Minister SHARIF introduced a stimulus package of tax cuts intended to boost failing industrial output and spur export growth. At that time, the IMF endorsed the program, paving the way for a $1.5 billion Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility. Although the economy showed signs of improvement following the measures, SHARIF has refused to implement the tough structural reforms necessary for sustained, longer-term growth. As a consequence, at yearend 1997, industrial production continued to flag, foreign exchange reserves continued to teeter around $1 billion-only four weeks of imports-and borrowing to support the budget deficit already exceeded the amount allocated for the entire fiscal year. At the same time, the government must cope with long-standing economic vulnerabilities-inadequate infrastructure, low levels of literacy, and increasing sectarian, ethnic, and tribal violence.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$344 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 24.2%
industry: 26.4%
services: 49.4% (1997)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.8% (FY96/97)
Labor force:
total: 37.8 million (1998)
by occupation: agriculture 47%, mining and manufacturing 17%, services 17%, other 19%
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $9.6 billion
expenditures: $13.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp
Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (FY96/97 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 13.169 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 58.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 436 kWh (1997)
Agriculture-products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs
Exports:
total value: $8.2 billion (FY96/97) commodities: cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, carpets partners: EU, US, Hong Kong, Japan
Imports:
total value: $11.4 billion (FY96/97) commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transportation equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals partners: EU, Japan, US, China
Debt-external: $33 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: $2.2 billion from all bilateral and multilateral sources (FY96/97)
Currency: 1 Pakistani rupee (PRe) = 100 paisa
Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1-44.050 (January 1998), 41.112 (1997), 36.079 (1996), 31.643 (1995), 30.567 (1994), 28.1 (1993); note-annual average of official rate; parallel market rate is higher
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 2.552 million (1997)
Telephone system: the domestic system is mediocre, but adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the major portion of the population
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 8, shortwave 11
Radios: 11.3 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 29
Televisions: 2.08 million (1993 est.)
@Pakistan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km double track)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.)
Highways:
total: 224,774 km
paved: 128,121 km
unpaved: 96,653 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)
Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim
Merchant marine:
total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 416,875 GRT/684,580 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 15, container 3, oil tanker 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 115 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 80
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 18 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 6 (1997 est.)
@Pakistan:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard
Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 32,450,056 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 19,888,353 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 1,472,272 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $3.3 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 5.3% (FY96/97)
@Pakistan:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of opium and hashish for the international drug trade (cultivation in 1997-4,100 hectares, a 21% increase over 1996; potential production-85 metric tons, a 13% increase over 1996); center for processing Afghan heroin and key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets
______________________________________________________________________
PALAU
@Palau:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,519 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid
Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m
Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)
Environment-current issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
Environment-international agreements: party to: Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain
@Palau:People
Population: 18,110 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 2,555; female 2,405) 15-64 years: 68% (male 6,727; female 5,535) 65 years and over: 5% (male 416; female 472) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.96% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 21.26 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.22 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.54 years
male: 64.49 years
female: 70.78 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan
Ethnic groups: Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races
Religions: Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)
Languages: English (official in all of Palau’s 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)
@Palau:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau
local long form: Beluu er a Belau
local short form: Belau
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Data code: PS
Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
National capital: Koror
note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap
Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 states named Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi
Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
Constitution: 1 January 1981
Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993) and Vice President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993) and Vice President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Kuniwo NAKAMURA reelected president; percent of vote-Kuniwo NAKAMURA 64%, Chief Ibedul Yutuka GIBBONS 36%; Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. reelected vice president; percent of vote-Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. 69%, Kione ISECHAL 31%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (14 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats-one from each state; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000); House of Delegates-last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA; House of Delegates-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
Political parties and leaders: Palau Nationalist Party, Polycarp BASILIUS
International organization participation: ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IMF, SPC, SPF, UN, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Thomas C. HUBBARD (resident in Manila); Charge d’Affaires Gerald PASCUA
embassy: address NA, Koror
mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
FAX: [680] 488-2911
Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
@Palau:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The population enjoys a per capita income of more than twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$160 million (1997 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP-real growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$8,800 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 7%
Budget:
revenues: $52.9 million
expenditures: $59.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), some commercial fishing and agriculture
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 62,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 195 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 11,704 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes
Exports:
total value: $14.3 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts partners: US, Japan
Imports:
total value: $72.4 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: NA
partners: US
Debt-external: about $100 million (1989)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note: the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, will provide Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 1,500 (1988 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 9,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 1,600 (1993 est.)
