Airports: 174 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 152
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 38
under 914 m: 97 (1997 est.)
@Mozambique:Military
Military branches: Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Militia
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 4,265,778 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,457,587 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $84 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 5.3% (1994)
@Mozambique:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: Southern African transit hub for South American cocaine probably destined for the European and US markets; producer of hashish and methaqualone
______________________________________________________________________
NAMIBIA
@Namibia:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 825,418 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 3,824 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline: 1,572 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought
Environment-current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Namibia:People
Population: 1,622,328 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 362,310; female 354,386) 15-64 years: 52% (male 414,281; female 426,921) 65 years and over: 4% (male 27,001; female 37,429) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 35.84 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 19.82 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.48 years
male: 41.73 years
female: 41.24 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.99 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian
Ethnic groups: black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least, other Christian denominations 30%), native religions 10% to 20%
Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38%
male: 45%
female: 31% (1960 est.)
@Namibia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia
Data code: WA
Government type: republic
National capital: Windhoek
Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 7-8 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999)
election results: Sam NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote-76%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council-last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998); National Assembly-last held 7-8 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: National Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1; National Assembly-percent of vote by party-SWAPO 73.89%, DTA 20.78%, UDF 2.72%, DCN 0.83%, MAG 0.82%; seats by party-SWAPO 53, DTA 15, UDF 2, MAG 1, DCN 1 note: the National Council is a purely advisory body
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: South West Africa People’s Organization or SWAPO [Sam NUJOMA]; National Democratic Party for Justice or NDPFJ [Nbhwete NDJOBA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Mishake MUYONGO, president]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; Democratic Coalition of Namibia or DCN [Moses K. KATJIUONGUA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Veiccoh NGHIWETE chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George F. WARD, Jr. (24 July 1996) embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601
FAX: [264] (61) 229792
Flag description: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders
@Namibia:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world’s fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. Half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is three to six times the per capita GDP of Africa’s poorest countries, the majority of Namibia’s people live in pronounced poverty because of the great inequality of income distribution and the large amounts going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$6.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,700 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 20%
services: 65% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 8% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 500,000
by occupation: agriculture 49%, industry and commerce 25%, services 5%, government 18%, mining 3% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.1 billion
expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $193 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: meat packing, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1994)
Electricity-capacity: 0 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 0 kWh (1995)
note: imports electricity from South Africa
Electricity-consumption per capita: 584 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish
Exports:
total value: $1.45 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
partners: UK, South Africa, Spain, Japan (1994)
Imports:
total value: $1.55 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
partners: South Africa 85%, Germany, US, Japan (1994 est.)
Debt-external: $315 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Namibian dollar (N$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Nambian dollars (N$) per US$1-4.94193 (January 1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995), 3.55080 (1994), 3.26774 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 89,722 (1992 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire
international: NA
note: a fully automated digital network is to be operational by 1997
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 40, shortwave 0
Radios: 195,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 27,000 (1993 est.)
@Namibia:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge; single track (1995)
Highways:
total: 64,799 km
paved: 7,841 km
unpaved: 56,958 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 135 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 113
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 70
under 914 m: 21 (1997 est.)
@Namibia:Military
Military branches: National Defense Force (Army), Police
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 369,826 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 221,624 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $64 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY95/96)
@Namibia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River is presently at the ICJ; at least one other island in Linyanti River is contested
______________________________________________________________________
NAURU
@Nauru:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 30 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources: phosphates
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years-mainly by a UK, Australia, and New Zealand consortium-has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean-the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
@Nauru:People
Population: 10,501 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.33% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 18.03 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.68 years
male: 64.3 years
female: 69.18 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Languages: Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Literacy: NA
@Nauru:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island
Data code: NR
Government type: republic
National capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, New Zealand-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution: 29 January 1968
Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kinza CLODUMAR (since 8 February 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kinza CLODUMAR (since 8 February 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 8 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Kinza CLODUMAR elected president; percent of Parliament vote-NA
note: President CLODUMAR is the country’s fifth president in five months
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 18 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1998)
election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: loose multi-party system; Nauru Party (informal), Bernard DOWIYOGO; Democratic Party, Kennan ADEANG
International organization participation: AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Nauru does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country’s location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru
@Nauru:Economy
Economy-overview: Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, but incomes probably will drop sharply in the future. Few other resources exist, so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition. However, dividends from the trusts have declined sharply since 1990 and the government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. In an effort to stem further escalation of fiscal problems, the government has called for a freeze on wages for two years, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, drastic cutbacks in hiring new government staff, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$100 million (1993 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,000 (1993 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: -3.6% (1993)
Labor force:
by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
Unemployment rate: 0%
Budget:
revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 10,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 30 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 2,956 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coconuts predominate
Exports:
total value: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: phosphates
partners: Australia, NZ
Imports:
total value: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Debt-external: $33.3 million
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January 1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 2,000 (1989 est.)
Telephone system: adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 4,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1991 est.)
Televisions: NA
@Nauru:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3.9 km; note-used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Highways:
total: 30 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 6 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Nauru
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Nauru:Military
Military branches: no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Nauru:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NAVASSA ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Navassa Island:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica
Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5.2 sq km
land: 5.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about nine 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: marine, tropical
Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources: guano
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 10%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 90%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
@Navassa Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
@Navassa Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island
Data code: BQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse located on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island
National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Navassa Island:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Navassa Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Navassa Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Navassa Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Haiti
______________________________________________________________________
NEPAL
@Nepal:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 140,800 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower potential, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 15%
forests and woodland: 42%
other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Environment-current issues: the almost total dependence on wood for fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution (use of contaminated water presents human health risks)
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Geography-note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world’s 10 highest peaks
@Nepal:People
Population: 23,698,421 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 5,087,855; female 4,779,941) 15-64 years: 55% (male 6,655,865; female 6,387,255) 65 years and over: 3% (male 392,141; female 395,364) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.52% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 35.66 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.44 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 75.98 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.89 years
male: 58.04 years
female: 57.74 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas
Religions: Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981) note: only official Hindu state in the world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu and Buddhist groups
Languages: Nepali (official), 20 other languages divided into numerous dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 27.5%
male: 40.9%
female: 14% (1995 est.)
People-note: refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 91,000 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps
@Nepal:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal
Data code: NP
Government type: parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991
National capital: Kathmandu
Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)
Constitution: 9 November 1990
Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram
head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 15 April 1998); note-Prime Minister KOIRALA-the country’s seventh prime minister since 1991-replaces Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA, who served from October 1997 until April 1998, when he resigned as part of a power-sharing agreement with his coalition partners cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the king on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives-last held 15 November 1994 (next to be held by 15 November 1999)
election results: House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats by party – CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3, independents 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat), chief justice is appointed by the king on recommendation of the Constitutional Council, the other judges are appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Judicial Council
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI, party president, Madhar KUMAR, general secretary; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Daranath Rana DHATT, general secretary; National Democratic Party (NDP; also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH, president; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 411179
FAX: [977] (1) 419963
Flag description: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
@Nepal:Economy
Economy-overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with more than half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in the past two years. Apart from agricultural land and forests, exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.5%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability – five different governments over the past few years-has hampered Kathmandu’s ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas where there has recently been foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other areas will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community’s role of funding more than 60% of Nepal’s development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$31.1 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4.2% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,370 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 21%
services: 39% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 10 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3% note: severe lack of skilled labor
Unemployment rate: NA%; substantial underemployment (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $818 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate: 14.7% (FY94/95 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 292,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 980 million kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 48 kWh (1996 est.)
Agriculture-products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Exports:
total value: $419 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India
commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain partners: India, US, Germany, UK
Imports:
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10% partners: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany
Debt-external: $2.6 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $411 million (FY97/98)
Currency: 1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa
Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1-63.265 (January 1998), 58.010 (1997), 56.692 (1996), 51.890 (1995), 49.398 (1994), 48.607 (1993)
Fiscal year: 16 July-15 July
Communications
Telephones: 115,911 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone communications; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 88, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 690,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9 (1996 est.)
Televisions: 45,000 (1992 est.)
