of All-Belarusian Unity and Concord or UPNAZ [Dmitriy BULAKOV, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Hramada or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH]; Green Party of Belarus or BPZ [Nikolay KARTASH, chairman]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatol NETYLKIN, chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Levon BARSHEVSKIY, chairman]; Belarusian Social Sports Party or BSSP [Aleksandr ALEKSANDROVICH, chairman]; Ecological Party or BEP [Liudmila YELIZAROVA, chairman]; United Democratic Party of Belarus or ADPB [Aleksandr DOBROVOLSKIY]; Slavic Assembly or SAB [Andrey TSEGALKA]; Liberal-Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Christian-Democratic Unity or BKDZ [Petr SILKO]; Polish Democratic Union or PDZ [Eduard AKHREM]; Party of Beer Lovers [Yuriy GONCHAR]; Party of Communists Belarusian or KPB [Sergei KALYAKIN and Vasiliy NOVIKOV, chairmen]; Belarusian Labor Party or BPP [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV]
International organization participation: BIS, CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Valeriy V. TSEPKALO chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel SPECKHARD embassy: Starovilenskaya #46-220002, Minsk mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [375] (172) 31-50-00
FAX: [375] (172) 34-78-53
Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe of white on the hoist side bears in red the Belarusian national ornament
@Belarus:Economy
Economy-overview: The Belarusian government has revived economic output since mid-1996 by pursuing a policy of rapid credit expansion, ending years of cumulative decline. Real GDP increased by 2.6% in 1996 and the growth rate tripled in 1997. Lack of profitability and resurgent inflation-which increased from an average monthly rate of 2.8% in 1996 to 4.4% in 1997-however, have kept enterprises from making much needed capital investments. As a result, infrastructure and equipment stocks have continued to deteriorate. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of “market socialism.” Privatization of enterprises controlled by the central government virtually ceased in 1996. As of May 1997, only about 10% of all enterprises under central government control had been privatized. In addition, LUKASHENKO has re-imposed administrative control over prices and the national currency’s exchange rate, and expanded the state’s right to intervene arbitrarily in the management of private enterprise. Lack of structural reform, and a climate hostile to business, have inhibited foreign investment in Belarus in 1995-97. In 1995 Belarus ranked second to last among the 15 former Soviet republics in terms of the average amount of foreign investment it attracted per capita. Although it moved up to 11th place in 1996, this was largely due to inflows from Russia related to the construction of the Yamal natural gas pipeline. Belarus’s trade deficit has grown steadily over the past three years – from 8% of total trade turnover in 1995 to 14% in the first quarter of 1997 – despite the government’s efforts to promote exports and limit imports. Given Belarus’s limited fiscal reserve, a continued growth in the trade deficit will increase vulnerability to a balance of payments crisis.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$50.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 8.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,800 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 43%
services: 37% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 65% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.3 million
by occupation: industry and construction 40%, agriculture and forestry 19%, services 41% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.3% officially registered unemployed (July 1997); large numbers of underemployed workers
Budget:
revenues: $4 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Industries: tractors, metal-cutting machine tools, off-highway dump trucks up to 110-metric-ton load capacity, wheel-type earth movers for construction and mining, eight-wheel-drive, high-flotation trucks with cargo capacity of 25 metric tons for use in tundra and roadless areas, equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, linen fabric, wool fabric, radios, refrigerators, other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 17% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 7.21 million kW (1997)
Electricity-production: 23.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,144 kWh (1996)
Agriculture-products: grain, potatoes, vegetables; meat, milk
Exports:
total value: $5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany
Imports:
total value: $6.7 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: fuel, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles, sugar
partners: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany
Debt-external: $970 million (December 1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $186 million (1993) note: commitments, $3,930 million ($1,845 million disbursements), 1992-95
Currency: Belarusian rubel (BR)
Exchange rates: Belarusian rubels per US$1-31,030 (19 January 1998 official Belarusian exchange rate), 28,800 (October 1997 end of period),15,500 (yearend 1996), 11,500 (yearend 1995), 10,600 (yearend 1994), 699 (yearend 1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.849 million (1991 est.)
Telephone system: telephone service inadequate for the purposes of either business or the population; about 70% of the telephones are in homes; over 750,000 applications from households for telephones remain unsatisfied (1992 est.); new investment centers on international connections and business needs
domestic: the new NMT-450 analog cellular system is now operating in Minsk
international: international traffic is carried by the Moscow international gateway switch and also by satellite; satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (through Canada) and 1 Eutelsat (through the UK)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 18, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.17 million (1991 est.) (5,615,000 with multiple speaker systems for program diffusion)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (one national and one private; the license of the private station was suspended during the parliamentary elections of 1994)
Televisions: 3.5 million (1992 est.)
@Belarus:Transportation
Railways:
total: 5,488 km
broad gauge: 5,488 km 1.520-m gauge (873 km electrified) (1993)
Highways:
total: 52,131 km
paved: 36,544 km
unpaved: 15,587 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NA km; note-Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
Pipelines: crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Mazyr
Merchant marine:
note: claims 5% of former Soviet fleet (1995 est.)
Airports: 118 (1996 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 82
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)
@Belarus:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,681,014 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,099,860 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 78,780 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: 4.5 trillion rubles (1997 est.); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.3% (1997 est.)
@Belarus:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: demarcation has begun on border with Lithuania
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
BELGIUM
@Belgium:Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km
water: 280 sq km
Area-comparative: about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast)
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Natural resources: coal, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 21%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km including Luxembourg (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Environment-current issues: Meuse River, a major source of drinking water, polluted from steel production wastes; other rivers polluted by animal wastes and fertilizers; industrial air pollution contributes to acid rain in neighboring countries
Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Law of the Sea
Geography-note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO
@Belgium:People
Population: 10,174,922 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 903,954; female 860,940) 15-64 years: 66% (male 3,387,329; female 3,318,221) 65 years and over: 17% (male 693,519; female 1,010,959) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 10.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.41 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.13 years
female: 80.74 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian
Ethnic groups: Fleming 55%, Walloon 33%, mixed or other 12%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Languages: Flemish 56%, French 32%, German 1%, legally bilingual 11%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Belgium:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Data code: BE
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
National capital: Brussels
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (French: provinces, singular-province; Flemish: provincien, singular-provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen
note: constitutional reforms passed by Parliament in 1993 theoretically increased the number of provinces to 10 by splitting the province of Brabant into two new provinces, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant, but this has not been confirmed by the US Government
Independence: 4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 21 July (ascension of King LEOPOLD to the throne in 1831)
Constitution: 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
Legal system: civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the king
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king and approved by Parliament
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the king and then approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Flemish, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected, 31 will be indirectly elected at a later date; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Flemish, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies-last held 21 May 1995 (next to be held by the end of 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3, ECOLO 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%, VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV 4.4%, FN 2.3%; seats by party-CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18, PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2; note-before the 1995 elections, there were 212 seats
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie in Flemish, Cour de Cassation in French, judges are appointed for life by the Belgian monarch
Political parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People’s Party) [Marc VAN PEEL, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Gerard DEPREZ, president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Louis TOBBACK, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Philippe BUSQUIN, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Herman DE CROO, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Louis MICHEL, president]; Francophone Democratic Front or FDF [Olivier MAINGAIN, president]; Volksunie or VU [Bert ANCIAUX, president]; Vlaams Blok or VB [Karel DILLEN]; National Front or FN [Frank VANHECKE, president]; AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [no president]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax Christi
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
@Belgium:Economy
Economy-overview: This highly developed private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north, although the government is encouraging reinvestment in the southern region of Walloon. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Two-thirds of its trade is with other EU countries. The economy grew at a strong 4% annual pace during the period 1988-90, slowed to 1% in 1991-92, dropped by 1.5% in 1993, recovered with moderate 2.3% growth in 1994 and 1995, and fell off again to 1.4% in 1996, with continued substantial unemployment. Belgium’s public debt fell from 127% of GDP in 1996 to 124% in 1997, and the government is trying to control its expenditures to bring the figure more into line with other industrialized countries. GDP growth of 2.5% is forecast for 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$236.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$23,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 28%
services: 70% (1994)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.283 million (1997)
by occupation: services 69.7%, industry 27.7%, agriculture 2.6% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12.75% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal
Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 13.592 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 69.56 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,306 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture-products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk
Exports:
total value: $172 billion (f.o.b., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU)
commodities: iron and steel, transportation equipment, tractors, diamonds, petroleum products
partners: EU 67.2% (Germany 19%), US 5.8%, former Communist countries 1.4% (1994)
Imports:
total value: $158.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union
commodities: fuels, grains, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: EU 75% (Germany 22.1%), US 5%, former Communist countries 0.8% (1997)
Debt-external: $31.3 billion (1992 est.)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $808 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Belgian francs (BF) per US$1-37.459 (January 1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994), 34.597 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5.691 million (1992 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 39, shortwave 0
Radios: 100,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 32 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 3,315,662 (1993 est.)
@Belgium:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,368 km (2,386 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) standard gauge: 3,368 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)
Highways:
total: 143,175 km
paved: 143,175 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use)
Pipelines: crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km
Ports and harbors: Antwerp (one of the world’s busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge
Merchant marine:
total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,082 GRT/93,973 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 10 (1997 est.)
Airports: 42 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Belgium:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,549,277 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 2,111,332 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 63,937 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (1995)
@Belgium:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
BELIZE
@Belize:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 22,960 sq km
land: 22,800 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note-from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize’s territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize’s Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala
Climate: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 92%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Environment-current issues: deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
@Belize:People
Population: 230,160 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 49,486; female 47,596) 15-64 years: 54% (male 63,259; female 61,567) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,048; female 4,204) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 31.05 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.36 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.97 years
male: 67.01 years
female: 71.03 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean
Ethnic groups: mestizo 44%, Creole 30%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 7%, other 8%
Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over has ever attended school total population: 70.3%
male: 70.3%
female: 70.3% (1991 est.)
note: other sources list the literacy rate as high as 75%
@Belize:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Data code: BH
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Belmopan
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1981)
Constitution: 21 September 1981
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG (since 17 November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel ESQUIVEL (since July 1993); Deputy Prime Minister Dean BARROW (since NA July 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (8 members; members are appointed for five-year terms, five on the advice of the prime minister, two on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one after consultation with the Belize Advisory Council-this council serves as an independent body to advise the governor general with respect to difficult decisions such as granting pardons, commutations, stays of execution, the removal of justices of appeal who appear to be incompetent, etc.) and the National Assembly (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly-last held 30 June 1993 (next to be held no later than September 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUP 13, UDP 15, NABR 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: People’s United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Manuel ESQUIVEL, Dean BARROW]; National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR [Philip GOLDSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Assad SHOMAN]; United Workers Front
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Schofield MURPHY chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
mailing address: 5825 W. Sunset Boulevard, Suite 206, Hollywood, CA 90028
telephone: [1] (213) 469-7343
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carolyn CURIEL embassy: Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street, Belize City mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Unit 7401, APO AA 34025 telephone: [501] (2) 77161 through 77163 FAX: [501] (2) 30802
Flag description: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland
@Belize:Economy
Economy-overview: The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for more than one-third of exports, while the banana industry is the country’s largest employer. The government’s tough austerity program in 1997 resulted in an economic slowdown that is likely to continue in 1998. Political tension in the run-up to the elections will tend to discourage investment, already suffering as a result of tight monetary and fiscal policies. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas and could increase further if a pre-election boost in government spending leads to a rise in imports. The ruling in 1997 by the World Trade Organization against the European Union’s banana import regime-which had granted Belize preferential treatment – is also hurting the prospects for growth, and could contribute to an increase in already high unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$680 million (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.9% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 27%
services: 53% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 71,000
by occupation: agriculture 30%, services 16%, government 15.4%, commerce 11.2%, manufacturing 10.3%
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $140 million
expenditures: $142 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 23,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 105 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 491 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp
Exports:
total value: $166 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: sugar, citrus fruits, bananas, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
partners: US 44%, UK 42%, other EU 5%, Canada 3% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $262 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: US 55%, Mexico 12%, UK 5% (1997)
Debt-external: $217 million (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Belizean dollars (Bz$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 29,000 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 9, shortwave 1
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 27,048 (1993 est.)
@Belize:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,248 km
paved: 427 km
unpaved: 1,821 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 825 km river network used by shallow-draft craft; seasonally navigable
Ports and harbors: Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Merchant marine:
total: 265 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,298,562 GRT/2,055,027 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 184, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 26, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries: Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Panama 1, Singapore 2, UAE 2, and US 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 44 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 30 (1997 est.)
@Belize:Military
Military branches: Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 56,142 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 33,328 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 2,536 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $15 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2%
@Belize:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: border with Guatemala in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are ongoing
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center
______________________________________________________________________
BENIN
@Benin:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 48% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
Environment-current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: no natural harbors
@Benin:People
Population: 6,100,799 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,465,067; female 1,455,852) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,455,224; female 1,582,880) 65 years and over: 2% (male 61,523; female 80,253) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 45.82 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.77 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 100.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.61 years
male: 51.56 years
female: 55.72 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8% (1995 est.)
@Benin:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey
Data code: BN
Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
National capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Administrative divisions: 6 departments; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)
Constitution: 2 December 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (since 9 April 1996) acts as assistant to the president; a prime minister is not provided for in the constitution but was appointed by President KEREKOU with the permission of the constitutional court
cabinet: Council of Ministers headed by the prime minister; all are appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001) election results: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote-Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RB 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, PCB 2, AC 1, RDP 1, other 17
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development or PNDD and the Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Pascal Chabi KAO]; Action for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Mathieu KEREKOU]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Alliance Chameleon or AC; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Adekpedjon AKINDES]; Alliance for Social Democracy or ASD [Robert DOSSOU]; Liberal Democrats’ Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal TODJINOU, first secretary]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Albert TEVOEDJRE]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Renaissance Party of Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO] note: as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were officially recognized
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92 FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
@Benin:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% during 1990-95, rose to 5.5% in 1996 and was targeted at 4.8% for 1997. Rapid population growth offset much of this growth in output. Inflation jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, but has subsided over the past three years, with a target of 3.5% inflation in 1997. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are extremely vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. Support by the Paris Club and official bilateral creditors has eased the external debt situation in recent years. The government, still burdened with money-losing state enterprises and a bloated civil service, has been gradually implementing a World Bank supported structural adjustment program since 1991.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$11.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.8% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,900 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 14%
services: 52% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $299 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)
Industries: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 15,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 6 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 45 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock
Exports:
total value: $192 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa partners: Brazil 18%, Portugal 14%, Morocco, Libya, France
Imports:
total value: $693 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods partners: France 27%, Thailand 9%, China, Hong Kong
Debt-external: $1.7 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 16,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 20,000 (1993 est.)
@Benin:Transportation
Railways:
total: 578 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 6 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Benin:Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,311,490
females age 15-49: 1,378,979 (1998 est.) note: both sexes are liable for military service
Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 671,230
females: 698,290 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 65,498
females: 65,112 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $33 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.2% (1994)
@Benin:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US
______________________________________________________________________
BERMUDA
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Bermuda:Geography
Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W
Map references: North America
Area:
total: 50 sq km
land: 50 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA (1997 est.)
note: developed (55%), and rural and open space (39%) comprise 94% of Bermudian land area
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)
Environment-current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
@Bermuda:People
Population: 62,009 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 6,191; female 6,046) 15-64 years: 70% (male 21,330; female 21,912) 65 years and over: 10% (male 2,777; female 3,753) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.77% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.21 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.22 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.77 years
male: 75 years
female: 78.63 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups: black 61%, white and other 39%
Religions: Anglican 28%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Methodist 5%, other 34% (1991)
Languages: English (official), Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)
@Bermuda:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
Data code: BD
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May
Constitution: 8 June 1968
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Thorold MASEFIELD (since June 1997) head of government: Premier Pamela GORDON (since 25 March 1997); Deputy Premier Jerome DILL (since 1 September 1995) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; premier appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-UBP 50%, PLP 46%, independents 4%; seats by party-UBP 22, PLP 18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela GORDON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; National Liberal Party or NLP [Charles JEFFERS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA (Leleath BAILEY)
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Robert A. FARMER consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592
Flag description: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
@Bermuda:Economy
Economy-overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing financial services for international firms and luxury tourist facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry, which accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP, attracts 84% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda’s economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian fears of scaring away foreign firms.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$29,000 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.8% (November 1997)
Labor force:
total: 34,633
by occupation: clerical 23%, services 22%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 12%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1996)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $430.9 million
expenditures: $452.9 million, including capital expenditures of $50 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 145,000 kW (1996)
Electricity-production: 527,526,728 kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,856 kWh (1996)
Agriculture-products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products
Exports:
total value: $67.7 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals partners: Netherlands 50%, Brazil 13%, Canada 6% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $569 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: miscellaneous manufactured articles, machinery and transport equipment, food and live animals, chemicals partners: US 73%, UK 5%, Canada 4% (1996 est.)
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Bermudian dollar (Bd$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1-1.0000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 54,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 78,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 57,000 (1992 est.)
@Bermuda:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 225 km
paved: 225 km
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
note: in addition, there are 232 km of paved and unpaved roads that are privately owned
Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George
Merchant marine:
total: 91 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,590,132 GRT/7,440,524 DWT
ships by type: bulk 18, chemical tanker 1, container 18, liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 8 countries among which are UK 31, Canada 13, US 10, Norway 2, Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 4, Sweden 4, and Mexico 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Bermuda:Military
Military branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
@Bermuda:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
BHUTAN
@Bhutan:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dangme Chu 97 m
highest point: Khula Kangri I 7,553 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the source of the country’s name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Environment-current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
@Bhutan:People
Population: 1,908,307 (July 1998 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 600,000
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 396,839; female 368,391) 15-64 years: 56% (male 549,050; female 518,780) 65 years and over: 4% (male 38,235; female 37,012) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.27% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 37.33 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 14.6 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 111.66 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.31 years
male: 52.77 years
female: 51.83 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.22 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
People-note: refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 91,000 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps
@Bhutan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan
Data code: BT
Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
National capital: Thimphu
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)
National holiday: National Day, 17 December (1907) (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king)
Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights note: Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972); note-the king is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972); note-the king is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) appointed by the king
note: there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the king
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the king to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA
Judicial branch: the Supreme Court of Appeal is the king; High Court, judges appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders: no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign
International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note-Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York
honorary consulate(s): San Francisco; Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
@Bhutan:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy, one of the world’s smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about 40% of GDP. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India’s through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan’s hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation’s productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government’s desire to protect the country’s environment and cultural traditions. GDP growth averaged 5% per year in 1991-95, with information not yet available for 1996-97. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.3 billion (1995 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6.9% (1995 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$730 (1995 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 32%
services: 26% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7% (FY96/97 est.)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2% note: massive lack of skilled labor
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $146 million
expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (FY95/96 est.)
note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan’s budget expenditures
Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
Industrial production growth rate: 7.6% (1992 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 361,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.707 billion kWh (1995) note: exports electricity to India
Electricity-consumption per capita: 143 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Exports:
total value: $77.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to India), precious stones, spices partners: India 94%, Bangladesh