religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists); New Beginnings Movement (NBM)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston
mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (809) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (809) 926-6743
Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles-green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
@Jamaica:Economy
Economy-overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal policies have helped slow inflation and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in the slow-down of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in 1995. In 1996, GDP was in negative growth (-1.4%) and remained so in 1997. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy. Jamaica’s medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the labor environment, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$9.5 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -1.4% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,660 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 37%
services: 55% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 17% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.14 million (1996)
by occupation: services 41%, agriculture 22.5%, industry 19%, unemployed 17.5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3 billion
expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.163 billion (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 1.182 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 3.87 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,503 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk
Exports:
total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum partners: US 37%, UK 13%, Canada 12%, Netherlands 9%, Norway 7%
Imports:
total value: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals
partners: US 52%, Trinidad and Tobago 8%, Japan 6%, UK 4%, Canada 3%
Debt-external: $3.2 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $306 million (1996)
Currency: 1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1-36.051 (November 1997), 37.120 (1996), 35.142 (1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 350,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1997)
Radios: 1.973 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 8
Televisions: 330,000 (1992 est.)
@Jamaica:Transportation
Railways:
total: 370 km
standard gauge: 370 km 1.435-m gauge; note-207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway Corporation in common carrier service, but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite
Highways:
total: 18,700 km
paved: 13,100 km
unpaved: 5,600 km (gravel 3,200 km; improved earth 2,400 km) (1997 est.)
Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km
Ports and harbors: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Longswharf
Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,931 GRT/10,545 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 36 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 23 (1997 est.)
@Jamaica:Military
Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 703,697 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 496,276 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 25,525 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $47.9 million (FY97/98 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Jamaica:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program
______________________________________________________________________
JAN MAYEN
(territory of Norway)
@Jan Mayen:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland
Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area:
total: 373 sq km
land: 373 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 124.1 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
@Jan Mayen:People
Population: no permanent inhabitants
note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran) C base and the weather and coastal services radio station
@Jan Mayen:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen
Data code: JN
Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Norway)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Norway)
Flag description: the flag of Norway is used
@Jan Mayen:Economy
Economy-overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway’s radio and meteorological stations located on the island.
Communications
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: radio and meteorological station
@Jan Mayen:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Jan Mayen:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
@Jan Mayen:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JAPAN
@Japan:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 377,835 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
water: 3,091 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits-La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 67%
other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 27,820 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis
Environment-current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan’s appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
Environment-international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography-note: strategic location in northeast Asia
@Japan:People
Population: 125,931,533 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 9,802,921; female 9,342,254) 15-64 years: 69% (male 43,486,840; female 43,135,979) 65 years and over: 16% (male 8,388,242; female 11,775,297) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.2% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 10.26 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.94 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80 years
male: 76.91 years
female: 83.25 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups: Japanese 99.4%, other 0.6% (mostly Korean)
Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Languages: Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1970 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Japan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
Data code: JA
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Tokyo
Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
National holiday: Birthday of the Emperor, 23 December (1933)
Constitution: 3 May 1947
Legal system: modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Ryutaro HASHIMOTO (since 11 January 1996); note-an acting prime minister-determined upon a rotational basis-serves when Prime Minister HASHIMOTO is out of the country cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the emperor is a constitutional monarch; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (252 seats; one-half of the members elected every three years-76 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 50 of which are elected from a single nationwide list with voters casting ballots by party; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (500 seats-200 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Councillors-last held 23 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 1998); House of Representatives-last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held by October 2000)