@Nepal:Transportation
Railways:
total: 101 km; note-all in Kosi close to Indian border narrow gauge: 101 km 0.762-m gauge
Highways:
total: 7,700 km
paved: 3,196 km
unpaved: 4,504 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 45 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 40
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 29 (1997 est.)
@Nepal:Military
Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force
Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 5,739,283 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,983,449 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 275,582 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $36 million (FY92/93)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY92/93)
@Nepal:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: with Bhutan over 91,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
______________________________________________________________________
NETHERLANDS
@Netherlands:Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,889 sq km
water: 7,637 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 31%
forests and woodland: 10%
other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams, protects nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded
Environment-current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography-note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
@Netherlands:People
Population: 15,731,112 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 1,472,236; female 1,406,919) 15-64 years: 68% (male 5,457,225; female 5,268,376) 65 years and over: 14% (male 862,574; female 1,263,782) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.5% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 11.62 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.11 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.01 years
male: 75.14 years
female: 81.03 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups: Dutch 96%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)
Religions: Roman Catholic 34%, Protestant 25%, Muslim 3%, other 2%, unaffiliated 36% (1991)
Languages: Dutch
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Netherlands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland
Data code: NL
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular-provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland
Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence: 1579 (from Spain)
National holiday: Queen’s Day, 30 April
Constitution: adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983
Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), Prince of Orange, son of Queen BEATRIX
head of government: Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Hans DIJKSTAL (since 22 August 1994) and Hans VAN MIERLO (since 22 August 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the queen elections: none; the queen is a hereditary, constitutional monarch; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the queen; vice prime ministers appointed by the queen note: there is a Council of State composed of the queen, crown prince, and councillors consulted by the executive on legislative and administrative policy
Legislative branch: bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country’s 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber-last held 9 June 1995 (next to be held 9 June 1999); Second Chamber-last held 3 May 1994 (next to be held 6 May 1998)
election results: First Chamber-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-VVD 23, CDA 19, PvdA 14, D’66 7, other 12; Second Chamber-percent of vote by party-PvdA 24.3%, CDA 22.3%, VVD 20.4%, D’66 16.5%, other 16.5%; seats by party-PvdA 37, CDA 34, VVD 31, D’66 24, other 24
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad, justices are nominated for life by the crown
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jaap DE HOOP SCHEFFER]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wim KOK]; People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Hans F. DIJKSTAL]; Democrats ’66 or D’66 [Els BORST]; a host of minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and Interchurch Peace Council or IKV
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, 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, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joris M. VOS (appointed 9 October 1997) chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kirk Terry DORNBUSH embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer
@Netherlands:Economy
Economy-overview: This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise. The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations, permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic activity. Industrial activity features food-processing, oil-refining, and metalworking. The highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. Indeed, the Netherlands ranks third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. Sharp cuts in subsidy and social security spending have been accompanied by sustained growth in output and employment. Growth in 1998 should be a brisk 3.5%. The Dutch will almost certainly qualify for the first wave of countries entering the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$343.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.25% (1997)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$22,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 6.6 million (1997)
by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing and construction 23%, agriculture 2% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 6.9% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $103.4 billion
expenditures: $112.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 draft)
Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing, construction, microelectronics
Industrial production growth rate: 3.75% (1997)
Electricity-capacity: 20.09 million kW (1996 est.)
Electricity-production: 82 billion kWh (1996 est.)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,968 kWh (1996 est.)
Agriculture-products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Exports:
total value: $203.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: manufactures and machinery, chemicals; processed food and tobacco, agricultural products
partners: EU 80% (Germany 29%, Belgium-Luxembourg 13%, UK 10%), Central and Eastern Europe 4%, US 3% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $1.791 trillion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products partners: EU 64% (Germany 22%, Belgium-Luxembourg 11%, UK 10%), Central and Eastern Europe 4%, US 8% (1996)
Debt-external: $0
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $2.9 billion (1997)
Currency: 1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1-2.0462 (January 1998), 1.9513 (1997), 1.6859 (1996), 1.6057 (1995), 1.8200 (1994), 1.8573 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 8.272 million (1983 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed and well maintained; extensive redundant system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by microwave radio relay
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (relays 3), FM 12 (repeaters 39), shortwave 0
Radios: 13.755 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (repeaters 7)
Televisions: 7.4 million (1992 est.)