@Palau:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km
Ports and harbors: Koror
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
@Palau:Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Palau:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
PALMYRA ATOLL
(territory of the US)
@Palmyra Atoll:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
Geographic coordinates: 5 52 N, 162 06 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 11.9 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 14.5 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial, hot, and very rainy
Terrain: very low
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 100%
other: 0%
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: about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall
@Palmyra Atoll:People
Population: uninhabited
@Palmyra Atoll:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll
Data code: LQ
Dependency status: incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Palmyra Atoll:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Palmyra Atoll:Transportation
Highways: much of the road and many causeways built during World War II are unserviceable and overgrown
Ports and harbors: West Lagoon
Airports: airstrip has been overgrown by vegetation and is no longer serviceable
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Palmyra Atoll:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Palmyra Atoll:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
PANAMA
@Panama:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Coastline: 2,490 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 27% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
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, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography-note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
@Panama:People
Population: 2,735,943 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 446,001; female 428,532) 15-64 years: 62% (male 864,382; female 841,870) 65 years and over: 6% (male 74,529; female 80,629) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.56% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 21.99 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.47 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 77.31 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.57 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages: Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2% (1995 est.)
@Panama:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama
Data code: PM
Government type: constitutional republic
National capital: Panama
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias, singular-provincia) and 2 territories* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, Veraguas, and a new, as yet unnamed territory* or ‘comarca’ created 7 March 1997 when President PEREZ BALLADARES signed a bill designating a reserve stretched across three provinces
Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzalez Revilla (since 1 September 1994); First Vice President Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994); Second Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzalez Revilla (since 1 September 1994); First Vice President Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994); Second Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 2 May 1999)
election results: Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES elected president; percent of vote-Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%, Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER (PA) 29%, Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%, Ruben Dario CARLES (MOLIRENA) 16%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 2 May 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PRD 32, PS 4, PALA 1, PA 14, MPE 6, MOLIRENA 4, PLA 3, PRC 3, PLN 2, PDC 1, UDI 1, MORENA 1
note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), nine judges appointed for 10-year terms; five superior courts; three courts of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
governing coalition: Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ; National Liberal Party (PLN), Raul ARANGO, founder; Popular Nationalist Party, Jorge FLORES
other parties: Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Guillermo FORD; Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ruben AROSEMENA; Papa Egoro Movement (MPE), Ruben BLADES; Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Carlos ABADIA; National Renovation Movement (MORENA), Pedro VALLARINO; Authentic Liberal Party (PLA); Labor Party (PALA); Independent Democratic Union (UDI)
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO); National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP); Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE); National Civic Crusade; Chamber of Commerce; Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama (CTRP)
International organization participation: AG (associate), CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eloy ALFARO de Alba chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William John HUGHES embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5 mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 227-1777
FAX: [507] 227-1964
Flag description: divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red, the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center
@Panama:Economy
Economy-overview: Because of its key geographic location, Panama’s economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism. Since taking office in 1994, President PEREZ BALLADARES has advanced an economic reform program designed to liberalize the trade regime, attract foreign investment, privatize state-owned enterprises, institute fiscal reform, and encourage job creation through labor code reform. The government privatized its two remaining ports along the Panama Canal in 1997 and approved the sale of the railroad in early 1998. It also plans to sell other assets, including the electric company. Panama joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) and approved a tariff reduction that will give the country the lowest average tariff rates in Latin America. A banking reform law was approved by the legislature in early 1998 and will take effect in June. After two years of near stagnation, the reforms are beginning to take root; GDP grew by 3.6% in 1997 and is expected to grow by more than 5% in 1998. The most important sectors driving growth have been the Panama Canal and the shipping and port activities. The Colon Free Zone also rebounded from a slow year in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$18 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 18%
services: 74% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 1.044 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: government and community services 31.8%, agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.8%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 16.4%, manufacturing and mining 9.4%, construction 3.2%, transportation and communications 6.2%, finance, insurance, and real estate 4.3% note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor
Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $341 million (1997 est.)
Industries: construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 957 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 3.6 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,355 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; fishing (shrimp)
Exports:
total value: $592 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2% partners: US 37%, EU, Central America and Caribbean
Imports:
total value: $2.95 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals
partners: US 48%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan
Debt-external: $7.26 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: NA
Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1-1.000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 273,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 564,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 23
Televisions: 420,000 (1992 est.)
