 22 to 29 degrees Celsius (72 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit) in August.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Arabs or Arabized Berbers who account for around 83% of the population while the remaining 17% are Berbers. The non-Arab and non-Berber population accounts for 100,000 people mainly of European descent, predominantly French, although there are minorities of Italians, Spanish, Maltese and Corsican descendants. Although Algeria is predominantly a Muslim nation it is one of the few Muslim countries to have a surplus of females and over 50% of the population reported to be under the age of 20.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 11 persons per sq km (28 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 49.7% urban, 50.3% rural (1987). Sex Distribution; 50.5% male, 49.5% female (1987). Life Expectancy at Birth; 65.8 years male, 66.3 years female (1987). Age Breakdown; 44% under 15, 28% 15 to 29, 14% 30 to 44, 8% 45 to 59, 4% 60 to 74, 2% 75 and over (1987). Birth Rate; 33.2 per 1,000 (1988). Death Rate; 4.9 per 1,000 (1988). Increase Rate; 28.3 per 1,000 (1988). Infant Mortality Rate; 63.4 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: The official religion is Islam with 99% of the population Sunni Muslims while Roman Catholics and Jews combined represent less than 1% of the population.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Arabic which is spoken by approximately 81% of the population, although due to France's long colonial rule French is also spoken with many Berbers choosing it as opposed to the imposition of Arabic. By necessity most Berbers are bilingual and even trilingual as they also have their own language with dialects.
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EDUCATION: Economically active aged 16 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 38.2%, primary 20.8%, secondary 11.1%, vocational 19.7%, higher 9.3% (1989). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 6,281,000 or 49.6% (1987).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1945 an Arab nationalist movement launched a guerrilla war against French rule which resulted in heavy casualties. The eventual ceasefire as well as the withdrawal of the French troops was negotiated by the French President Charles De Gaulle, and as a result some one million Europeans were repatriated. On July 3, 1962 Algeria gained independence and Ahmed Ben Bella, the victor of the resulting infighting, ruled from 1962 to 1965 when an army coup installed Col. Houari Boumedienne as leader. In 1967 Algeria declared war with Israel, broke with the US and moved toward eventual military and political ties with the former USSR. In 1988 some 500 people died in riots protesting against economic hardship and in 1989 voters approved a new constitution which cleared the way for a multi-party political system as well as guaranteed fundamental rights and freedom for the Algerians. After the 1990 municipal elections in which the Front Islamique du Salut (FIS) won a weeping victory, the party leadership began to insist on general and presidential elections in 1991. The government (FLN) responded by promising legislative elections in June, but refusing presidential elections as well. During the year the government continued its market economy and electoral reforms. However, the FIS objected to these electoral reforms claiming they gerrymandered the new consitiuencies in favor of the FLN. In June 1991 a general strike called by the FIS led to fierce fighting between demonstrators and riot police and the country was placed into a State of Emergency which resulted in the postponement of elections. Also resulting from the crisis was the dismissal of Mouloud Hamrouche's government and its replacement by a pragmatic administration until elections in Dec. 1991. In the first round of elections held on Dec. 26, 1991 the FIS won a clear majority, however, before the planned Jan. 11, 1992 second round of elections took place the Algerian army forced Pres. Chadli Bendjedid to resign. A new army-backed regime, invited the political exiled Muhammad Boudiaf to return from Morocco to head the High Security Council (HSC). The security forces dismantled the FIS arresting some 9,000 militants and on Mar. 4, 1992 banned the FIS which resulted in an urban terrorist campaign against the regime. In April, 1992 Boudiaf appointed a 60-man Consultative Council and attempted to create a new political movement, the Assemble Patriotique. On June 29, 1992 Boudiaf was assassinated by a member of his personal bodyguard as a result of his anti-corruption drive and succeeded by Ali Kafi. On July 8, 1992 Belaid Abdessalam replaced Sid Ahmed Ghozali as Prime Minister and in October established special courts and severe punishments in an attempt to halt urban terrorism. During 1993 urban violence continued at the same levels as the previous year with more than 200 security personnel killed. During Feb. 1993 attacks and killings continued against prominent figures which resulted in a mass demonstration in Algiers on March 22. On the same day 18 soldiers were also killed in their barracks at Bougzoul. On Aug. 21, 1993 the HSC forced Abdessalam from office and established a new administration led by Redha Malek. Malek reversed his predecessor's policies by rescheduling foreign debt while maintained a resolute opposition to the Islamist movement. By Oct. 1993 some 1,000 Islamist sympathizers had died with 3,800 before the courts and 240 condemned to death.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dinar (DA) divided into 100 Centimes.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $44,347000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD $24,587,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $7,770,000,000 (1993). Exports; USD $10,230,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; USD $55,000,000 (1992). Balance of Trade; USD -$260,000,000 (1991). Economically Active Population; 5,711,000 or 22.8% of total population (1990). Unemployed; 27% (1994).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are France, Germany, Japan, the US, Italy, the UK, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Cattle, Cereals, Citrus Fruits, Copper, Dates, Fish, Grapes, Iron Ore, Lead, Livestock, Oats, Oil and Natural Gas, Olives, Phosphates, Sheep, Timber, Uranium, Vegetables, Wheat, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Clothing, Fertilizers, Food Processing, Iron and Steel, Mining, Machinery, Oil and Natural Gas Production and Refining, Petrochemicals, Textiles, Transport Equipment, Wine Production.
MAIN EXPORTS: Crude Oil, Dates, Fruit and Vegetables, Natural Gas, Petroleum Products, Wine.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 3,836 km (2,384 mi) (1988), passenger-km 1,972,000,000 (1,225,000,000 passenger-mi) (1987), cargo ton-km 2,937,000,000 (1,327,000,000 short ton-mi) (1987). Roads; length 81,648 km, (50,734 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 712,700 (1985), trucks and buses 471,500 (1985). Merchant Marine; vessels 148 (1990), deadweight tonnage 1,062,067 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 2,248,000,000 (1,397,000,000 passenger-mi) (1987), cargo ton-km 10,622,000 (7,275,000 short ton-mi) (1987).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 5 with a total circulation of 1,000,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 3,500,000 (1994). Television; receivers 2,000,000 (1994). Telephones; units 1,068,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 122,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 86.3% army, 5.5% navy and 8.2% air force while military expenditure accounts for 3.0% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
American Samoa.
OFFICIAL NAME: American Samoa
CAPITAL: Pago Pago
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unorganized and Unincorporated US Territory
AREA: 199 Sq Km (77 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 53,000
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LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: American Samoa is a small group of five volcanic islands and two coral atolls located in the South Pacific Ocean about 3,700 km (2,298 mi) southwest of Honolulu and 2,575 km (2,220 mi) northeast of New Zealand. The principal island is Tutuila while the other islands are the Aunu'u, Tau, Ofu, Olosega, Swains island and the small isolated atoll of Rose Island.
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CLIMATE: American Samoa has a tropical maritime climate moderated by the SE trade winds. The rainy season is from November to April and the dry season is from May to October with little seasonal temperature variation.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Samoans who are Polynesians and ethnically the same as those located in Western Samoa, speaking the same language.
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with more than half the islanders members of the Congregational Church while 19% of the population are Roman Catholic.
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LANGUAGES: The official languages are Samoan and English with the majority of the population bilingual. The Samoan language is closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1990: American Samoa remains an unincorporated territory of the US and its people are US nationals, but not citizens. The 1960 constitution, which combines traditional practices with the needs of a modern state, gives the American Samoans self government with certain powers reserved to the US Secretary of the Interior. A revised constitution was drawn up in 1986 which still excludes commoners and women from voting, but this has yet to be ratified by the US congress.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the US Dollar divided into 100 Cents.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the US, other Pacific Islands as well as Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Bananas, Fish, Taro, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Aluminum Recycling, Drink Bottling, Electrical and Automotive Workshops, Fish Processing and Canning, Handicrafts, Shipping Services.
MAIN EXPORTS: Bananas, Handicrafts, Pet Food.
CAPITAL: Pago Pago
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unorganized and Unincorporated US Territory
AREA: 199 Sq Km (77 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 53,000
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LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: American Samoa is a small group of five volcanic islands and two coral atolls located in the South Pacific Ocean about 3,700 km (2,298 mi) southwest of Honolulu and 2,575 km (2,220 mi) northeast of New Zealand. The principal island is Tutuila while the other islands are the Aunu'u, Tau, Ofu, Olosega, Swains island and the small isolated atoll of Rose Island.
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CLIMATE: American Samoa has a tropical maritime climate moderated by the SE trade winds. The rainy season is from November to April and the dry season is from May to October with little seasonal temperature variation.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Samoans who are Polynesians and ethnically the same as those located in Western Samoa, speaking the same language.
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with more than half the islanders members of the Congregational Church while 19% of the population are Roman Catholic.
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LANGUAGES: The official languages are Samoan and English with the majority of the population bilingual. The Samoan language is closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1990: American Samoa remains an unincorporated territory of the US and its people are US nationals, but not citizens. The 1960 constitution, which combines traditional practices with the needs of a modern state, gives the American Samoans self government with certain powers reserved to the US Secretary of the Interior. A revised constitution was drawn up in 1986 which still excludes commoners and women from voting, but this has yet to be ratified by the US congress.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the US Dollar divided into 100 Cents.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the US, other Pacific Islands as well as Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Bananas, Fish, Taro, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Aluminum Recycling, Drink Bottling, Electrical and Automotive Workshops, Fish Processing and Canning, Handicrafts, Shipping Services.
MAIN EXPORTS: Bananas, Handicrafts, Pet Food.
Andorra.
OFFICIAL NAME: Principality of Andorra
CAPITAL: Andorra La Vella
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Co-principality between France and Spain
AREA: 465 Sq Km (180 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 65,100
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Andorra is a landlocked country bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. It is one of the smallest countries in Europe and is located on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains. The country's terrain is rugged with little level ground and mostly consists of gorges, narrow valleys and defiles which are surrounded by mountain peaks. The country is well drained by a single basin and mountain pastures account for 44% of the land area, while forests consisting of pine, fir, oak, birch and box trees cover 41% of the land area. Major Cities (pop. est.); Andorra la Vella 22,000, Les Escaldes 13,000, Encamp 10,000 (1993). Land Use; forested 22%, pastures 56%, agricultural-cultivated 2%, other 20% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Andorra has an alpine climate with severe cold winters resulting in the northern valleys being snowbound for a minimum of six months per year. Depending on altitude, the summers are mild or warm and dry with low humidity. Average annual precipitation is 808 mm (32 inches) while average temperatures ranges are from -1 to 6 degrees Celsius (30 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 12 to 26 degrees Celsius (54 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.
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PEOPLE: Native Andorrans are a minority accounting for only 27% of the population, while the largest ethnic majority are the Spanish who account for around 50% of the population. The French also account for 8% of the population, the Portuguese for 7% and the British for 5%.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 118 persons per sq km (306 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 64.7% urban, 35.3% rural (1986). Sex Distribution; 53.1% male, 46.9% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 74.0 years male, 81.0 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 17% under 15, 26% 15 to 29, 27% 30 to 44, 15% 45 to 59, 11% 60 to 74, 4% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 12.6 per 1,000 (1989). Death Rate; 4.2 per 1,000 (1989). Increase Rate; 8.4 per 1,000 (1989). Infant Mortality Rate; 13.3 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 95% of the population Roman Catholic while the remainder are Jews, Jehovah Witnesses and Protestants.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Catalan, a romance language related to Provencal, although French and Castilian Spanish are also widely spoken.