@Netherlands:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,739 km
standard gauge: 2,739 km 1.435-m gauge; (1,991 km electrified) (1996)
Highways:
total: 127,000 km
paved: 114,427 km (including 2,360 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,573 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger
Pipelines: crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km
Ports and harbors: Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht
Merchant marine:
total: 453 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,141,630 GRT/3,597,975 DWT
ships by type : bulk 2, cargo 269, chemical tanker 33, combination bulk 2, container 44, liquefied gas tanker 16, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 7, oil tanker 28, passenger 6, refrigerated cargo 28, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 3
note: many Dutch-owned ships are also operating under the registry of Netherlands Antilles (1997 est.)
Airports: 28 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Netherlands:Military
Military branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 4,136,224 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 3,617,322 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 94,734 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $8.2 billion (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.1% (1995)
@Netherlands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs
______________________________________________________________________
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
@Netherlands Antilles:Geography
Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea-one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 960 sq km
land: 960 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area-comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 90% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: Whaling (extended from Netherlands) signed, but not ratified: NA
@Netherlands Antilles:People
Population: 205,693 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 27,001; female 26,091) 15-64 years: 67% (male 64,964; female 72,329) 65 years and over: 7% (male 6,393; female 8,915) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.06% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 17.61 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.63 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.05 years
male: 71.99 years
female: 76.2 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.11 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Netherlands Antillean(s)
adjective: Netherlands Antillean
Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento, a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1981 est.)
@Netherlands Antilles:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
Data code: NT
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Government type: parliamentary
National capital: Willemstad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday: Queen’s Day, 30 April (1938)
Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 25 February 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; governor general appointed by the queen for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)
election results: Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote – NA
Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PKLP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St.M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice, are appointed by the Netherlands monarch
Political parties and leaders:
Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), Jopi ABRAHAM; Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS
Curacao: Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), Miguel POURIER; National People’s Party (PNP), Suzy ROMER; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Don MARTINA; Workers’ Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson GODETT, Jr.; Socialist Independent (SI), George HUECK; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Frank MAYNARD; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA; Social Action Cause (KAS), Benny DEMEI; Labor Party People’s Crusade (PLKP), Errol COVA; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics (FAME), Eric LODEWIJKS; Pro Curacao Party (PPK), Winston LOURENS; C 93, Stanley BROWN; People’s Party (PAPU), Richard HODI Saba: Windward Islands People’s Movement (WIPM Saba), Ray HASSELL; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Steve HASSELL; Saba Unity Party, Carmen SIMMONDS
Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St. E), Julian WOODLEY; Windward Islands People’s Movement (WIPM); St. Eustatius Alliance (SEA), Ingrid WHITFIELD
Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St. M), Sarah WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPA), William MARLIN; Serious Alternative People’s Party (SAPP) Julian ROLLOCKS note: political parties are indigenous to each island
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS consulate(s) general: J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Flag description: white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
@Netherlands Antilles:Economy
Economy-overview: Tourism, petroleum transshipment, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela and the US being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -1.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$11,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.6% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 89,000
by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)
Unemployment rate: 12.8% (1993)
Budget:
revenues: $277 million
expenditures: $322 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1996 est.)
Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 200,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 840 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,128 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Exports:
total value: $NA
commodities: petroleum products 98% (1993) partners: US 39%, Brazil 9%, Colombia 6% (1993)
Imports:
total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures (1993) partners: Venezuela 26%, US 18%, Colombia 6%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5% (1993)
Debt-external: $1.95 billion (December 1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA; the Netherlands Antilles received a $97 million Dutch aid package in 1996, making it the Netherlands’ second largest aid recipient behind India
Currency: 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1 – 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 205,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 64,000 (1992 est.)
@Netherlands Antilles:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine:
total: 97 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 894,479 GRT/1,230,865 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 32, chemical tanker 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load carrier 19, oil tanker 6, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 17, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Netherlands Antilles:Military
Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 52,845 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 29,664 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,456 (1998 est.)
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
@Netherlands Antilles:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe
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NEW CALEDONIA
(overseas territory of France)
@New Caledonia:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km
water: 485 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,254 km