@Panama:Transportation
Railways:
total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:
total: 11,100 km
paved: 3,730 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,370 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km
Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Vacamonte, Manzanillo
Merchant marine:
total: 4,350 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 89,622,112 GRT/137,529,188 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1,240, cargo 1,033, chemical tanker 195, combination bulk 67, combination ore/oil 19, container 426, liquefied gas tanker 175, livestock carrier 9, multifunction large-load carrier 5, oil tanker 524, passenger 40, passenger-cargo 6, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 296, roll-on/roll-off cargo 101, short-sea passenger 40, specialized tanker 15, vehicle carrier 158 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 76 countries among which are Japan 1,236, Greece 418, Hong Kong 273, South Korea 247, Taiwan 227, China 185, Singapore 119, US 112, Switzerland 85, and Indonesia 60 (1997 est.)
Airports: 109 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 19 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 69
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 52 (1997 est.)
@Panama:Military
Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 733,019 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 502,731 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $78 million (1995); note-for police and security forces
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Panama:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center; no recent signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving
______________________________________________________________________
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
@Papua New Guinea:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline: 5,152 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use:
arable land: 0.1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 92.9%
other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific “Rim of Fire”; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
Environment-current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment-international agreements: party to: 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Geography-note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world’s largest swamps along southwest coast
@Papua New Guinea:People
Population: 4,599,785 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 936,206; female 888,427) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,374,471; female 1,263,750) 65 years and over: 3% (male 62,593; female 74,338) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.27% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 32.37 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.65 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 57.09 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.06 years
male: 57.18 years
female: 58.98 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant sects 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Languages: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.2%
male: 81%
female: 62.7% (1995 est.)
@Papua New Guinea:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea abbreviation: PNG
Data code: PP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Port Moresby
Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain
Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution: 16 September 1975
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Michael NALI (since 16 December 1997); note-NALI replaces Deputy Prime Minister Chris HAIVETA (since 7 September 1994) who Prime Minister SKATE fired on 12 December 1997 for his alleged role in trying to discredit SKATE
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament-sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats-89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party-PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note-association with political parties is very fluid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice, other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission
Political parties and leaders: Bougainville Unity Alliance (BUA), Samuel AKOITAI; People’s Progress Party (PPP), Michael NALI; Papua New Guinea United Party (Pangu Pati), Chris HAIVETA; National Alliance (NA), Michael SOMARE; People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Iario LASARO; People’s Action Party (PAP), Ted DIRO; United Party (UP), Rimbiuk PATO; National Party (NP), Paul PORA; People’s Unity Party (PUP), Alfred KAIABE; Melanesian Alliance (MA), Fr. John MOMIS; Movement for Greater Autonomy, Stephen POKAWIN; Christian Democratic Party, Dilu GOMA; Papua New Guinea First Party (includes People’s National Congress or PNC, Bill SKATE, and Christian Country Party, Avusi TANO) leader NA; People’s Resources Awareness Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Rabbie SAMAI; People’s Solidarity Party, Kala SWOKIM; Melanesian Labour Party, Paul MONDIA; Black Action Party, Paul WANJIK; League for National Advancement (LNA), leader NA; United Resource Party, Masket IANGALIO; Hausman Party, Waim TOKAM; Milne Bay Party, Simon MUMURIK
International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN chancery: 3rd floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423
Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
@Papua New Guinea:Economy
Economy-overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. In 1995, Port Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural adjustment program, of which the first phase was successfully completed in 1996. Droughts caused by the El Nino weather pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea’s coffee, cocoa, and coconut production, the mainstays of the agricultural-based economy and major sources of export earnings. The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50% in 1997. Moreover, droughts could bite into growth in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$11.6 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.3% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,650 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 26.4%
industry: 41%
services: 32.6% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.6% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 1.941 million
by occupation: agriculture 64% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 490,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.76 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 410 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Exports:
total value: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold, copper ore, oil, logs, coffee, palm oil, cocoa, lobster
partners: Australia, Japan, Germany, UK, South Korea
Imports:
total value: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
partners: Australia, US, Singapore, Japan, UK
Debt-external: $3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $291 million (1993); $240 million bilateral aid from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $4.1 million ODA from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1-0.6299 (November 1997), 0.7588 (1996), 0.7835 (1995), 0.9950 (1994), 1.0221 (1993); note-the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 63,212 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 298,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 10,000 (1992 est.)