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EDUCATION: Aged 15 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 5.5%, primary 47.3%, secondary 21.6%, higher 24.9% (1985). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over virtually 100% (1987).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Andorra is neither a republic or a monarchy, it is simply the last surviving remnant of the feudal system of medieval Europe. Its internal government is ruled by an exclusive aristocracy and although the Andorrans claim they are independent they are ruled in reality by the French head of state and the Bishop of Spain. In Jan. 1982 Andorra's first executive council was formed under the leadership of a President. In June 1990 Andorra signed a customs union agreement with the EU to permit the free movement of industrial goods between the two parties. In May 1991 Andorra hosted the IV Games of the Small Countries of Europe. In June 1991 the General Council agreed unanimously to draft the country's first constitution. On July 1, 1991 Andorra's customs union agreement went into effect, ending its economic isolation from the union. In Jan. 1992 the first mass demonstrations were held in protest to the political deadlock within the parliament as a result of Oscar Ribas Reig's attempt to introduce a new constitution which in effect would have legalized political parties and trade unions. As a result, Ribas was forced to resign as President of the Executive Council and on Jan. 30, 1992 the General Council was dissolved with elections announced for April 5. The close elections were won by the reformists and Ribas was sworn in as head of government on May 4, 1992. The new government's agenda was to complete a new constitution which would provide a modern political and legal framework and submit it when complete to a people's referendum. On March 14, 1993 the referendum resulted in an overwhelmingly vote to adopt the new constitution thus ending a 715 year old feudal system of government. The new constitution although allowing for full sovereignty, also maintained the unique system of co-princes but with greatly reduced powers. On May 4, 1993 the new constitution was enacted. On July 28, 1993 Andorra became a member of the UN. On Dec. 12, 1993 Oscar Ribas Reig's party won the most seats in general elections and formed a new coalition government.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Euro (EUR).
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $1,231,000,000 (1992). Public Debt; USD $132,000,000 (1992). Imports; Ptas 116,385,000,000 (1992). Exports; Ptas 4,208,000,000 (1992). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; Pta -112,177,000,000 (1992). Economically Active Population; 28,222 or 51.8% of total population (1990). Unemployed; N/A.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are France, Spain, Germany and Portugal.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Cattle, Potatoes, Rye, Sheep, Tobacco, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Forestry, Furniture, Leather, Publishing, Tax Free Trading, Textiles, Tobacco Processing, Tourism.
MAIN EXPORTS: Cigarettes, Cigars, Furniture, Mineral Water, Postage Stamps.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; nil. Roads; length 220 km (137 mi) (1990). Vehicles; cars 31,571 (1989), trucks and buses 4,193 (1989). Merchant Marine; nil. Air Transport; nil.
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 3 with a total circulation of 4,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 10,000 (1994). Television; receivers 4,000 (1993). Telephones; units 26,800 (1993).
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MILITARY: nil.
CAPITAL: Andorra La Vella
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Co-principality between France and Spain
AREA: 465 Sq Km (180 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 65,100
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Andorra is a landlocked country bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. It is one of the smallest countries in Europe and is located on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains. The country's terrain is rugged with little level ground and mostly consists of gorges, narrow valleys and defiles which are surrounded by mountain peaks. The country is well drained by a single basin and mountain pastures account for 44% of the land area, while forests consisting of pine, fir, oak, birch and box trees cover 41% of the land area. Major Cities (pop. est.); Andorra la Vella 22,000, Les Escaldes 13,000, Encamp 10,000 (1993). Land Use; forested 22%, pastures 56%, agricultural-cultivated 2%, other 20% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Andorra has an alpine climate with severe cold winters resulting in the northern valleys being snowbound for a minimum of six months per year. Depending on altitude, the summers are mild or warm and dry with low humidity. Average annual precipitation is 808 mm (32 inches) while average temperatures ranges are from -1 to 6 degrees Celsius (30 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 12 to 26 degrees Celsius (54 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.
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PEOPLE: Native Andorrans are a minority accounting for only 27% of the population, while the largest ethnic majority are the Spanish who account for around 50% of the population. The French also account for 8% of the population, the Portuguese for 7% and the British for 5%.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 118 persons per sq km (306 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 64.7% urban, 35.3% rural (1986). Sex Distribution; 53.1% male, 46.9% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 74.0 years male, 81.0 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 17% under 15, 26% 15 to 29, 27% 30 to 44, 15% 45 to 59, 11% 60 to 74, 4% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 12.6 per 1,000 (1989). Death Rate; 4.2 per 1,000 (1989). Increase Rate; 8.4 per 1,000 (1989). Infant Mortality Rate; 13.3 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 95% of the population Roman Catholic while the remainder are Jews, Jehovah Witnesses and Protestants.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Catalan, a romance language related to Provencal, although French and Castilian Spanish are also widely spoken.
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EDUCATION: Aged 15 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 5.5%, primary 47.3%, secondary 21.6%, higher 24.9% (1985). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over virtually 100% (1987).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Andorra is neither a republic or a monarchy, it is simply the last surviving remnant of the feudal system of medieval Europe. Its internal government is ruled by an exclusive aristocracy and although the Andorrans claim they are independent they are ruled in reality by the French head of state and the Bishop of Spain. In Jan. 1982 Andorra's first executive council was formed under the leadership of a President. In June 1990 Andorra signed a customs union agreement with the EU to permit the free movement of industrial goods between the two parties. In May 1991 Andorra hosted the IV Games of the Small Countries of Europe. In June 1991 the General Council agreed unanimously to draft the country's first constitution. On July 1, 1991 Andorra's customs union agreement went into effect, ending its economic isolation from the union. In Jan. 1992 the first mass demonstrations were held in protest to the political deadlock within the parliament as a result of Oscar Ribas Reig's attempt to introduce a new constitution which in effect would have legalized political parties and trade unions. As a result, Ribas was forced to resign as President of the Executive Council and on Jan. 30, 1992 the General Council was dissolved with elections announced for April 5. The close elections were won by the reformists and Ribas was sworn in as head of government on May 4, 1992. The new government's agenda was to complete a new constitution which would provide a modern political and legal framework and submit it when complete to a people's referendum. On March 14, 1993 the referendum resulted in an overwhelmingly vote to adopt the new constitution thus ending a 715 year old feudal system of government. The new constitution although allowing for full sovereignty, also maintained the unique system of co-princes but with greatly reduced powers. On May 4, 1993 the new constitution was enacted. On July 28, 1993 Andorra became a member of the UN. On Dec. 12, 1993 Oscar Ribas Reig's party won the most seats in general elections and formed a new coalition government.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Euro (EUR).
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $1,231,000,000 (1992). Public Debt; USD $132,000,000 (1992). Imports; Ptas 116,385,000,000 (1992). Exports; Ptas 4,208,000,000 (1992). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; Pta -112,177,000,000 (1992). Economically Active Population; 28,222 or 51.8% of total population (1990). Unemployed; N/A.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are France, Spain, Germany and Portugal.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Cattle, Potatoes, Rye, Sheep, Tobacco, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Forestry, Furniture, Leather, Publishing, Tax Free Trading, Textiles, Tobacco Processing, Tourism.
MAIN EXPORTS: Cigarettes, Cigars, Furniture, Mineral Water, Postage Stamps.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; nil. Roads; length 220 km (137 mi) (1990). Vehicles; cars 31,571 (1989), trucks and buses 4,193 (1989). Merchant Marine; nil. Air Transport; nil.
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 3 with a total circulation of 4,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 10,000 (1994). Television; receivers 4,000 (1993). Telephones; units 26,800 (1993).
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MILITARY: nil.
Angola.
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Angola
CAPITAL: Luanda
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Multiparty Republic
AREA: 1,246 700 Sq Km (481,354 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 12,897,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Angola is located on the western coast of South Africa. It is bound by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) to the north and northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. A separate province of Cabinda is enclosed by the Congo. A sparsely watered coastal plain extends along the coast and rises towards the interior which contains irregular terraces that form sub-plateaux. The central plateau accounts for around 66% of the land area and has numerous rivers which run into basins of the Congo and Zambezi Rivers that in turn flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The northwestern region of the central plateau and the enclave of Cabinda are covered by equatorial jungles while the southern regions and coastal plain are semi-arid. The Namib Desert occupies the coastal plain above Mocamedes. Major Cities (pop. est.); Luanda 1,000,000, Huambo 203,000, Beneguela 155,000, Lobito 150,000 (1983). Land Use; forested 42%, pastures 23%, agricultural-cultivated 3%, other 32% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Angola has a tropical climate with regional variations from a moderate tropical climate to a desert climate depending on the location. The prevailing winds are predominantly from the west, southwest and south southwest. Average temperature ranges in Luanda are from 18 to 23 degrees Celsius (64 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit) in August to 24 to 30 degrees Celsius (75 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in March.
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PEOPLE: Almost the entire population is of Bantu origin with various and numerous tribal groups. The principal ethnic majority are the Ovimbundu who alone represent 37% of the population while the Mbundu, Lunda, Chokwe, Nganguela, Ovambo, Herero, Kangala, Humbe, Luvale, Bunda, Luchazi, Kwandare and Cuanhama account for 38% of the population. The Ovambo and Herero are nomadic cattle herders that regularly migrate across the Angola-Namibia border.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 8 persons per sq km (21 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 26.8% urban, 73.2% rural (1988). Sex Distribution; 51.1% male, 48.9% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 42.9 years male, 46.1 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 42% under 15, 28% 15 to 29, 17% 30 to 44, 10% 45 to 59, 3% 60 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 47.2 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 20.2 per 1,000 (1990). Increase Rate; 27.0 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 137.0 per 1,000 live births (1990).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with around 70% of the population Roman Catholic while 20% are Protestant. Although, a large number still adhere to traditional tribal beliefs.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Portuguese, although the national language is Bantu with the number of dialects spoken as varied as the Bantu sub-tribes.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: N/A. Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 1,196,000 or 28% (1980).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Although most of the countries of Africa gained independence in the late 1950's to early 1960's, Portugal refused to grant independence to Angola. The Portuguese treated Angola as well as their other African territories as part of Portugal while the Angolans wanted to join the rest of the African continent in gaining independence. This led to armed revolts in 1961 in the northern part of the country with Angolan guerrillas waging a long war against the Portuguese. In 1974 a military coup in Portugal toppled it's government and armed conflict soon escalated in Angola between the three nationalist movements. The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), The National Front of Angolan Liberation (FNA) and The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). In 1975 the South African Republic invaded and occupied parts of southern Angola to protect their nationals and to take military action against the Namibian guerrilla camps located there. In 1985 South Africa signed a formal withdrawal accord, although sporadic incursions over the border continued until Aug. 1988. In the same year Cuba agreed to withdraw its troops and the warring factions agreed to a ceasefire on June 22, 1989. In Mar. 1991, the Angolan ruling party relinquished its commitment to Marxism, opening the way for peace negotiations and at the end of May, the Cuban troop withdrawal was completed. In June 1991 a peace treaty was signed in Lisbon officially ending the civil war and internationally supervised elections were held in Sept. 1992. In early Oct. 1992 the former rebel movement UNITA led by Dr Jonas Savimbi withdrew from the Angola's new joint armed forces in protest over alleged electoral fraud as another civil war loomed. In late October UNITA and the ruling government (MPLA) led by Dos Santos agreed to halt troop movements in an attempt to negotiate a power sharing arrangement to avert further bloodshed, although fighting continued to escalate. In Jan. 1993, a military offensive by government forces appeared to gain the upper hand against UNITA rebels, but, on Jan. 20, 1993 UNITA rebels seized control of the oil distribution center of Soyo in the northwest. At the end of January both sides agreed to more talks, although fierce fighting continued for the UNITA capital, Huambo, which fell to UNITA on Mar. 7, 1993. Further talks in April also floundered and on May 19, 1993 the US officially recognized the MPLA government. A further ceasefire in Sept. 1993 was rejected by UNITA and further talks in Nov.-Dec. 1993 were also to no avail.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the New Kwanza (NKz) divided into 100 Iwei.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $6,010,000,000 (1989). Public Debt; USD $7,727,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $1,347,000,000 (1991). Exports; USD $3,427,000,000 (1991). Tourism Receipts; USD $20,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; USD $1,565,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 4,166,000 or 40.3% of total population (1991). Unemployed; N/A.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are Portugal, Cuba, Germany, the US, the UK, Canada, Japan and the former USSR.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Asphalt, Bananas, Cassava, Citrus Fruits, Coffee, Copper, Cotton, Diamonds, Fish, Gypsum, Iron Ore, Limestone, Maize, Manganese, Oil, Palm Oil, Phosphates, Salt, Sisal, Sugar Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Timber.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Mining, Oil Refining, Paper and Pulp, Textiles, Tobacco.
MAIN EXPORTS: Coffee, Crude Oil, Diamonds, Fish, Maize, Oil, Petroleum Products, Sisal, Timber, Tobacco.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 2,789 km (1,733 mi) (1988), passenger-km 326,000,000 (203,000,000 passenger-mi) (1988), cargo ton-km 1,720,000,000 (1,178,000,000 short ton-mi) (1988). Roads; length 73,830 km, (45,876 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 122,000 (1989), trucks and buses 44,000 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 111 (1990), deadweight tonnage 122,403 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 975,000,000 (606,000,000 passenger-mi) (1985), cargo ton-km 33,900,000 (23,218,000 short ton-mi) (1985).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 4 with a total circulation of 500,000 (1994). Radio; receivers 450,000 (1994). Television; receivers 50,500 (1994) Telephones; units 53,300 (1993).
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MILITARY: 82,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 91.5% army, 1.8% navy and 6.7% air force while military expenditure accounts for 23.9% (1986) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
CAPITAL: Luanda
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Multiparty Republic
AREA: 1,246 700 Sq Km (481,354 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 12,897,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Angola is located on the western coast of South Africa. It is bound by Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) to the north and northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. A separate province of Cabinda is enclosed by the Congo. A sparsely watered coastal plain extends along the coast and rises towards the interior which contains irregular terraces that form sub-plateaux. The central plateau accounts for around 66% of the land area and has numerous rivers which run into basins of the Congo and Zambezi Rivers that in turn flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The northwestern region of the central plateau and the enclave of Cabinda are covered by equatorial jungles while the southern regions and coastal plain are semi-arid. The Namib Desert occupies the coastal plain above Mocamedes. Major Cities (pop. est.); Luanda 1,000,000, Huambo 203,000, Beneguela 155,000, Lobito 150,000 (1983). Land Use; forested 42%, pastures 23%, agricultural-cultivated 3%, other 32% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Angola has a tropical climate with regional variations from a moderate tropical climate to a desert climate depending on the location. The prevailing winds are predominantly from the west, southwest and south southwest. Average temperature ranges in Luanda are from 18 to 23 degrees Celsius (64 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit) in August to 24 to 30 degrees Celsius (75 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in March.
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PEOPLE: Almost the entire population is of Bantu origin with various and numerous tribal groups. The principal ethnic majority are the Ovimbundu who alone represent 37% of the population while the Mbundu, Lunda, Chokwe, Nganguela, Ovambo, Herero, Kangala, Humbe, Luvale, Bunda, Luchazi, Kwandare and Cuanhama account for 38% of the population. The Ovambo and Herero are nomadic cattle herders that regularly migrate across the Angola-Namibia border.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 8 persons per sq km (21 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 26.8% urban, 73.2% rural (1988). Sex Distribution; 51.1% male, 48.9% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 42.9 years male, 46.1 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 42% under 15, 28% 15 to 29, 17% 30 to 44, 10% 45 to 59, 3% 60 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 47.2 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 20.2 per 1,000 (1990). Increase Rate; 27.0 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 137.0 per 1,000 live births (1990).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with around 70% of the population Roman Catholic while 20% are Protestant. Although, a large number still adhere to traditional tribal beliefs.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Portuguese, although the national language is Bantu with the number of dialects spoken as varied as the Bantu sub-tribes.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: N/A. Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 1,196,000 or 28% (1980).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: Although most of the countries of Africa gained independence in the late 1950's to early 1960's, Portugal refused to grant independence to Angola. The Portuguese treated Angola as well as their other African territories as part of Portugal while the Angolans wanted to join the rest of the African continent in gaining independence. This led to armed revolts in 1961 in the northern part of the country with Angolan guerrillas waging a long war against the Portuguese. In 1974 a military coup in Portugal toppled it's government and armed conflict soon escalated in Angola between the three nationalist movements. The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), The National Front of Angolan Liberation (FNA) and The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). In 1975 the South African Republic invaded and occupied parts of southern Angola to protect their nationals and to take military action against the Namibian guerrilla camps located there. In 1985 South Africa signed a formal withdrawal accord, although sporadic incursions over the border continued until Aug. 1988. In the same year Cuba agreed to withdraw its troops and the warring factions agreed to a ceasefire on June 22, 1989. In Mar. 1991, the Angolan ruling party relinquished its commitment to Marxism, opening the way for peace negotiations and at the end of May, the Cuban troop withdrawal was completed. In June 1991 a peace treaty was signed in Lisbon officially ending the civil war and internationally supervised elections were held in Sept. 1992. In early Oct. 1992 the former rebel movement UNITA led by Dr Jonas Savimbi withdrew from the Angola's new joint armed forces in protest over alleged electoral fraud as another civil war loomed. In late October UNITA and the ruling government (MPLA) led by Dos Santos agreed to halt troop movements in an attempt to negotiate a power sharing arrangement to avert further bloodshed, although fighting continued to escalate. In Jan. 1993, a military offensive by government forces appeared to gain the upper hand against UNITA rebels, but, on Jan. 20, 1993 UNITA rebels seized control of the oil distribution center of Soyo in the northwest. At the end of January both sides agreed to more talks, although fierce fighting continued for the UNITA capital, Huambo, which fell to UNITA on Mar. 7, 1993. Further talks in April also floundered and on May 19, 1993 the US officially recognized the MPLA government. A further ceasefire in Sept. 1993 was rejected by UNITA and further talks in Nov.-Dec. 1993 were also to no avail.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the New Kwanza (NKz) divided into 100 Iwei.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $6,010,000,000 (1989). Public Debt; USD $7,727,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $1,347,000,000 (1991). Exports; USD $3,427,000,000 (1991). Tourism Receipts; USD $20,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; USD $1,565,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 4,166,000 or 40.3% of total population (1991). Unemployed; N/A.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are Portugal, Cuba, Germany, the US, the UK, Canada, Japan and the former USSR.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Asphalt, Bananas, Cassava, Citrus Fruits, Coffee, Copper, Cotton, Diamonds, Fish, Gypsum, Iron Ore, Limestone, Maize, Manganese, Oil, Palm Oil, Phosphates, Salt, Sisal, Sugar Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Timber.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Mining, Oil Refining, Paper and Pulp, Textiles, Tobacco.
MAIN EXPORTS: Coffee, Crude Oil, Diamonds, Fish, Maize, Oil, Petroleum Products, Sisal, Timber, Tobacco.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 2,789 km (1,733 mi) (1988), passenger-km 326,000,000 (203,000,000 passenger-mi) (1988), cargo ton-km 1,720,000,000 (1,178,000,000 short ton-mi) (1988). Roads; length 73,830 km, (45,876 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 122,000 (1989), trucks and buses 44,000 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 111 (1990), deadweight tonnage 122,403 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 975,000,000 (606,000,000 passenger-mi) (1985), cargo ton-km 33,900,000 (23,218,000 short ton-mi) (1985).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 4 with a total circulation of 500,000 (1994). Radio; receivers 450,000 (1994). Television; receivers 50,500 (1994) Telephones; units 53,300 (1993).
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MILITARY: 82,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 91.5% army, 1.8% navy and 6.7% air force while military expenditure accounts for 23.9% (1986) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
Antigua and Barbuda.
OFFICIAL NAME: Antigua and Barbuda
CAPITAL: St. John's
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy
AREA: 442 Sq Km (171 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 70,800
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Antigua and Barbuda are located along the outer edge of the Leeward islands in the Caribbean Sea. The territory consists of three islands, of which, one is a small uninhabited rocky outcrop called Redonda. Of the two main islands (1.) Antigua is composed of volcanic rock, coral and limestone. It has inlets and bays with rolling hills vegetated with flowering trees while (2.) Barbuda is a flat coral island with a large lagoon on the west side of the island and has miles of beaches with pink and white sands. Major Cities (pop. est.); St. John's 22,000 (1991). Land Use; forested 11%, pastures 9%, agricultural-cultivated 18%, other 62% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Although drier than most other Caribbean islands, Antigua and Barbuda has a tropical climate with low humidity. The islands are tempered by sea breezes and trade winds. Annual average precipitation is approximately 1,000 mm (39 inches) and the hot season is between May to November. Average temperature ranges in St. John's are from 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) with night temperatures during the cool season falling between 16 to 18 degrees Celsius (60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit).
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PEOPLE: Around 89% of the population are of Black African origin while 10% are Mulattoes, who are of mixed African and European descent. Around 1% of the population are of British, Portuguese, Lebanese and Syrian origins.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 184.8 persons per sq km (478.6 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 32.0% urban, 68.0% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 48.0% male, 52.0% female (1985). Life Expectancy at Birth; 70.0 years male, 73.0 years female (1989). Age Breakdown; 37% under 15, 31% 15 to 29, 13% 30 to 44, 12% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 74, 1% 75 and over (1985). Birth Rate; 14.1 per 1,000 (1988). Death Rate; 4.6 per 1,000 (1988). Increase Rate; 9.5 per 1,000 (1988). Infant Mortality Rate; 21.2 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 45% of the population Anglican while around 42% are Protestants mainly Moravians, Methodists and Seven Day Adventists. Another 10% are Roman Catholics and less than 1% are Rastafarians.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is English, although there are some local dialects are also spoken.
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EDUCATION: Total population having attained: no formal schooling 15.0%, primary 79.2%, secondary 4.5%, higher 1.3% (1970). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 45,000 or 90.0% (1985).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1951 universal adult suffrage was introduced and in 1956 a form of ministerial government was introduced. In 1967 Antigua became an associated state of Britain and on Nov. 1, 1981 Antigua and Barbuda gained independence within the Commonwealth with Vere Bird of the Antigua Labor Party (ALP) as Prime Minister. In 1984 and 1989 the ALP was re-elected. In Nov. 1990 a judicial report was issued into the shipment of arms from Israel to Colombia which led to widespread public discussion on corruption and in Mar. 1991 there was a demonstration in protest to political corruption. In Sept. 1991 the government embarked on the development of an economic and political reform program. In Feb. 1992 opposition protest demonstrations began calling for Vere Bird's resignation as allegations surfaced that he had deposited an $67,000 government check into his own bank account which also resulted in further demonstrations. In opposition, the three main political parties banded together to form the United Progressive Party (UPP). In April 1992, the UPP inspired a general strike which closed most businesses. Bird as a result of the protests announced he would step down as leader of the ALP before the 1994 general elections. In March 1993, the High Court ruled that legislation barring government employees from publishing political information or expressing political views was illegal. In April 1993, the government cracked down on foreign drug traffickers after Antigua and Barbuda was increasingly being used as a transshipment point. In June 1993, James Carlisle was sworn in as the new governor-general and in August 1993 son and Foreign Affairs minister Lester Bird was elected to replaced his father as the new ALP leader in preparation for elections scheduled for March 1994.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (ECD) divided into 100 Cents.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the USA, Dominica, the UK and other CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) countries.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Cabbages, Carrots, Cattle, Chickens, Cotton, Cucumbers, Egg Plants, Fish, Fruit, Goats, Pigs, Pineapples, Shellfish, Sugar Cane, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Yams.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Clothing, Cotton Production, Electronic Component Assembly, Food Processing, Fishing, Tourism.
MAIN EXPORTS: Clothing, Cotton, Rum, Shellfish, Sugar.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 78 km (48 mi) (1993). Roads; length 1,161 km (721 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 12,000 (1989), trucks and buses 2,700 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 204 (1990), deadweight tonnage 608,438 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 177,000,000 (110,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km nil (1990).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Weekly Newspapers; total of 3 and 1 Bi-Weekly Newspaper with a total circulation of 12,200 (1990). Radio; receivers 75,000 (1994). Television; receivers 28,000 (1994). Telephones; units 19,200 (1993).
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MILITARY: Defense force member of the Eastern Caribbean regional security system.
CAPITAL: St. John's
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy
AREA: 442 Sq Km (171 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 70,800
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Antigua and Barbuda are located along the outer edge of the Leeward islands in the Caribbean Sea. The territory consists of three islands, of which, one is a small uninhabited rocky outcrop called Redonda. Of the two main islands (1.) Antigua is composed of volcanic rock, coral and limestone. It has inlets and bays with rolling hills vegetated with flowering trees while (2.) Barbuda is a flat coral island with a large lagoon on the west side of the island and has miles of beaches with pink and white sands. Major Cities (pop. est.); St. John's 22,000 (1991). Land Use; forested 11%, pastures 9%, agricultural-cultivated 18%, other 62% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Although drier than most other Caribbean islands, Antigua and Barbuda has a tropical climate with low humidity. The islands are tempered by sea breezes and trade winds. Annual average precipitation is approximately 1,000 mm (39 inches) and the hot season is between May to November. Average temperature ranges in St. John's are from 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) with night temperatures during the cool season falling between 16 to 18 degrees Celsius (60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit).
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PEOPLE: Around 89% of the population are of Black African origin while 10% are Mulattoes, who are of mixed African and European descent. Around 1% of the population are of British, Portuguese, Lebanese and Syrian origins.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 184.8 persons per sq km (478.6 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 32.0% urban, 68.0% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 48.0% male, 52.0% female (1985). Life Expectancy at Birth; 70.0 years male, 73.0 years female (1989). Age Breakdown; 37% under 15, 31% 15 to 29, 13% 30 to 44, 12% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 74, 1% 75 and over (1985). Birth Rate; 14.1 per 1,000 (1988). Death Rate; 4.6 per 1,000 (1988). Increase Rate; 9.5 per 1,000 (1988). Infant Mortality Rate; 21.2 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 45% of the population Anglican while around 42% are Protestants mainly Moravians, Methodists and Seven Day Adventists. Another 10% are Roman Catholics and less than 1% are Rastafarians.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is English, although there are some local dialects are also spoken.
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EDUCATION: Total population having attained: no formal schooling 15.0%, primary 79.2%, secondary 4.5%, higher 1.3% (1970). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 45,000 or 90.0% (1985).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1951 universal adult suffrage was introduced and in 1956 a form of ministerial government was introduced. In 1967 Antigua became an associated state of Britain and on Nov. 1, 1981 Antigua and Barbuda gained independence within the Commonwealth with Vere Bird of the Antigua Labor Party (ALP) as Prime Minister. In 1984 and 1989 the ALP was re-elected. In Nov. 1990 a judicial report was issued into the shipment of arms from Israel to Colombia which led to widespread public discussion on corruption and in Mar. 1991 there was a demonstration in protest to political corruption. In Sept. 1991 the government embarked on the development of an economic and political reform program. In Feb. 1992 opposition protest demonstrations began calling for Vere Bird's resignation as allegations surfaced that he had deposited an $67,000 government check into his own bank account which also resulted in further demonstrations. In opposition, the three main political parties banded together to form the United Progressive Party (UPP). In April 1992, the UPP inspired a general strike which closed most businesses. Bird as a result of the protests announced he would step down as leader of the ALP before the 1994 general elections. In March 1993, the High Court ruled that legislation barring government employees from publishing political information or expressing political views was illegal. In April 1993, the government cracked down on foreign drug traffickers after Antigua and Barbuda was increasingly being used as a transshipment point. In June 1993, James Carlisle was sworn in as the new governor-general and in August 1993 son and Foreign Affairs minister Lester Bird was elected to replaced his father as the new ALP leader in preparation for elections scheduled for March 1994.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (ECD) divided into 100 Cents.
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the USA, Dominica, the UK and other CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) countries.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Cabbages, Carrots, Cattle, Chickens, Cotton, Cucumbers, Egg Plants, Fish, Fruit, Goats, Pigs, Pineapples, Shellfish, Sugar Cane, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Yams.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Clothing, Cotton Production, Electronic Component Assembly, Food Processing, Fishing, Tourism.
MAIN EXPORTS: Clothing, Cotton, Rum, Shellfish, Sugar.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 78 km (48 mi) (1993). Roads; length 1,161 km (721 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 12,000 (1989), trucks and buses 2,700 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 204 (1990), deadweight tonnage 608,438 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 177,000,000 (110,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km nil (1990).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Weekly Newspapers; total of 3 and 1 Bi-Weekly Newspaper with a total circulation of 12,200 (1990). Radio; receivers 75,000 (1994). Television; receivers 28,000 (1994). Telephones; units 19,200 (1993).
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MILITARY: Defense force member of the Eastern Caribbean regional security system.
Argentina.
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Argentina
CAPITAL: Buenos Aires
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal Republic
AREA: 2,766,899 Sq Km (1,068,302 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 35,780,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Argentina is located in the southern area of the South American Continent. It is bound by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Chile to the west, Uruguay and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Argentina is divided into four topographical regions. (1.) The Pampas which contains many lakes and rises gradually from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andean foothills, (2.) Patagonia which is a windswept semiarid region that rises to elevations of 1,500 metres (4,921 feet) with depressions that drop below sea level by 32 metres (104 feet), (3.) the northeastern lowlands which lie to the north of the Pampas and east of the Andes and (4.) the northwestern Andes which extend along the western half of the country. The Andes contain broad valleys and are generally inhospitable. The principal rivers are the Parana, Uruguay and Paraguay Rivers which drain into the Rio de la Plata Basin in northern Argentina while in the south the Colorado and Negro Rivers rise in the Andes and flow to the Atlantic Ocean. Major Cities (pop. est.); Buenos Aries 2,961,000, Cordoba 1,179,000, Rosario 1,078,000, La Planta 543,000 (1991). Land Use; forested 19%, pastures 52%, agricultural-cultivated 10%, other 19% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Most of Argentina lies in the shadow of the Andes. As the prevailing westerly winds lose their moisture and descend into Argentina temperatures increase while humidity decreases. As a whole, the climate varies from a humid sub-tropical climate in the north with the central semi-arid Pampa ranging from a tropical to a moderately cool climate. The southern area of the country is sub-arctic and is directly influenced by the prevailing westerlies. Rainfall diminishes from east to west with snow rarely falling. Average temperature ranges in Buenos Aires are from -5 to 14 degrees Celsius (23 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit) in June to 17 to 29 degrees Celsius (63 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: Around 85% of the population are of European origins predominantly Spanish and Italian, although British as well as other Europeans, Jews and Middle Easterners are also represented. Latin American migration has been a recent trend and the remaining 15% are AmerIndians as well as Mestizos who are of mixed AmerIndian and European descent. The AmerIndians are estimated only at 50,000 and are concentrated in the extremities of the north, northwest and south.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 12 persons per sq km (30 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 86.2% urban, 13.8% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 48.9% male, 51.1% female (1991). Life Expectancy at Birth; 67.0 years male, 74.0 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 30% under 15, 23% 15 to 29, 20% 30 to 44, 14% 45 to 59, 10% 60 to 74, 3% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 20.0 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 9.0 per 1,000 (1990). Increase Rate; 11.0 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 26.0 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 93% of the population Roman Catholic while 2% are Protestant and another 2% are Jews.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Spanish, although it differs in pronunciation and grammar from Castilian Spanish. Additionally, English, French, German and Italian are spoken by the relevant minorities. The three AmerIndian languages that remain are Tehuelche, Guarani and Quechua.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: less than primary education 32.0%, of which 6.0% have no formal schooling, primary 34.6%, secondary 20.5%, higher 6.9% (1980). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 95.3% (1990).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In Sept. 1930 a coup brought Argentina's first military government to power with the period from 1930-1943 known as the "Era of Patriotic Fraud." Again in 1943 under Col. Juan Domingo Peron another military coup took place and in 1945 the provisional government took the first steps toward the establishment of a constitutional regime. In 1951 Pres. Peron was reelected and in 1955 the armed forces temporarily united against the President forcing him into exile. In 1966 military commanders of the armed forces suspended the Congress and dissolved all political parties. By 1969 unrest became widespread and several people were killed in a series of general strikes. In 1973 Peron returned from exile and was reelected after the resignation of Hector Campora, a fellow Peronist who resigned after only 50 days in office. In 1974 Pres. Peron died and was succeeded by his wife Isabelita. In 1976 the military took control of the government and arrested Isabelita and implemented the "Dirty War" in which thousands of Argentines disappeared with most believed to be tortured and executed. In March 1981 Maj.Gen. Viola was ousted by the military and was replaced by the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Galtieri. In 1982 Argentina under Gen. Galtieri invaded the Falkland Islands with the hope of restoring national credibility, although after a short combat with the British, the Argentine forces surrendered. In 1983 Argentina was in a severe economic crisis and Raul Alfonsin took office. In May 1989 the Peronists returned to power under Carlos Saul Menem and in Dec. 1990 he pardoned many of the military leaders involved in the "Dirty War". Argentina's unsuccessful fight against hyper-inflation which reached 1,800% at the end of 1990 has increased the discontent among the people. In Jan. 1991, there was a major Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of "corruption in high places" allegations regarding the country's privatization program. In April 1991, Domingo Cavallo was appointed as Economy Minister and introduced a convertibility plan to stabilize the economy. In late 1991 the President's personal popularity had suffered a downturn in the wake of drug money-laundering scandals involving family members and his former campaign secretary. During 1992 Pres. Menem averted further bad publicity from the continuing corruption saga involving his family and close aides. Cavallo's convertibility plan was also incorporated into law and obliged the government to back the issue of currency with dollar reserves. During mid-1992 the economic reform process was deepen after growing voter discontent with government policies surfaced in senate elections. Various protests and strikes organized by the government's opposition parties continued throughout the last quarter of 1992. Argentina continued to prosper in 1993 under the framework of stability provided by the 1991 "convertibility plan". Pres. Mendem's desired changes to the 1853 constitution to allow his reelection bid in the planned 1995 elections were renewed in 1993. In Nov. 1993, amendments to the constitution to allow the reelection of a second consecutive reduced 4 year term were finally agreed to by the party leaders and ratified by the Chamber of Deputies and Senate in December. In Dec. 1993 Menem was forced to return home from a state visit to the Vatican after rioting broke out between public workers who had not been paid and security forces. Also in late 1993 government files were opened which confirmed that some 1,000 Nazi war criminals had entered the country after WWII.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Peso (P) formerly the Austral (A) which is divided into 100 Centavos.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $224,013,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD $61,534,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $16,651,000,000 (1993). Exports; USD $12,869,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; USD $3,614,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; USD -$4,002,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 12,305,000 or 38% of total population (1990). Unemployed; 7.3% (1989).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the former USSR, Brazil, the Netherlands, the USA, Japan, Italy, Germany, Chile and Spain.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Apples, Cattle, Citrus Fruits, Coal, Copper, Cotton, Fruit, Fish, Grapes, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Limestone, Maize, Manganese, Mica, Oil and Natural Gas, Olives, Potatoes, Peanuts, Rice, Sheep, Silver, Sorghum, Soya Beans, Sugar, Sunflower Seeds, Timber, Tungsten, Tobacco, Uranium, Wheat, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Machinery, Mining, Petroleum, Plastics, Refining, Steel, Textiles, Vehicles, Wood and Paper Pulp.
MAIN EXPORTS: Animal and Vegetable Oils, Animal Foodstuffs, Chemicals, Fruit and Vegetables, Leather, Machinery, Maize, Meat, Soya Beans, Sugar, Wheat, Wool.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 34,115 km (21,198 mi) (1988), passenger-km 10,221,200,000 (6,351,157,000 passenger-mi) (1988), cargo ton-km 9,010,600,000 (6,171,360,000 short ton-mi) (1988). Roads; length 211,369 km (131,339 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 4,088,000 (1989), trucks and buses 1,512,000 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 479 (1990), deadweight tonnage 2,872,288 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 8,431,000,000 (5,239,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km 185,963,000 (127,366,000 short ton-mi) (1990).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 190 with a total circulation of 4,780,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 21,500,000 (1994). Television; receivers 7,165,000 (1994). Telephones; units 4,115,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 67,300 (1995) total active duty personnel with 60.0% army, 26.8% navy and 13.2% air force while military expenditure accounts for 1.7% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
CAPITAL: Buenos Aires
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal Republic
AREA: 2,766,899 Sq Km (1,068,302 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 35,780,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Argentina is located in the southern area of the South American Continent. It is bound by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Chile to the west, Uruguay and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Argentina is divided into four topographical regions. (1.) The Pampas which contains many lakes and rises gradually from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andean foothills, (2.) Patagonia which is a windswept semiarid region that rises to elevations of 1,500 metres (4,921 feet) with depressions that drop below sea level by 32 metres (104 feet), (3.) the northeastern lowlands which lie to the north of the Pampas and east of the Andes and (4.) the northwestern Andes which extend along the western half of the country. The Andes contain broad valleys and are generally inhospitable. The principal rivers are the Parana, Uruguay and Paraguay Rivers which drain into the Rio de la Plata Basin in northern Argentina while in the south the Colorado and Negro Rivers rise in the Andes and flow to the Atlantic Ocean. Major Cities (pop. est.); Buenos Aries 2,961,000, Cordoba 1,179,000, Rosario 1,078,000, La Planta 543,000 (1991). Land Use; forested 19%, pastures 52%, agricultural-cultivated 10%, other 19% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Most of Argentina lies in the shadow of the Andes. As the prevailing westerly winds lose their moisture and descend into Argentina temperatures increase while humidity decreases. As a whole, the climate varies from a humid sub-tropical climate in the north with the central semi-arid Pampa ranging from a tropical to a moderately cool climate. The southern area of the country is sub-arctic and is directly influenced by the prevailing westerlies. Rainfall diminishes from east to west with snow rarely falling. Average temperature ranges in Buenos Aires are from -5 to 14 degrees Celsius (23 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit) in June to 17 to 29 degrees Celsius (63 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: Around 85% of the population are of European origins predominantly Spanish and Italian, although British as well as other Europeans, Jews and Middle Easterners are also represented. Latin American migration has been a recent trend and the remaining 15% are AmerIndians as well as Mestizos who are of mixed AmerIndian and European descent. The AmerIndians are estimated only at 50,000 and are concentrated in the extremities of the north, northwest and south.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 12 persons per sq km (30 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 86.2% urban, 13.8% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 48.9% male, 51.1% female (1991). Life Expectancy at Birth; 67.0 years male, 74.0 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 30% under 15, 23% 15 to 29, 20% 30 to 44, 14% 45 to 59, 10% 60 to 74, 3% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 20.0 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 9.0 per 1,000 (1990). Increase Rate; 11.0 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 26.0 per 1,000 live births (1987).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 93% of the population Roman Catholic while 2% are Protestant and another 2% are Jews.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Spanish, although it differs in pronunciation and grammar from Castilian Spanish. Additionally, English, French, German and Italian are spoken by the relevant minorities. The three AmerIndian languages that remain are Tehuelche, Guarani and Quechua.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: less than primary education 32.0%, of which 6.0% have no formal schooling, primary 34.6%, secondary 20.5%, higher 6.9% (1980). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 95.3% (1990).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In Sept. 1930 a coup brought Argentina's first military government to power with the period from 1930-1943 known as the "Era of Patriotic Fraud." Again in 1943 under Col. Juan Domingo Peron another military coup took place and in 1945 the provisional government took the first steps toward the establishment of a constitutional regime. In 1951 Pres. Peron was reelected and in 1955 the armed forces temporarily united against the President forcing him into exile. In 1966 military commanders of the armed forces suspended the Congress and dissolved all political parties. By 1969 unrest became widespread and several people were killed in a series of general strikes. In 1973 Peron returned from exile and was reelected after the resignation of Hector Campora, a fellow Peronist who resigned after only 50 days in office. In 1974 Pres. Peron died and was succeeded by his wife Isabelita. In 1976 the military took control of the government and arrested Isabelita and implemented the "Dirty War" in which thousands of Argentines disappeared with most believed to be tortured and executed. In March 1981 Maj.Gen. Viola was ousted by the military and was replaced by the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Galtieri. In 1982 Argentina under Gen. Galtieri invaded the Falkland Islands with the hope of restoring national credibility, although after a short combat with the British, the Argentine forces surrendered. In 1983 Argentina was in a severe economic crisis and Raul Alfonsin took office. In May 1989 the Peronists returned to power under Carlos Saul Menem and in Dec. 1990 he pardoned many of the military leaders involved in the "Dirty War". Argentina's unsuccessful fight against hyper-inflation which reached 1,800% at the end of 1990 has increased the discontent among the people. In Jan. 1991, there was a major Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of "corruption in high places" allegations regarding the country's privatization program. In April 1991, Domingo Cavallo was appointed as Economy Minister and introduced a convertibility plan to stabilize the economy. In late 1991 the President's personal popularity had suffered a downturn in the wake of drug money-laundering scandals involving family members and his former campaign secretary. During 1992 Pres. Menem averted further bad publicity from the continuing corruption saga involving his family and close aides. Cavallo's convertibility plan was also incorporated into law and obliged the government to back the issue of currency with dollar reserves. During mid-1992 the economic reform process was deepen after growing voter discontent with government policies surfaced in senate elections. Various protests and strikes organized by the government's opposition parties continued throughout the last quarter of 1992. Argentina continued to prosper in 1993 under the framework of stability provided by the 1991 "convertibility plan". Pres. Mendem's desired changes to the 1853 constitution to allow his reelection bid in the planned 1995 elections were renewed in 1993. In Nov. 1993, amendments to the constitution to allow the reelection of a second consecutive reduced 4 year term were finally agreed to by the party leaders and ratified by the Chamber of Deputies and Senate in December. In Dec. 1993 Menem was forced to return home from a state visit to the Vatican after rioting broke out between public workers who had not been paid and security forces. Also in late 1993 government files were opened which confirmed that some 1,000 Nazi war criminals had entered the country after WWII.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Peso (P) formerly the Austral (A) which is divided into 100 Centavos.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $224,013,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; USD $61,534,000,000 (1993). Imports; USD $16,651,000,000 (1993). Exports; USD $12,869,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; USD $3,614,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; USD -$4,002,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 12,305,000 or 38% of total population (1990). Unemployed; 7.3% (1989).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the former USSR, Brazil, the Netherlands, the USA, Japan, Italy, Germany, Chile and Spain.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Apples, Cattle, Citrus Fruits, Coal, Copper, Cotton, Fruit, Fish, Grapes, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Limestone, Maize, Manganese, Mica, Oil and Natural Gas, Olives, Potatoes, Peanuts, Rice, Sheep, Silver, Sorghum, Soya Beans, Sugar, Sunflower Seeds, Timber, Tungsten, Tobacco, Uranium, Wheat, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Machinery, Mining, Petroleum, Plastics, Refining, Steel, Textiles, Vehicles, Wood and Paper Pulp.
MAIN EXPORTS: Animal and Vegetable Oils, Animal Foodstuffs, Chemicals, Fruit and Vegetables, Leather, Machinery, Maize, Meat, Soya Beans, Sugar, Wheat, Wool.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 34,115 km (21,198 mi) (1988), passenger-km 10,221,200,000 (6,351,157,000 passenger-mi) (1988), cargo ton-km 9,010,600,000 (6,171,360,000 short ton-mi) (1988). Roads; length 211,369 km (131,339 mi) (1986). Vehicles; cars 4,088,000 (1989), trucks and buses 1,512,000 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 479 (1990), deadweight tonnage 2,872,288 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 8,431,000,000 (5,239,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km 185,963,000 (127,366,000 short ton-mi) (1990).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 190 with a total circulation of 4,780,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 21,500,000 (1994). Television; receivers 7,165,000 (1994). Telephones; units 4,115,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 67,300 (1995) total active duty personnel with 60.0% army, 26.8% navy and 13.2% air force while military expenditure accounts for 1.7% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
Armenia.
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Armenia
CAPITAL: Yerevan
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Multiparty Republic
AREA: 29,800 Sq Km (11,500 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 3,876,300
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LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: Armenia is a former republic of the USSR. It is bound by Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Turkey to the west and southwest as well as Iran to the southeast. Topographically, the country can be divided into four regions. (1.) The northeastern area of folded back mountains which are the central ranges of the Lesser Caucasus. (2.) The central volcanic area which stretches to the Gukasian and Dzharakhetskii Ranges in the southwest and to the Karabakh Highlands in the southeast. This area also consists of lava plateaux, highlands and massifs with little surface drainage. (3.) The southern area which consists of a broken network of valleys and deep gorges and (4.) the northwestern area which comprises the Ararat Plain that is marked by a flat aggregated relief. The principal rivers are Arak and its tributaries while the largest lake is Lake Sevan. Major Cities (pop. est.); Yerevan 1,250,000, Gyumri 163,000, Kirovakan 76,000 (1989). Land Use; forested 14%, pastures 23%, agricultural-cultivated 19%, other 44% (1993).
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CLIMATE: The climate of Armenia is influenced by the Black and Caspian Seas as well as the surrounding highlands. In general, Armenia has a continental climate with dry hot summers and cold winters. Average annual precipitation varies from 300 to 635 mm (12 to 25 inches) while average temperature ranges are from 16 to 23 degrees Celsius (62 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to -12 to -9 degrees Celsius (10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are Armenians who account for 93% of the population while around 3% are Azerbaijanis. Other ethnic minorities include Ukrainians and Russians.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 119 persons per sq km (309 persons per sq mi) (1993). Urban-Rural; 69.5% urban, 30.5% rural (1991). Sex Distribution; 49.5% male, 50.5% female (1992). Life Expectancy at Birth; 67.4 years male, 73.3 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 30% under 15, 26% 15 to 29, 21% 30 to 44, 14% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 64, 3% 65 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 21.6 per 1,000 (1992). Death Rate; 6.5 per 1,000 (1992). Increase Rate; 15.1 per 1,000 (1992). Infant Mortality Rate; 17.9 per 1,000 live births (1990).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians of the Armenian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Churches.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Armenian while Russian is also widely spoken and each ethnic minority also has its own language.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: primary or no formal schooling 7.4%, incomplete secondary 18.6%, complete secondary 57.7%, higher 13.8% (1989). Literacy; N/A.
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: On Dec. 12, 1991 Armenia declared its independence, although prior to independence its history was closely tied with that of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). In Mar. 1953 Yosef Stalin died and was succeeded by Georgy Malenkov who was in turn forced to relinquish the party leadership to Nikita Khrushchev after a little over one week in power. In 1955 the Warsaw pact militarily aligned the Soviet Union with other communist countries and in Nov. 1956 the Soviet Red Army invaded Hungary to quell uprisings. In 1957 three communist ministers unsuccessfully attempted to depose Khrushchev which resulted in their expulsion from the central committee. In 1962 under Khrushchev's rule the USSR was involved in the Cuban Missile crisis and in the same year relations with China were broken off as a result of ideological differences. In Oct. 1964 Khrushchev was forced to retire and was succeeded by Leonid Brezhnev. In Aug. 1968 the Warsaw Pact forces led by the Red Army invaded Czechoslovakia to halt their Prague Spring reforms. In 1977 Breshnev was elected President. In Nov. 1982 Brezhnev died and was succeeded by Yuri Andropov, the former head of the KGB. Andropov introduced limited economic reforms and established an anti-corruption program. In Feb 1984 Andropov died and was succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko who in turn died on Mar. 10, 1985. On Mar. 11, 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as Chernenko's successor and Gorbachev embarked on a program which restructured the USSR's relations with the West. Gorbachev also established Glasnost (openness) as well as Perestroika (restructuring and reform). In Apr. 1986 a meltdown in the reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine sent radioactive fallout across northern Europe. In Dec. 1987 the USSR and USA signed the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF). In Feb. 1988 a dispute erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh which resulted in mass demonstrations and strikes in the two republics. In Dec. 1988 an earthquake in Armenia killed some 50,000 people. In Apr. 1989 troops violently repressed demonstrations in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. In Dec. 1989 the Lithuanian Parliament adopted multiparty politics. In Jan. 1990 Gorbachev visited Lithuania and was met by some 250,000 pro-independence demonstrators. In Feb. 1990 some 18 people were killed in riots over housing discrimination in Tajikistan. In May 1990 Boris Yeltsin was elected President of the Russian Federation and on Nov. 1, 1990 launched a 500 day plan to give the Russian Republic a free market economy. In June 1990 Nakhichevan an Azerbaijani enclave bordering Iran declared its intention for a unification with Iran while a civil war was escalating between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In the same month around 150 people were killed during ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan. In Jan 1991 another 15 people were killed as the Red Army seized a television station in Lithuania while in Latvia the Soviet Black Berets killed 5 people in an attack on the ministry building. In the same month troops were being deployed in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova. In Mar. 1991 pro-Yeltsin demonstrators held a mass rally. On Aug. 18, 1991 as Gorbachev was vacationing in the Crimea, the Politburo hard liners attempted a coup to remove Gorbachev from power through the declaration of a State of Emergency under the control of a State Committee. Almost immediately republic leaders declared the emergency committee illegal as well as unconstitutional and began to barricade their parliaments as troops and tanks were deployed throughout the republics. By Aug. 20 senior officers had refused to order their troops to use force against the civilians and on Aug. 21, 1991 the coup collapsed as troops were ordered to return to their barracks. Immediately following the unsuccessful coup many republics suspended or purged the communist party and on Sept. 5, 1991 after 3 days of debate the 74 years of centralized communist control came to an end. In Jan. 1992 Armenia became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Since the break-up of the USSR, fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has escalated over the disputed enclave, Nagorno-Karabakh, that has been territory of Azerbaijan since 1923 although the population is predominately Armenian. In Feb. 1992 the Armenian forces captured Khojali providing them with access to the only airfield in the region. This allowed the Armenian forces to ferry in supplies to continue the war and to gain air control thus halting the indiscriminate bombing of Armenian towns and villages there. After taking the enclave a land corridor through Azerbaijani territory was secured linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. The enclave declared its independence as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and requested Armenian recognition. Pres. Levon Ter-Petrosyan refused to recognize the republic arguing that Armenia shouldn't be the first to do so. The Nargorno-Karabakh parliament disagreed with Ter-Petrosyan who was prepared to accept autonomy and free access for the enclave. The conflict with Azerbaijan was bringing economic hardship for Armenia as it had been cut of from its energy resources which forced a slowdown in manufacturing with industrial capacity running at only 18% in October 1992 while the state bank had no foreign reserves and money due from the collapse of the USSR was frozen in the Bank for Foreign Trade in Moscow. During 1993 Armenia was relatively politically stable despite the severe economic hardships and the waning support for Pres. Ter-Petrosyan. In Feb. 1993, Prime Minister Khosrow Arutyunyan was dismissed after a disagreement on the 1993 budget. In July 1993 economic relations with Russia were further strained when the Russian Central Bank decided to withdraw from circulation all pre-1993 banknotes. In Sept. 1993 an opposition standoff and demand for new parliamentary elections to be held in March 1994 was rejected. On Nov. 22, 1993 Armenia officially introduced a new national currency the Dram. Also during 1993 little progress had been made regarding a satisfactory political settlement over the war and disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Foreign relations with Iran, Turkey and Russia deteriorated after Karabakh Armenian forces launch fresh summer offensive in southern Azerbaijan. The offensive was thought to be Yeravan inspired and resulted in Armenia's further political isolation.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dram (D) formerly the Rouble (R) divided into 100 Lumas.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $2,462,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; N/A. Imports; R 290,477,000,000 (1993). Exports; R 155,666,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; R -1,039,000,000 (1990). Economically Active Population; 1,592,000 or 42.4% of total population (1994). Unemployed; 5.6% (1994).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partner is the CIS.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Antimony, Arsenic, Barley, Chromites, Citrus Fruits, Copper, Cotton, Gold, Iron, Limestone, Livestock, Magnesium, Mercury, Molybdenum, Potatoes, Pumice, Silver, Sugar Beets, Tobacco, Wheat, Wine Grapes, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Automobiles, Cement, Ceramics, Chemical and Petrochemical Processing, Electronics, Food Processing, Glass, Machinery and Machine Tools, Construction Materials, Sugar Refining, Textiles, Timber Processing.
MAIN EXPORTS: Automobiles, Ceramics, Chemicals, Electronics, Glass, Machine Tools, Machinery, Petrochemicals, Processed Foods, Textiles, Timber.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 823 km (511 mi) (1991), passenger-km 316,000,000 (196,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km 4,884,000,000 (3,345,000,000 short ton-mi) (1990). Roads; length 7,700 km (4,785 mi) (1991). Vehicles; cars 230,110 (1990). Merchant Marine; nil. Air Transport; passenger-km 5,556,900,000 (3,452,897,000 passenger-mi) (1993), cargo ton-km 49,000,000 (33,560,000 short ton-mi) (1993).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 7 with a total circulation of 82,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 642,000 (1993). Television; receivers 722,000 (1993). Telephones; units 584,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: est. 32,700 (1994) total active duty personnel with 100% army while military expenditure accounts for 2.3% of the Gross National Product (GNP).
CAPITAL: Yerevan
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Multiparty Republic
AREA: 29,800 Sq Km (11,500 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 3,876,300
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LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: Armenia is a former republic of the USSR. It is bound by Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Turkey to the west and southwest as well as Iran to the southeast. Topographically, the country can be divided into four regions. (1.) The northeastern area of folded back mountains which are the central ranges of the Lesser Caucasus. (2.) The central volcanic area which stretches to the Gukasian and Dzharakhetskii Ranges in the southwest and to the Karabakh Highlands in the southeast. This area also consists of lava plateaux, highlands and massifs with little surface drainage. (3.) The southern area which consists of a broken network of valleys and deep gorges and (4.) the northwestern area which comprises the Ararat Plain that is marked by a flat aggregated relief. The principal rivers are Arak and its tributaries while the largest lake is Lake Sevan. Major Cities (pop. est.); Yerevan 1,250,000, Gyumri 163,000, Kirovakan 76,000 (1989). Land Use; forested 14%, pastures 23%, agricultural-cultivated 19%, other 44% (1993).
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CLIMATE: The climate of Armenia is influenced by the Black and Caspian Seas as well as the surrounding highlands. In general, Armenia has a continental climate with dry hot summers and cold winters. Average annual precipitation varies from 300 to 635 mm (12 to 25 inches) while average temperature ranges are from 16 to 23 degrees Celsius (62 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to -12 to -9 degrees Celsius (10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are Armenians who account for 93% of the population while around 3% are Azerbaijanis. Other ethnic minorities include Ukrainians and Russians.
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 119 persons per sq km (309 persons per sq mi) (1993). Urban-Rural; 69.5% urban, 30.5% rural (1991). Sex Distribution; 49.5% male, 50.5% female (1992). Life Expectancy at Birth; 67.4 years male, 73.3 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 30% under 15, 26% 15 to 29, 21% 30 to 44, 14% 45 to 59, 6% 60 to 64, 3% 65 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 21.6 per 1,000 (1992). Death Rate; 6.5 per 1,000 (1992). Increase Rate; 15.1 per 1,000 (1992). Infant Mortality Rate; 17.9 per 1,000 live births (1990).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians of the Armenian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Churches.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is Armenian while Russian is also widely spoken and each ethnic minority also has its own language.
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EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: primary or no formal schooling 7.4%, incomplete secondary 18.6%, complete secondary 57.7%, higher 13.8% (1989). Literacy; N/A.
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: On Dec. 12, 1991 Armenia declared its independence, although prior to independence its history was closely tied with that of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). In Mar. 1953 Yosef Stalin died and was succeeded by Georgy Malenkov who was in turn forced to relinquish the party leadership to Nikita Khrushchev after a little over one week in power. In 1955 the Warsaw pact militarily aligned the Soviet Union with other communist countries and in Nov. 1956 the Soviet Red Army invaded Hungary to quell uprisings. In 1957 three communist ministers unsuccessfully attempted to depose Khrushchev which resulted in their expulsion from the central committee. In 1962 under Khrushchev's rule the USSR was involved in the Cuban Missile crisis and in the same year relations with China were broken off as a result of ideological differences. In Oct. 1964 Khrushchev was forced to retire and was succeeded by Leonid Brezhnev. In Aug. 1968 the Warsaw Pact forces led by the Red Army invaded Czechoslovakia to halt their Prague Spring reforms. In 1977 Breshnev was elected President. In Nov. 1982 Brezhnev died and was succeeded by Yuri Andropov, the former head of the KGB. Andropov introduced limited economic reforms and established an anti-corruption program. In Feb 1984 Andropov died and was succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko who in turn died on Mar. 10, 1985. On Mar. 11, 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as Chernenko's successor and Gorbachev embarked on a program which restructured the USSR's relations with the West. Gorbachev also established Glasnost (openness) as well as Perestroika (restructuring and reform). In Apr. 1986 a meltdown in the reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine sent radioactive fallout across northern Europe. In Dec. 1987 the USSR and USA signed the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF). In Feb. 1988 a dispute erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh which resulted in mass demonstrations and strikes in the two republics. In Dec. 1988 an earthquake in Armenia killed some 50,000 people. In Apr. 1989 troops violently repressed demonstrations in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. In Dec. 1989 the Lithuanian Parliament adopted multiparty politics. In Jan. 1990 Gorbachev visited Lithuania and was met by some 250,000 pro-independence demonstrators. In Feb. 1990 some 18 people were killed in riots over housing discrimination in Tajikistan. In May 1990 Boris Yeltsin was elected President of the Russian Federation and on Nov. 1, 1990 launched a 500 day plan to give the Russian Republic a free market economy. In June 1990 Nakhichevan an Azerbaijani enclave bordering Iran declared its intention for a unification with Iran while a civil war was escalating between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In the same month around 150 people were killed during ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan. In Jan 1991 another 15 people were killed as the Red Army seized a television station in Lithuania while in Latvia the Soviet Black Berets killed 5 people in an attack on the ministry building. In the same month troops were being deployed in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova. In Mar. 1991 pro-Yeltsin demonstrators held a mass rally. On Aug. 18, 1991 as Gorbachev was vacationing in the Crimea, the Politburo hard liners attempted a coup to remove Gorbachev from power through the declaration of a State of Emergency under the control of a State Committee. Almost immediately republic leaders declared the emergency committee illegal as well as unconstitutional and began to barricade their parliaments as troops and tanks were deployed throughout the republics. By Aug. 20 senior officers had refused to order their troops to use force against the civilians and on Aug. 21, 1991 the coup collapsed as troops were ordered to return to their barracks. Immediately following the unsuccessful coup many republics suspended or purged the communist party and on Sept. 5, 1991 after 3 days of debate the 74 years of centralized communist control came to an end. In Jan. 1992 Armenia became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Since the break-up of the USSR, fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan has escalated over the disputed enclave, Nagorno-Karabakh, that has been territory of Azerbaijan since 1923 although the population is predominately Armenian. In Feb. 1992 the Armenian forces captured Khojali providing them with access to the only airfield in the region. This allowed the Armenian forces to ferry in supplies to continue the war and to gain air control thus halting the indiscriminate bombing of Armenian towns and villages there. After taking the enclave a land corridor through Azerbaijani territory was secured linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. The enclave declared its independence as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and requested Armenian recognition. Pres. Levon Ter-Petrosyan refused to recognize the republic arguing that Armenia shouldn't be the first to do so. The Nargorno-Karabakh parliament disagreed with Ter-Petrosyan who was prepared to accept autonomy and free access for the enclave. The conflict with Azerbaijan was bringing economic hardship for Armenia as it had been cut of from its energy resources which forced a slowdown in manufacturing with industrial capacity running at only 18% in October 1992 while the state bank had no foreign reserves and money due from the collapse of the USSR was frozen in the Bank for Foreign Trade in Moscow. During 1993 Armenia was relatively politically stable despite the severe economic hardships and the waning support for Pres. Ter-Petrosyan. In Feb. 1993, Prime Minister Khosrow Arutyunyan was dismissed after a disagreement on the 1993 budget. In July 1993 economic relations with Russia were further strained when the Russian Central Bank decided to withdraw from circulation all pre-1993 banknotes. In Sept. 1993 an opposition standoff and demand for new parliamentary elections to be held in March 1994 was rejected. On Nov. 22, 1993 Armenia officially introduced a new national currency the Dram. Also during 1993 little progress had been made regarding a satisfactory political settlement over the war and disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Foreign relations with Iran, Turkey and Russia deteriorated after Karabakh Armenian forces launch fresh summer offensive in southern Azerbaijan. The offensive was thought to be Yeravan inspired and resulted in Armenia's further political isolation.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dram (D) formerly the Rouble (R) divided into 100 Lumas.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $2,462,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; N/A. Imports; R 290,477,000,000 (1993). Exports; R 155,666,000,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; N/A. Balance of Trade; R -1,039,000,000 (1990). Economically Active Population; 1,592,000 or 42.4% of total population (1994). Unemployed; 5.6% (1994).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partner is the CIS.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Antimony, Arsenic, Barley, Chromites, Citrus Fruits, Copper, Cotton, Gold, Iron, Limestone, Livestock, Magnesium, Mercury, Molybdenum, Potatoes, Pumice, Silver, Sugar Beets, Tobacco, Wheat, Wine Grapes, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Automobiles, Cement, Ceramics, Chemical and Petrochemical Processing, Electronics, Food Processing, Glass, Machinery and Machine Tools, Construction Materials, Sugar Refining, Textiles, Timber Processing.
MAIN EXPORTS: Automobiles, Ceramics, Chemicals, Electronics, Glass, Machine Tools, Machinery, Petrochemicals, Processed Foods, Textiles, Timber.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 823 km (511 mi) (1991), passenger-km 316,000,000 (196,000,000 passenger-mi) (1990), cargo ton-km 4,884,000,000 (3,345,000,000 short ton-mi) (1990). Roads; length 7,700 km (4,785 mi) (1991). Vehicles; cars 230,110 (1990). Merchant Marine; nil. Air Transport; passenger-km 5,556,900,000 (3,452,897,000 passenger-mi) (1993), cargo ton-km 49,000,000 (33,560,000 short ton-mi) (1993).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 7 with a total circulation of 82,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 642,000 (1993). Television; receivers 722,000 (1993). Telephones; units 584,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: est. 32,700 (1994) total active duty personnel with 100% army while military expenditure accounts for 2.3% of the Gross National Product (GNP).
Australia.
OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia
CAPITAL: Canberra
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal Multiparty Parliamentary State with Sovereign Monarchy
AREA: 7,686,850 Sq Km (2,967,710 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 18,594,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Australia is the smallest continent in the world. Lying southeast of Asia, it is bound by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Coral Sea to the northeast, the Timor Sea to the northwest, the Indian Ocean to the west and the Tasman Sea to the southeast. The continent consists largely of plains and plateaux, and can be divided into three principal topographical regions. (1.) The Western Plateau which is a vast desert and semidesert region that covers almost 66% of the land area and is comprised of ancient rocks similar to those of Africa. The Western Plateau has an average elevation of 305 metres (1,000 feet) and is relieved by the Hamersley Range to the west, the Kimberley Ranges and the valleys of Arnhem Land to the north-central as well as the Macdonnell, Musgrave and Petermann Ranges to the East. Also located on the plateau are the country's four major deserts - the Gibson, Great Sandy, Great Victoria and Simpson as well as a massive monolith known as Ayers Rock which rises over 335 metres (1,100 feet). The plateau is also surrounded by escarpments, of which the most unusual is the Nullarbor Plain a flat, smooth, barren lowland that stretches inland along the Great Australian Bight. (2.) The Central Eastern Lowlands which comprises Lake Eyre as well as the Murray, Darling and Gulf of Carpentaria drainage basins stretch from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to Western Victoria in the south. The average elevation of the Central Eastern Lowlands is only 152 metres (500 feet) and falls to 12 metres (40 feet) below sea-level at Lake Eyre. The Great Artesian Basin also found beneath the Central Eastern Lowlands is the largest artesian basin in the world and accounts for approximately 20% of the continent. (3.) The Eastern Highlands also described as the Great Dividing Range consist of a complex belt of tablelands, ridges and coastal ranges stretching from Cape York in northern Queensland to southern Victoria, and again resurfacing across Bass Strait in Tasmania. The Eastern Highlands have an average elevation of under 914 metres (3,000 feet) and are low and broad in the north, while tablelands characterized by the New England Plateau and the Blue Mountains are located in the central region. In the south the highlands pass through the Australian Alps and the Snowy Mountains, and across Victoria. The Eastern Highlands also contain a number of rivers, although many are short and swift with the Murray River the longest while its chief tributaries are the Darling, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers. Major Cities (pop. est.); Sydney 3,739,000, Melbourne 3,198,000, Brisbane 1,455,000, Perth 1,239,000, Adelaide 1,076,000, Newcastle 460,000, Canberra 328,000, Gold Coast 314,000, Woollongong 251,000, Hobart 194,000 (1994). Land Use; pastures 54%, agricultural-cultivated 6%, other including forests, deserts and urban 40% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Australia's climatic conditions are characterized by warmth, little rain, clear skies and sunshine while temperature ranges are moderate with the absence of an intense cold winter. The continent can be divided into several climatic zones, an arid and semiarid interior, the monsoonal north and the sub-humid to humid east. Australia can experience hurricanes and cyclones on both coasts mainly on the northeast and northwest while droughts are also common. Although droughts are generally limited, severe national droughts have occurred. More than 33% of the country has an average annual precipitation under 260 mm (10 inches) while less than 33% receives over 500 mm (19.5 inches). Average temperature ranges in Sydney are from 8 to 16 degrees Celsius (46 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 18 to 26 degrees Celsius (64 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Whites who account for 95% of the population and are principally of British descent. However, around 22% of the population were born abroad with principal ethnic groups including Italians, Croats, Serbs, Greeks, Maltese, Germans, Dutch, Asians, New Zealanders, North Americans and South Africans. The native Aboriginal population accounts for around 1.5% of the population while Asians account for 1.3%
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 2.3 persons per sq km (6 persons per sq mi) (1993). Urban-Rural; 85.4% urban, 14.6% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 49.9% male, 50.1% female (1991). Life Expectancy at Birth; 74.4 years male, 80.3 years female (1991). Age Breakdown; 22% under 15, 24% 15 to 29, 23% 30 to 44, 15% 45 to 59, 11% 60 to 74, 5% 75 and over (1991). Birth Rate; 15.1 per 1,000 (1992). Death Rate; 7.1 per 1,000 (1992). Increase Rate; 8.0 per 1,000 (1992). Infant Mortality Rate; 7.0 per 1,000 live births (1992).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians, of which 52% of the population are Protestant or Anglican, 25% are Roman Catholic and 3% are Greek Orthodox. Other minorities include Muslims as well as Buddhists and both account for less than 1% each.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is English, although Aboriginal and other numerous ethnic immigrant languages are also spoken.
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EDUCATION: Aged 15 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 0.3%, primary and secondary 56.1%, post secondary 34.0%, university 9.6% (1992). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 99.5% (1990).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: After World War II Australia had an open door policy towards displaced European refugees which resulted in an influx of immigrants. In 1947 Prime Minister Ben Chifley unsuccessfully attempted to nationalize the country's banks and Australia became one of the original members of the UN. In 1949 Sir Robert Menzies was elected Prime Minister of a Liberal coalition government and in the same year Australia contributed forces to a UN command in the Korean War. In 1950 Australia became a member of the Colombo Plan to aid underdeveloped South and South East Asian countries. In 1951 Australia signed the ANZUS Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In 1954 Australia became a member of South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and in 1965 Australian troops were sent to Vietnam. During the late 1960's Aborigines were granted the right to vote and to claim social benefits. In 1966 Prime Minister Menzies retired and Harold Holt replaced him as head of the coalition government. In 1967 Harold Holt mysteriously disappeared and was presumed to have died during a swimming accident when swept out to sea. Prime Minister Holt was replaced by John Gorton who was in turn succeeded by William McMahon in 1971. In 1972 Gough Whitlam leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) won power and in 1974 Prime Minister Whitlam dissolved both houses of Parliament. In 1975 the Senate blocked the government's money bills and in Nov. 1975 Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Whitlam and dissolved the Senate which resulted in angry protests and demonstrations. In Dec. 1975 Malcolm Fraser who was appointed interim Prime Minister by the Governor-General was elected as head of another Liberal coalition government which held office until 1983. In Mar. 1983 Robert (Bob) Hawke was elected Prime Minister under an ALP government. In Dec. 1983 the government embarked on a program of economic deregulation and in 1984 legislation was approved which granted greater protection to sacred Aboriginal sites. In Oct. 1985 Ayers Rock was transferred to an Mutijulu Aboriginal Community and then leased back to the government for a period of 99 years. In 1986 the Australian Act gave the country full independence from Britain while still retaining its Commonwealth membership and the Queen as its sovereign head of state. In July 1987 Prime Minister Hawke was re-elected for his third term in office and in the same year a Royal Commission was set up to investigate the death rates of Aborigines in police custody. In 1988 Australia celebrated its bi-centenary of colonization. In Mar 1990 the ALP with Prime Minister Hawke was re-elected for another term. In 1990 Australia sent three war ships to the US-led coalition forces that liberated Kuwait after Iraq had invaded and annexed Kuwait in Aug. 1990. In July 1991 the government controversially banned the mining of Coronation Hill in the Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory over Aboriginal land rights. In Dec. 1991 the former ALP treasurer, Paul Keating replaced Bob Hawke as party leader and Prime Minister ending several months of internal party conflict. Also during 1991 as a result of the deepening recession there were spectacular collapses of several major banks and corporations on a large scale. Royal commissions such as the infamous "WA Inc" investigating a coalition of corporate and political corruption and misappropriation of government monies as well as trials of the more famous bankrupts soon followed. During 1991 foreign relations with the USA over wheat subsidies and Malaysia over the screening of a television series called "Embassy" which they saw as mocking their country and disrespectful to Islam were also damaged. In Feb. 1992 Bob Hawke resigned from his safe Labor seat of Wills forcing a by-election which resulted in the election of an independent, Phil Cleary. Also during 1992 Bob Hawke reneged on his promise not to undermine the Prime Minister, by publicly attacking Keating. Further woes for the ALP included damage as a result of a scandal involving the arrest of a relative of the Labor power-broker Senator Graham Richardson on a forgery charge. Sen. Richardson was latter forced to resign over his relationship with this relative while in South Australia the Labor Premier was also forced to resign over the losses of a State-owned bank. Relations with the UK also soured in 1992 with Keating calling for the establishment of an Australian republic and accusations of British abandonment of Australia and South East Asia to the Japanese in WWII during the Queens royal tour in Feb. 1992. During 1992 Keating also incited hot nationalistic debate over his call for a new national flag while relations with the USA continued to be strain over grain subsidies and relations with Malaysia improved after production of the program "Embassy" ceased. On Mar. 13, 1993 snap elections resulted in the ALP being re-elected for a record fifth term. Although the opposition were defeated John Hewson was re-elected as leader of the Liberal Party and appointed a shadow ministry that included a record number of five women. Also during 1993 Keating setup a Republican Advisory Committee of prominent Australians which keep the republican issue under debate. Additionally, debate also centered on the High Court's Mabo decision which recognized native land title and established a new entitlement to land for the indigenous inhabitants. On Sept. 2, 1993 Keating released a draft of proposed legislation, which included the establishment of a federal tribunal to grant compensation for dispossessed Aborigines and Islanders, to deal with the problems that arose with the ruling. The legislation was ratified by both houses of Parliament on Deck. 22, 1993 to take effect on Jan. 1, 1994. During 1993 foreign relations were focused on mending the "trade" rift between Australia and the USA, and cementing good foreign relations with the US. The economy also show signs of recovery with the stabilizing factor of low inflation and a steady rise in the stock exchange, although unemployment remain high and the government had enormous difficulties with its proposed budget requiring revision three times.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dollar (AUD) divided into 100 Cents.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $310,050,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; AUD $80,948,000,000 (1993). Imports; AUD $66,910,000,000 (1994). Exports; AUD $62,839,000,000 (1994). Tourism Receipts; USD $4,655,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; AUD -$5,021,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 9,003,000 or 49.5% of total population (1995). Unemployed; 7.9% (1995).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are China, Japan, Egypt, Indonesia and the former USSR.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Bauxite, Cattle, Coal, Copper, Diamonds, Fish, Fruit, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Maize, Manganese, Natural Gas, Nickel, Oats, Opals, Oil, Pigs, Rice, Rutile, Sheep, Sorghum, Sugar cane, Timber, Tin, Tobacco, Tungsten, Uranium, Vegetables, Wheat, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Aluminum Refining and Smelting, Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Iron and Steel, Light Engineering, Machinery, Mining, Oil and Gas Production, Textiles and Clothing, Vehicles, Wool and Hide Processing.
MAIN EXPORTS: Alumina, Aluminum, Beef, Coal, Iron Ore, Manufactured Goods, Petroleum Products, Various Minerals, Veal, Wheat, Wool.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 37,295 km (23,174 mi) (1991), passenger-km 2,187,120,000 (1,359,013,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 53,163,000,000 (36,411,000,000 short ton-mi) (1991). Roads; length 810,264 km (503,475 mi) (1990). Vehicles; cars 7,913,200 (1992), trucks and buses 2,041,300 (1992). Merchant Marine; vessels 695 (1992), deadweight tonnage 3,857,271 (1992). Air Transport; passenger-km 41,279,000,000 (25,650,000,000 passenger-mi) (1991), cargo ton-km 2,578,029,000 (1,765,692,000 short ton-mi) (1991).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 69 with a total circulation of 4,600,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 20,000,000 (1994). Television; receivers 8,000,000 (1994). Telephones; units 8,540,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 56,100 (1995) total active duty personnel with 42.2% army, 26.7% navy and 31.1% air force while military expenditure accounts for 2.4% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
CAPITAL: Canberra
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal Multiparty Parliamentary State with Sovereign Monarchy
AREA: 7,686,850 Sq Km (2,967,710 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 18,594,000
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LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Australia is the smallest continent in the world. Lying southeast of Asia, it is bound by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Coral Sea to the northeast, the Timor Sea to the northwest, the Indian Ocean to the west and the Tasman Sea to the southeast. The continent consists largely of plains and plateaux, and can be divided into three principal topographical regions. (1.) The Western Plateau which is a vast desert and semidesert region that covers almost 66% of the land area and is comprised of ancient rocks similar to those of Africa. The Western Plateau has an average elevation of 305 metres (1,000 feet) and is relieved by the Hamersley Range to the west, the Kimberley Ranges and the valleys of Arnhem Land to the north-central as well as the Macdonnell, Musgrave and Petermann Ranges to the East. Also located on the plateau are the country's four major deserts - the Gibson, Great Sandy, Great Victoria and Simpson as well as a massive monolith known as Ayers Rock which rises over 335 metres (1,100 feet). The plateau is also surrounded by escarpments, of which the most unusual is the Nullarbor Plain a flat, smooth, barren lowland that stretches inland along the Great Australian Bight. (2.) The Central Eastern Lowlands which comprises Lake Eyre as well as the Murray, Darling and Gulf of Carpentaria drainage basins stretch from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to Western Victoria in the south. The average elevation of the Central Eastern Lowlands is only 152 metres (500 feet) and falls to 12 metres (40 feet) below sea-level at Lake Eyre. The Great Artesian Basin also found beneath the Central Eastern Lowlands is the largest artesian basin in the world and accounts for approximately 20% of the continent. (3.) The Eastern Highlands also described as the Great Dividing Range consist of a complex belt of tablelands, ridges and coastal ranges stretching from Cape York in northern Queensland to southern Victoria, and again resurfacing across Bass Strait in Tasmania. The Eastern Highlands have an average elevation of under 914 metres (3,000 feet) and are low and broad in the north, while tablelands characterized by the New England Plateau and the Blue Mountains are located in the central region. In the south the highlands pass through the Australian Alps and the Snowy Mountains, and across Victoria. The Eastern Highlands also contain a number of rivers, although many are short and swift with the Murray River the longest while its chief tributaries are the Darling, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers. Major Cities (pop. est.); Sydney 3,739,000, Melbourne 3,198,000, Brisbane 1,455,000, Perth 1,239,000, Adelaide 1,076,000, Newcastle 460,000, Canberra 328,000, Gold Coast 314,000, Woollongong 251,000, Hobart 194,000 (1994). Land Use; pastures 54%, agricultural-cultivated 6%, other including forests, deserts and urban 40% (1993).
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CLIMATE: Australia's climatic conditions are characterized by warmth, little rain, clear skies and sunshine while temperature ranges are moderate with the absence of an intense cold winter. The continent can be divided into several climatic zones, an arid and semiarid interior, the monsoonal north and the sub-humid to humid east. Australia can experience hurricanes and cyclones on both coasts mainly on the northeast and northwest while droughts are also common. Although droughts are generally limited, severe national droughts have occurred. More than 33% of the country has an average annual precipitation under 260 mm (10 inches) while less than 33% receives over 500 mm (19.5 inches). Average temperature ranges in Sydney are from 8 to 16 degrees Celsius (46 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 18 to 26 degrees Celsius (64 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
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PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Whites who account for 95% of the population and are principally of British descent. However, around 22% of the population were born abroad with principal ethnic groups including Italians, Croats, Serbs, Greeks, Maltese, Germans, Dutch, Asians, New Zealanders, North Americans and South Africans. The native Aboriginal population accounts for around 1.5% of the population while Asians account for 1.3%
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DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 2.3 persons per sq km (6 persons per sq mi) (1993). Urban-Rural; 85.4% urban, 14.6% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 49.9% male, 50.1% female (1991). Life Expectancy at Birth; 74.4 years male, 80.3 years female (1991). Age Breakdown; 22% under 15, 24% 15 to 29, 23% 30 to 44, 15% 45 to 59, 11% 60 to 74, 5% 75 and over (1991). Birth Rate; 15.1 per 1,000 (1992). Death Rate; 7.1 per 1,000 (1992). Increase Rate; 8.0 per 1,000 (1992). Infant Mortality Rate; 7.0 per 1,000 live births (1992).
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RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians, of which 52% of the population are Protestant or Anglican, 25% are Roman Catholic and 3% are Greek Orthodox. Other minorities include Muslims as well as Buddhists and both account for less than 1% each.
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LANGUAGES: The official language is English, although Aboriginal and other numerous ethnic immigrant languages are also spoken.
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EDUCATION: Aged 15 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 0.3%, primary and secondary 56.1%, post secondary 34.0%, university 9.6% (1992). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 99.5% (1990).
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MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: After World War II Australia had an open door policy towards displaced European refugees which resulted in an influx of immigrants. In 1947 Prime Minister Ben Chifley unsuccessfully attempted to nationalize the country's banks and Australia became one of the original members of the UN. In 1949 Sir Robert Menzies was elected Prime Minister of a Liberal coalition government and in the same year Australia contributed forces to a UN command in the Korean War. In 1950 Australia became a member of the Colombo Plan to aid underdeveloped South and South East Asian countries. In 1951 Australia signed the ANZUS Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In 1954 Australia became a member of South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and in 1965 Australian troops were sent to Vietnam. During the late 1960's Aborigines were granted the right to vote and to claim social benefits. In 1966 Prime Minister Menzies retired and Harold Holt replaced him as head of the coalition government. In 1967 Harold Holt mysteriously disappeared and was presumed to have died during a swimming accident when swept out to sea. Prime Minister Holt was replaced by John Gorton who was in turn succeeded by William McMahon in 1971. In 1972 Gough Whitlam leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) won power and in 1974 Prime Minister Whitlam dissolved both houses of Parliament. In 1975 the Senate blocked the government's money bills and in Nov. 1975 Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Whitlam and dissolved the Senate which resulted in angry protests and demonstrations. In Dec. 1975 Malcolm Fraser who was appointed interim Prime Minister by the Governor-General was elected as head of another Liberal coalition government which held office until 1983. In Mar. 1983 Robert (Bob) Hawke was elected Prime Minister under an ALP government. In Dec. 1983 the government embarked on a program of economic deregulation and in 1984 legislation was approved which granted greater protection to sacred Aboriginal sites. In Oct. 1985 Ayers Rock was transferred to an Mutijulu Aboriginal Community and then leased back to the government for a period of 99 years. In 1986 the Australian Act gave the country full independence from Britain while still retaining its Commonwealth membership and the Queen as its sovereign head of state. In July 1987 Prime Minister Hawke was re-elected for his third term in office and in the same year a Royal Commission was set up to investigate the death rates of Aborigines in police custody. In 1988 Australia celebrated its bi-centenary of colonization. In Mar 1990 the ALP with Prime Minister Hawke was re-elected for another term. In 1990 Australia sent three war ships to the US-led coalition forces that liberated Kuwait after Iraq had invaded and annexed Kuwait in Aug. 1990. In July 1991 the government controversially banned the mining of Coronation Hill in the Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory over Aboriginal land rights. In Dec. 1991 the former ALP treasurer, Paul Keating replaced Bob Hawke as party leader and Prime Minister ending several months of internal party conflict. Also during 1991 as a result of the deepening recession there were spectacular collapses of several major banks and corporations on a large scale. Royal commissions such as the infamous "WA Inc" investigating a coalition of corporate and political corruption and misappropriation of government monies as well as trials of the more famous bankrupts soon followed. During 1991 foreign relations with the USA over wheat subsidies and Malaysia over the screening of a television series called "Embassy" which they saw as mocking their country and disrespectful to Islam were also damaged. In Feb. 1992 Bob Hawke resigned from his safe Labor seat of Wills forcing a by-election which resulted in the election of an independent, Phil Cleary. Also during 1992 Bob Hawke reneged on his promise not to undermine the Prime Minister, by publicly attacking Keating. Further woes for the ALP included damage as a result of a scandal involving the arrest of a relative of the Labor power-broker Senator Graham Richardson on a forgery charge. Sen. Richardson was latter forced to resign over his relationship with this relative while in South Australia the Labor Premier was also forced to resign over the losses of a State-owned bank. Relations with the UK also soured in 1992 with Keating calling for the establishment of an Australian republic and accusations of British abandonment of Australia and South East Asia to the Japanese in WWII during the Queens royal tour in Feb. 1992. During 1992 Keating also incited hot nationalistic debate over his call for a new national flag while relations with the USA continued to be strain over grain subsidies and relations with Malaysia improved after production of the program "Embassy" ceased. On Mar. 13, 1993 snap elections resulted in the ALP being re-elected for a record fifth term. Although the opposition were defeated John Hewson was re-elected as leader of the Liberal Party and appointed a shadow ministry that included a record number of five women. Also during 1993 Keating setup a Republican Advisory Committee of prominent Australians which keep the republican issue under debate. Additionally, debate also centered on the High Court's Mabo decision which recognized native land title and established a new entitlement to land for the indigenous inhabitants. On Sept. 2, 1993 Keating released a draft of proposed legislation, which included the establishment of a federal tribunal to grant compensation for dispossessed Aborigines and Islanders, to deal with the problems that arose with the ruling. The legislation was ratified by both houses of Parliament on Deck. 22, 1993 to take effect on Jan. 1, 1994. During 1993 foreign relations were focused on mending the "trade" rift between Australia and the USA, and cementing good foreign relations with the US. The economy also show signs of recovery with the stabilizing factor of low inflation and a steady rise in the stock exchange, although unemployment remain high and the government had enormous difficulties with its proposed budget requiring revision three times.
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CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dollar (AUD) divided into 100 Cents.
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ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $310,050,000,000 (1993). Public Debt; AUD $80,948,000,000 (1993). Imports; AUD $66,910,000,000 (1994). Exports; AUD $62,839,000,000 (1994). Tourism Receipts; USD $4,655,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; AUD -$5,021,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 9,003,000 or 49.5% of total population (1995). Unemployed; 7.9% (1995).
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are China, Japan, Egypt, Indonesia and the former USSR.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Barley, Bauxite, Cattle, Coal, Copper, Diamonds, Fish, Fruit, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Maize, Manganese, Natural Gas, Nickel, Oats, Opals, Oil, Pigs, Rice, Rutile, Sheep, Sorghum, Sugar cane, Timber, Tin, Tobacco, Tungsten, Uranium, Vegetables, Wheat, Zinc.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Aluminum Refining and Smelting, Cement, Chemicals, Fishing, Food Processing, Forestry, Iron and Steel, Light Engineering, Machinery, Mining, Oil and Gas Production, Textiles and Clothing, Vehicles, Wool and Hide Processing.
MAIN EXPORTS: Alumina, Aluminum, Beef, Coal, Iron Ore, Manufactured Goods, Petroleum Products, Various Minerals, Veal, Wheat, Wool.
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TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 37,295 km (23,174 mi) (1991), passenger-km 2,187,120,000 (1,359,013,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 53,163,000,000 (36,411,000,000 short ton-mi) (1991). Roads; length 810,264 km (503,475 mi) (1990). Vehicles; cars 7,913,200 (1992), trucks and buses 2,041,300 (1992). Merchant Marine; vessels 695 (1992), deadweight tonnage 3,857,271 (1992). Air Transport; passenger-km 41,279,000,000 (25,650,000,000 passenger-mi) (1991), cargo ton-km 2,578,029,000 (1,765,692,000 short ton-mi) (1991).
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COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 69 with a total circulation of 4,600,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 20,000,000 (1994). Television; receivers 8,000,000 (1994). Telephones; units 8,540,000 (1993).
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MILITARY: 56,100 (1995) total active duty personnel with 42.2% army, 26.7% navy and 31.1% air force while military expenditure accounts for 2.4% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