election results: House of Councillors-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party – LDP 110, NFP 56, SDP 38, JCP 14, Sakigake 3, others 19, independents 12; note-the distribution of seats as of April 1998 is as follows-LDP 118, DPJ 41, Komei 24, SDP 21, JCP 14, Liberal Party 12, Sakigake 3, Reform Club 3, others 14, vacancies 2; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party-LDP 240, NFP 142, DPJ 52, JCP 26, SDP 15, Sun Party 10, others 15; note-the distribution of seats as of April 1998 is as follows – LDP 261, DPJ 93, Liberal Party 40, New Peace Party 37, JCP 26, SDP 15, Reform Club 9, Sakigake 2, others 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the emperor after designation by the cabinet, all other justices are appointed by the cabinet
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ryutaro HASHIMOTO, president, Koichi KATO, secretary general; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Takako DOI, chairperson, Tadatoshi AKIBA, secretary general; Sakigake (Harbinger), Akiko DOMOTO, chairperson, Hiroyuki SONODA, secretary general; Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), Naoto KAN, leader, Tsutomu HATA, secretary general; Japan Communist Party (JCP), Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Kazuo SHII, secretary general; Komei, Toshiko HAMAYOTSU, chief; Liberal Party, Ichiro OZAWA, president, Takeshi NODA, secretary general; New Peace Party, Takenori KANZAKI, leader, Tetsuzo FUYUBASHI, secretary general; Reform Club, Tatsuo OZAWA, leader, Katsuyuki ISHIDA, secretary general note: subsequent to the last legislative elections, the New Frontier Party (NFP) disbanded; the Sun Party was formed by former NFP members, but later disbanded; the DPJ was formed by former members of the SDP and Sakigake and, in April 1998, was joined by three additional parties which had formed after the NFP disbanded; Reform Club, New Peace Party, and Liberal Party were formed in January 1998 after the NFP disbanded
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 2, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kunihiko SAITO chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas S. FOLEY embassy: 10-5, Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku (107), Tokyo mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-0001 telephone: [81] (3) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (3) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
@Japan:Economy
Economy-overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (roughly 1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most powerful economy in the world. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force; this guarantee is eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world’s largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in 1992-95 largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Growth picked up to 3.9% in 1996, largely a reflection of stimulative fiscal and monetary policies as well as low rates of inflation. But in 1997 growth fell back to 1%. As a result of the expansionary fiscal policies and declining tax revenues due to the recession, Japan has one of the largest budget deficits as a percent of GDP among the industrialized countries. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two other major long-run problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$3.08 trillion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 0.9% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$24,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 41.5%
services: 56.5% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 67.23 million (March 1997)
by occupation: trade and services 50%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 33%, utilities and communication 7%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6%, government 3% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.4% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $497 billion
expenditures: $621 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $72 billion (FY98/99 est.)
Industries: among world’s largest and technologically advanced producers of steel and nonferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools, automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1997)
Electricity-capacity: 199.878 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 930.55 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,414 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; world’s largest fish catch of 10 million metric tons in 1991
Exports:
total value: $421 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: manufactures 96% (including machinery 50%, motor vehicles 19%, consumer electronics 3%)
partners: US 27%, Southeast Asia 17%, EU 15%, China 5%
Imports:
total value: $339 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: manufactures 54%, foodstuffs and raw materials 28%, fossil fuels 16%
partners: US 22%, Southeast Asia 15%, EU 14%, China 12%
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $8.3 billion (1998 est.) note: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-94), $174 billion
Currency: yen (¥)
Exchange rates: yen (¥) per US$1-129.45 (January 1998), 120.99 (1997), 108.78 (1996), 94.06 (1995), 102.21 (1994), 111.20 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 64 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: excellent domestic and international service domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations-5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 318, FM 58, shortwave 0
Radios: 97 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 12,350 (1 kW or greater 196)
Televisions: 100 million (1993 est.)
@Japan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 23,670.7 km
standard gauge: 2,893.1 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 89.8 km 1.372-m gauge (89.8 km electrified); 20,656.8 km 1.067-m gauge (10,383.6 km electrified); 31 km 0.762-m gauge (3.6 km electrified) (1994)
Highways:
total: 1.16 million km
paved: 859,560 km (including 6,070 km of expressways) unpaved: 300,440 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: about 1,770 km; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai
Merchant marine:
total: 738 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,323,766 GRT/20,709,738 DWT
ships by type: bulk 169, cargo 55, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 6, container 32, liquefied gas tanker 39, oil tanker 244, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 34, roll-on/roll-off cargo 46, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 70
note: Japan owns an additional 1,534 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,985,374 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Burma, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Honduras, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, and Vanuatu (1997 est.)
Airports: 167 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 137
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 31 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 28 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 14 (1997 est.)
@Japan:Military
Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 31,105,541 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 26,778,356 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 808,846 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $48.5 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1% (FY96/97)
@Japan:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan
______________________________________________________________________
JARVIS ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Jarvis Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands
Geographic coordinates: 0 22 S, 160 03 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 4.5 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 23 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
@Jarvis Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
@Jarvis Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jarvis Island
Data code: DQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Jarvis Island:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Jarvis Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note-there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
Transportation-note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
@Jarvis Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
@Jarvis Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JERSEY
(British crown dependency)
@Jersey:Geography
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use:
arable land: 66%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
@Jersey:People
Population: 89,136 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 8,160; female 7,567) 15-64 years: 68% (male 30,106; female 30,639) 65 years and over: 14% (male 5,243; female 7,421) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.68% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.27 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.93 years
female: 81.71 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA
@Jersey:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey
Data code: JE
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA 1995)
cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the queen
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (57 seats, 53 elected including 12 senators popularly elected for six-year terms, half retiring every third year, 12 constables popularly elected triennially, and 29 deputies popularly elected triennially) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 52
Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
@Jersey:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island’s output. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey’s food needs. Light tax and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $643.7 million
expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 50,000 kW standby note: electricity supplied by France
Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
Agriculture-products: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products
Exports: $NA
commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
partners: UK
Imports: $NA
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
partners: UK
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Jersey pound (£J) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (£J) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 61,447 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
@Jersey:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Jersey:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
@Jersey:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JOHNSTON ATOLL
(territory of the US)
@Johnston Atoll:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 169 30 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 2.8 sq km
land: 2.8 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 10 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m
Natural resources: NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation
@Johnston Atoll:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel (January 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -6.41% (1998 est.)
@Johnston Atoll:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Data code: JQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) and managed cooperatively by DSWA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Johnston Atoll:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor
Electricity-production: six 25,000 kWh generators note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor
Communications
Telephone system: 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines; adequate telecommunications
domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 5 channels; also 1 local volunteer FM radio station;, shortwave NA; 1 amateur station, call sign KJ6BZ
Television broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system, 16 channels
@Johnston Atoll:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Johnston Island
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Johnston Atoll:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Johnston Atoll:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JORDAN
@Jordan:Geography
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 89,213 sq km
land: 88,884 sq km
water: 329 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,619 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 85% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 630 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Jordan:People
Population: 4,434,978 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 985,211; female 935,982) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,224,595; female 1,160,915) 65 years and over: 3% (male 64,406; female 63,869) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 35.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 3.91 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.29 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.84 years
male: 70.96 years
female: 74.84 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 96%, Christian 4% (1997 est.)
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.6%
male: 93.4%
female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
@Jordan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan
Data code: JO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Ajlun, Al ‘Aqabah, Al Balqa’, Al Karak, Al Mafraq, ‘Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa’, Irbid, Jarash, Ma’an, Madaba
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HUSSEIN bin Talal Al-Hashimi (since 2 May 1953) head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-MAJALI (since 19 March 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the king
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the king
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-‘Umma consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives-last held 4 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party – National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Al-Ahrar (Freedom) Party, Dr. Ahmad ZO’BI, secretary general; Arab Ba’th Progressive Party, Mahmoud al-MA’AYTAH, secretary general; Arab Islamic Democratic Party (Doa’a), Yousif ABU BAKR, secretary general; Arab Jordanian Ansar Party, Muhammad MAJALI, secretary general; Arab Land Party, Dr. Muhammad al-‘ORAN, secretary general; Islamic Action Front, Dr. Ishaq al-FARHAN, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Constitutional Front Party, Milhem TELL, secretary general; Jordanian Ba’th Arab Socialist Party, Tayseer al-HOMSI, secretary general; Jordanian Communist Party, Ya’acoub ZAYADIN, secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party, Sa’eed MUSTAPHA, secretary general; Jordanian Labor Party, Muhammad KHATAYIBAH, secretary general; Jordanian Peace Party, Dr. Shaher KHREIS, secretary general; Jordanian People’s Democratic Party (HASHD), Salem NAHHAS, secretary general; Jordanian Unitary Democratic Party, Mousa al-MA’AYTAH, secretary general; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Suleiman ‘ARAR, secretary general; National Action Party (Haqq), Muhammad ZO’BI, secretary general; National Constitutional Party, Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general; National Democratic Public Movement Party, Muhammad al-‘AMER, secretary general; Progressive Party, Na’el BARAKAT, secretary general; Al-Umma (Nation) Party, Ahmad HNEIDI, secretary general
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan Jamil MUASHIR chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley W. EGAN, Jr. embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 820101
FAX: [962] (6) 820159
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
@Jordan:Economy
Economy-overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal. Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports-mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food-outstripped exports, with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated Jordan’s already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf, but recovery was uneven in 1994-97. The government is implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan’s biggest on-going problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$20.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,800 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 30%
services: 64% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.15 million plus 300,000 foreign workers (1997 est.) by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 15% official rate; note-actual rate is 20%-25% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.7 billion
expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $630 million (1997 est.)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate: -3.4% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 1.066 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 5.02 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,259 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Exports:
total value: $1.53 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures
partners: Iraq, India, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE
Imports:
total value: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
partners: EU, Iraq, US, Japan, Turkey
Debt-external: $7.3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $424 million (1996)
Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1-0.7090 (January 1998-1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993) note: since May 1989, the dinar has been pegged to a basket of currencies
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 81,500 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: adequate telephone system domestic: microwave radio relay, cable, and radiotelephone links international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios: 1.1 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link
Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)
@Jordan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 676 km
narrow gauge: 676 km 1.050-m gauge; note-an additional 110 km stretch of the old Hejaz railroad is out of use
Highways:
total: 6,640 km
paved: 6,640 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 209 km
Ports and harbors: Al ‘Aqabah
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 43,759 GRT/69,795 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 17 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
@Jordan:Military
Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Badiya (irregular) Border Guards; Ministry of the Interior’s Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,076,618 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 766,973 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 48,706 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $627 million (1997 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 7.8% (1997)
@Jordan:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JUAN DE NOVA ISLAND
(possession of France)
@Juan de Nova Island:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 17 03 S, 42 45 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 4.4 sq km
land: 4.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 24.1 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth the of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m
Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 90%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: wildlife sanctuary
@Juan de Nova Island:People
Population: uninhabited
@Juan de Nova Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none
local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
Data code: JU
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Juan de Nova Island:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Juan de Nova Island:Transportation
Railways:
total: NA km; short line going to a jetty
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Juan de Nova Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Juan de Nova Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Madagascar
______________________________________________________________________
KAZAKHSTAN
@Kazakhstan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, northwest of China
Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
note: Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point: Zhengis Shingy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 11%
permanent pastures: 57%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 16% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 22,000 sq km (1996 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment-current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salinization from faulty irrigation practices
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked
@Kazakhstan:People
Population: 16,846,808 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 2,486,607; female 2,413,207) 15-64 years: 64% (male 5,243,028; female 5,523,199) 65 years and over: 7% (male 393,950; female 786,817) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.17% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 17.24 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.15 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 58.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.59 years
male: 58.12 years
female: 69.33 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups: Kazakh (Qazaq) 46%, Russian 34.7%, Ukrainian 4.9%, German 3.1%, Uzbek 2.3%, Tatar 1.9%, other 7.1% (1996)
Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian official language spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
@Kazakhstan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: KZ
Government type: republic
National capital: Astana (Akmola)
note: the government has recently moved from Almaty to Astana
Administrative divisions: 14 oblystar (singular-oblys) and 1 city (qalalar, singular-qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau; formerly Gur’yev), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen; formerly Ust’-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavl), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz; formerly Dzhambul) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995 the governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Bayqongyr (Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Leninsk)
Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 October (1991); Republic Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990-91, president since 1 December 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Nurlan BALGIMBAYEV (since 10 October 1997) and First Deputy Prime Minister Uraz ZHANDOSOV (since 20 February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 2000); note-President NAZARBAYEV’s term was extended to the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV elected president without opposition; percent of vote-NA
note: President NAZARBAYEV has expanded his presidential powers by decree: only he can initiate constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government, dissolve parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint administrative heads of regions and cities
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (47 seats; 7 senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected, two each from each oblast and Almaty, to serve four-year terms) and the Majilis (67 seats; members are popularly elected to serve four-year terms); note-with the oblasts being reduced to 14, the Senate will eventually be reduced to 37 elections: Senate-(indirect) last held 5 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); Majilis-last held 9 December and 23 December 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-party members 13, no party affiliation 34, of which “independent” state officials 25, nominated by the president 7, elected by popular vote 15; Majilis-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUP 24, December National Democratic Party 12, Kazakh Agrarian Union 5, Confederation of Kazakh Trade Unions 5, KPK 2, independents and others 19
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)