@Papua New Guinea:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,859 GRT/45,270 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 495 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 476
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 404 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)
@Papua New Guinea:Military
Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,206,458 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 670,510 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $63 million (1997); note-includes $12 million to cover leftover 1996 expenditures
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA
@Papua New Guinea:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
PARACEL ISLANDS
@Paracel Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 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: typhoons
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Paracel Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
@Paracel Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Data code: PF
@Paracel Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Paracel Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Paracel Islands:Military
Military-note: occupied by China
@Paracel Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
______________________________________________________________________
PARAGUAY
@Paraguay:Geography
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 55%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment-current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents
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: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography-note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
@Paraguay:People
Population: 5,291,020 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 1,061,972; female 1,026,983) 15-64 years: 56% (male 1,483,089; female 1,473,372) 65 years and over: 5% (male 113,298; female 132,306) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.68% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 32.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 37.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.23 years
male: 70.27 years
female: 74.29 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, white plus Amerindian 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
@Paraguay:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Data code: PA
Government type: republic
National capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular-departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Carlos WASMOSY (since 15 August 1993) and Vice President Roberto Angel SEIFART (since 15 August 1993); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998)
election results: Juan Carlos WASMOSY elected president; percent of vote-Juan Carlos WASMOSY 40.09%, Domingo LAINO 32.06%, Guillermo CABALLERO VARGAS 23.04%
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators-last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998); Chamber of Deputies-last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held 10 May 1998)
election results: Chamber of Senators-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party – Colorado Party 20, PLRA 17, EN 8; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Colorado Party 38, PLRA 33, EN 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates (Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: Colorado Party, Luis Maria ARGANA, president; Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), Domingo LAINO; National Encounter (EN), Carlos FILIZZOLA; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Miguel MONTANER; Febrerista Revolutionary Party (PRF), Victor SANCHEZ Villagra; Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Hugo Richer
Political pressure groups and leaders: Unitary Workers Central (CUT); Roman Catholic Church; National Workers Central (CNT); Paraguayan Workers Confederation (CPT)
International organization participation: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge G. Andres PRIETO CONTI chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Maura A. HARTY embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
FAX: [595] (21) 213-728
Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
@Paraguay:Economy
Economy-overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods (electronics, whiskeys, perfumes, cigarettes, and office equipment) to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. The formal sector is largely oriented toward services. A large percentage of the population derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy has grown an average of about 3% over the past five years. However, population has increased at about the same rate over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly stagnant. The WASMOSY government has continued to pursue its economic reform agenda, albeit with limited success because of in-fighting in the ruling party and resistance from the opposition. Paraguay’s ongoing integration into Mercosur (the Southern Cone Common Market) offers potential for investment and growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$21.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,900 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 26.4%
industry: 24.9%
services: 48.7% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 6.2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 1.8 million (1995 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 8.2% (urban) (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.25 billion
expenditures: $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (1995 est.)
Industries: meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 6.533 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 40.05 billion kWh (1995) note: exported about 36.96 billion kWh of electricity to Brazil
Electricity-consumption per capita: 577 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Exports:
total value: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil
partners: Brazil 48%, Netherlands 22%, Argentina 9%, US 4%, Uruguay 3%, Chile 2% (1997)
Imports:
total value: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, foodstuffs, raw materials, fuels
partners: Brazil 29%, US 22%, Argentina 14%, Hong Kong 9% (1995)
Debt-external: $1.3 billion (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $38 million (1993)
Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: guaranies (G) per US$-2,528.8 (January 1998), 2,191.0 (1997), 2,062.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995), 1,911.5 (1994), 1,744.3 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 88,730 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 775,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 5
Televisions: 370,000 (1992 est.)
@Paraguay:Transportation
Railways:
total: 971 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge
other gauge: 470 km various gauges (privately owned)
Highways:
total: 29,500 km
paved: 2,803 km
unpaved: 26,697 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,100 km
Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine:
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,442 GRT/32,510 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 948 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 938
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 29
914 to 1,523 m: 353
under 914 m: 555 (1997 est.)
@Paraguay:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,274,297 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 921,323 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 53,514 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $94 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 0.6% (1994)
@Paraguay:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: short section of the boundary with Brazil, just west of Salto del Guaira (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana, has not been precisely delimited
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for Europe and the US
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PERU
@Peru:Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km
water: 5,220 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 6,940 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
Environment-current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Environment-international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world’s highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
@Peru:People
Population: 26,111,110 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 4,745,363; female 4,589,017) 15-64 years: 60% (male 7,856,414; female 7,752,085) 65 years and over: 4% (male 535,566; female 632,665) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.97% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 26.69 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.81 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 43.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.97 years
male: 67.78 years
female: 72.25 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian
Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic