-- -- PostgreSQL database dump -- -- CIA FactBook in a PostgreSQL database -- -- Copyright 2004-2007 Mark Watson, all rights reserved. -- License: released under the LGPL \connect - postgres -- -- TOC entry 1 (OID 0) -- Name: factbook; Type: DATABASE; Schema: -; Owner: postgres -- CREATE DATABASE factbook WITH TEMPLATE = template0 ENCODING = 0; \connect factbook postgres SET search_path = public, pg_catalog; -- -- TOC entry 2 (OID 77357) -- Name: countries; Type: TABLE; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- CREATE TABLE countries ( name text NOT NULL, "location" text, background text, climate text, terrain text, resources text, hazards text, population text, government text, economy text, inflation text, languages text, religions text, capital text, unemployment text, industries text, agriculture text, exports text, imports text, debt text, aid text, internet_code text ); -- -- TOC entry 3 (OID 77851) -- Name: usstates; Type: TABLE; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- CREATE TABLE usstates ( name text NOT NULL, capital text, agriculture text, industry text, population text, abbrev character(2) ); -- -- TOC entry 4 (OID 77858) -- Name: uscities; Type: TABLE; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- CREATE TABLE uscities ( name text, state text ); -- -- TOC entry 5 (OID 78386) -- Name: company; Type: TABLE; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- CREATE TABLE company ( name text, cik text, stockticker text NOT NULL ); -- -- TOC entry 6 (OID 78393) -- Name: companydirector; Type: TABLE; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- CREATE TABLE companydirector ( stockticker text, firstname text, lastname text ); -- -- Data for TOC entry 15 (OID 77357) -- Name: countries; Type: TABLE DATA; Schema: public; Owner: postgres -- COPY countries (name, "location", background, climate, terrain, resources, hazards, population, government, economy, inflation, languages, religions, capital, unemployment, industries, agriculture, exports, imports, debt, aid, internet_code) FROM stdin; Aruba Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island`s economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba`s request in 1990. tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation flat with a few hills; scant vegetation NEGL; white sandy beaches lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt 70,007 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country`s oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba`s small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. 4.2% (2000 est.) Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Oranjestad 0.6% (1999 est.) tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining aloes; livestock; fish $2.2 billion (including oil reexports) (2000 est.) $2.5 billion (2000 est.) $285 million (1996) $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 .aw Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995. tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts 66,970 (July 2001 est.) constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament Tourism continues to be the dominant activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP. The budding offshore financial sector has been seriously hurt by financial sanctions imposed by the US and UK as a result of the loosening of its money-laundering controls. The government has made efforts to comply with international demands in order to get the sanctions lifted. Antigua and Barbuda was listed as a tax haven by the OECD in 2000. The dual island nation`s agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals. 1.6% (1999 est.) English (official), local dialects Anglican (predominant), other Protestant, some Roman Catholic Saint John`s 7% (1999 est.) tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock $38 million (1998) $330 million (1998) $357 million (1998) $2.3 million (1995) .ag Afghanistan Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts 26,813,057 (July 2001 est.) no functioning central government, administered by factions Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 2000, 2 million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the nation`s difficulties in 1998-2000. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. In 1999-2000, internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 2000, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue. NA% Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi`a Muslim 15%, other 1% Kabul NA% small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, karakul pelts $80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.) $150 million (1996 est.) $5.5 billion (1996 est.) US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons .af Algeria Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in December 1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpone the subsequent elections. The FIS response has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. FIS`s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded itself in January 2000 and many armed militants surrendered under an amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, residual fighting continues. Other concerns include large-scale unemployment and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy. arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides 31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) republic The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers` efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world stalled in 1992 as the country became embroiled in political turmoil. Algeria`s financial and economic indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria`s finances in 2000 benefited from the spike in oil prices and the government`s tight fiscal policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, the near tripling of foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt. The government continues efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, but has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. 2% (2000 est.) Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Algiers 30% (1999 est.) petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle $19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $25 billion (2000 est.) $100 million (1999 est.) .dz Azerbaijan Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia Azerbaijan - a nation of Turkic Muslims - has been an independent republic since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a cease-fire, in place since 1994, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost almost 20% of its territory and must support some 750,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan`s undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled. dry, semiarid steppe large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the Caspian Sea 7,771,092 (July 2001 est.) republic Azerbaijan`s most prominent products are oil, cotton, and natural gas. Azerbaijan`s oil production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of 19 production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion to oil field development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. An obstacle to economic progress, including stepped up foreign investment, is the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while trade is building up with Turkey, Iran, UAE, and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan`s ability to manage its oil wealth. 1.8% (2000 est.) Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.) Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) Baku (Baki) 20% (1999 est.) petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1 billion (2000) ODA, $113 million (1996) .az Albania Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary elections. mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; drought 3,510,484 (July 2001 est.) emerging democracy Poor by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the end of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12% of GDP. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania`s population - triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and a 7% drop in GDP. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from some 20% of the labor force that works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania recovered the 7% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed ahead by 8% in 1999 and by 7.5% in 2000. International aid helped defray the high costs of receiving and returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict. Privatization scored some successes in 2000, but other reforms lagged. 1% (2000 est.) Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% Tirana 16% (2000 est.) officially; may be as high as 25% food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products $310 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1 billion (2000) $NA; aid for energy from China, Germany, Norway (2000) .al Armenia Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey An Orthodox Christian country, Armenia was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated exclave, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the exclave in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. highland continental, hot summers, cold winters Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts 3,336,100 (July 2001 est.) republic Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2000. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia`s severe trade imbalance, importing three times its exports, has been offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the economy, and foreign direct investment. 1% (1999 est.) Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% Armenian Orthodox 94% Yerevan 20% (1998 est.) metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, gem cutting, jewelry manufacturing, software development, brandy fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock $284 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $913 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $836 million (January 2001) $245.5 million (1995) .am Andorra Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra has achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes. temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead snowslides, avalanches 67,627 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces` representatives Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra`s tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra`s duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra`s comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its `tax haven` status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited by a scarcity of arable land, and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. 1.62% (1998) Catalan (official), French, Castilian Roman Catholic (predominant) Andorra la Vella 0% tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, tobacco, banking small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep $58 million (f.o.b., 1998) $1.077 billion (c.i.f., 1998) $NA none .ad Angola Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau 10,366,031 (July 2001 est.) transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system Angola is an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world`s lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and 90% of exports. Violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country`s food must still be imported. To fully take advantage of its rich resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to end its conflict and continue reforming government policies. Despite the increase in the pace of civil warfare in late 1998, the economy grew by an estimated 5% in 2000. The government introduced new currency denominations in 1999, including 1 and 5 kwanza notes. Internal strife discourages investment outside of the petroleum sector, which is producing roughly 800,000 barrels of oil per day. Angola has entered into a Staff Monitored Program (SMP) with the IMF. Continued growth depends on sharp cuts in inflation, further economic reform, and a lessening of fighting. 325% (2000 est.) Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) Luanda extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2000 est.) petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish $7.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $10.8 billion (2000 est.) $493.1 million (1995) .ao American Samoa Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Settled as early as 1000 B. C., Samoa was `discovered` by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year. tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) pumice, pumicite typhoons common from December to March 67,084 (July 2001 est.) NA This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa`s economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa`s remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia. NA% Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% Pago Pago 16% (1993) tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock $500 million (1998) $471 million (1996) $NA important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 .as Argentina Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist dictatorship was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina`s progress in democratic consolidation. mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding 37,384,816 (July 2001 est.) republic Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. However, when President Carlos MENEM took office in 1989, the country had piled up huge external debts, inflation had reached 200% per month, and output was plummeting. To combat the economic crisis, the government embarked on a path of trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization. In 1991, it implemented radical monetary reforms which pegged the peso to the US dollar and limited the growth in the monetary base by law to the growth in reserves. Inflation fell sharply in subsequent years. In 1995, the Mexican peso crisis produced capital flight, the loss of banking system deposits, and a severe, but short-lived, recession; a series of reforms to bolster the domestic banking system followed. Real GDP growth recovered strongly, reaching 8% in 1997. In 1998, international financial turmoil caused by Russia`s problems and increasing investor anxiety over Brazil produced the highest domestic interest rates in more than three years, halving the growth rate of the economy. Conditions worsened in 1999 with GDP falling by 3%. President Fernando DE LA RUA, who took office in December 1999, sponsored tax increases and spending cuts to reduce the deficit, which had ballooned to 2.5% of GDP in 1999. Growth in 2000 was a disappointing 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government`s ability to pay debts and maintain its fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. One bright spot at the start of 2001 was the IMF`s offer of $13.7 billion in support. -0.9% (2000 est.) Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4% Buenos Aires 15% (December 2000) food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock $26.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $25.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $154 billion (2000 est.) IMF offer of $13.7 billion (January 2001) .ar Australia Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia`s status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to an independent republic, was defeated in 1999. generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum cyclones along the coast; severe droughts 19,357,594 (July 2001 est.) democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy has expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Canberra`s emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy`s resilience to the regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate. Growth in 2001 will depend on key international commodity prices, the extent of recovery in nearby Asian economies, and the strength of US and European markets. 1.4% (2000 est.) English, native languages Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11% Canberra 6.4% (2000) mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry $69 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $77 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $220.6 billion (2000) .au Ashmore and Cartier Islands Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Recent geological explorations have indicated promising petroleum formations. tropical low with sand and coral fish surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards no indigenous inhabitants no economic activity Austria Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies, Austria`s 1955 State Treaty declared the country `permanently neutral` as a condition of Soviet military withdrawal. Neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria`s increasingly prominent role in European affairs. A prosperous country, Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and the euro monetary system in 1999. temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower NA 8,150,835 (July 2001 est.) federal republic Austria with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany`s. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria`s access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. In 2000, Austria moved to further cut government spending and raise taxes to meet EMU deficit targets after facing unexpected difficulties in reducing the public deficit. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy and continue to deregulate the service sector. Growth is expected to remain at about 3% in 2001. 2% (2000 est.) German Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17% Vienna 5.4% (2000 est.) construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber $63.2 billion (2000 est.) $65.6 billion (2000 est.) $16 billion (1999) .at Anguilla Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone salt, fish, lobster frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) 12,132 (July 2001 est.) NA Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September but recovered in 1996. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector. A comprehensive package of financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the industrialized nations as well as favorable weather conditions. 2.5% (1998 est.) English (official) Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% The Valley 7% (1992 est.) tourism, boat building, offshore financial services small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising $4.5 million (1998) $57.6 million (1998) $8.8 million (1998) $3.5 million (1995) .ai Antarctica continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle Speculation over the existence of a `southern land` was not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Peninsula region and areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1838 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Various `firsts` were achieved in the early 20th century, including: 1902, first balloon flight (by British explorer Robert Falcon SCOTT); 1912, first to the South Pole (five Norwegian explorers under Roald AMUNDSEN); 1928, first fixed-wing aircraft flight (by Australian adventurer/explorer Sir Hubert WILKINS); 1929, first flight over the South Pole (by Americans Richard BYRD and Bernt BALCHEN); and 1935, first transantarctic flight (American Lincoln ELLSWORTH). Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. A number of countries have set up year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in 1959, it entered into force in 1961. severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf no indigenous inhabitants, but there are seasonally staffed research stations Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 23rd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Peru in May 1999. At the end of 2000, there were 44 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 17 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research. Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 1998-99 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 119,898 metric tons. Unregulated fishing landed five to six times more than the regulated fishery, and allegedly illegal fishing in antarctic waters in 1998 resulted in the seizure (by France and Australia) of at least eight fishing ships. Companies interested in commercial fishing activities in Antarctica have put forward proposals. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total of 13,193 tourists visited in the 1999-2000 summer, up from the 10,013 who visited the previous year. Nearly all of them were passengers on 24 commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that made 143 trips during the summer. Most tourist trips lasted approximately two weeks. .aq Bahrain Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Bahrain`s small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi`a community. In 2001, the International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain. arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls periodic droughts; dust storms 645,361 constitutional monarchy In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. 2% (2000 est.) Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Shi`a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% Manama 15% (1998 est.) petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $2.7 billion (2000) $48.4 million (1995) .bh Barbados Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. tropical; rainy season (June to October) relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region petroleum, fish, natural gas infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides 275,330 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-2000. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. Growth should remain steady in 2001, with new tourist facilities a plus factor. 2% (2000 est.) English Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Bridgetown 11% (1999 est.) tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export sugarcane, vegetables, cotton $260 million (2000 est.) $800.3 million (2000 est.) $425 million (2000 est.) $9.1 million (1995) .bb Botswana Southern Africa, north of South Africa Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining. semiarid; warm winters and hot summers predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility 1,586,119 parliamentary republic Botswana has maintained one of the world`s highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $6,600 in 2000. Diamond mining has fueled much of Botswana`s economic expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for three-fourths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. The government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 19%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana`s impressive economic gains. 8.6% (2000 est.) English (official), Setswana indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50% Gaborone 40% (2000 est.) diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing sorghum, corn, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $455 million (2000) $73 million (1995) .bw Bermuda North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter low hills separated by fertile depressions limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism hurricanes (June to November) 63,503 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government 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. Government economic priorities are the further strengthening of the tourist and international financial sectors. 2.7% (2000 est.) English (official), Portuguese non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% Hamilton NEGL% (1995) tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products $56 million (2000 est.) $739 million (2000 est.) $NA $27.9 million (1995) .bm Belgium Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast coal, natural gas flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes 10,258,762 (July 2001 est.) federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch This modern 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 investment in the southern region of Wallonia. 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. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium`s public debt is expected to fall below 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a good position to pursue its energy market liberalization policies and planned tax cuts. 2.2% (2000 est.) Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% Brussels 8.4% (2000 est.) engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000) $28.3 billion (1999 est.) .be Bahamas, The Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills salt, aragonite, timber, arable land hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage 297,852 constitutional parliamentary democracy The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago`s labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country`s GDP by an estimated 3% in 1998, 6% in 1999, and 4.5% in 2000. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute only 10% of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued sturdy growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visitors. 1.9% (2000 est.) English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% Nassau 9% (1998 est.) tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe citrus, vegetables; poultry $376.8 million (2000 est.) $1.73 billion (2000 est.) $385.8 million (2000 est.) $9.8 million (1995) .bs Bangladesh Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development. tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast natural gas, arable land, timber, coal droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season 131,269,860 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world`s poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Even so, Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA`s Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. 5.8% (2000 est.) Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) Dhaka 35.2% (1996) cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry $5.9 billion (2000) $8.1 billion (2000) $17 billion (2000) $1.575 billion (2000 est.) .bd Belize Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime. tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south) 256,062 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy 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 nearly half 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 continued in 1998. The trade deficit has been growing, mostly as a result of low export prices for sugar and bananas. The tourist and construction sectors strengthened in early 1999, supporting growth of 6% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. Aided by international donors, the government`s key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty. 2% (2000 est.) English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole 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) Belmopan 12.8% (1999) garment production, food processing, tourism, construction bananas, coca, citrus, sugarcane; lumber; fish, cultured shrimp $235.7 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $413 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) $338 million (1998) $NA .bz Bosnia and Herzegovina Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina`s declaration of sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a referendum for independence from the former Yugoslavia in February 1992. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a `greater Serbia.` In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties signed a peace agreement that brought to a halt the three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina`s international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government is charged with conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are charged with overseeing internal functions. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR remains in place at a level of approximately 21,000 troops. hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast mountains and valleys coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests, copper, chromium, lead, zinc, hydropower destructive earthquakes 3,922,205 emerging democracy Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted a large share of Yugoslavia`s defense plants. The bitter interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1990 to 1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery to multiply. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-98 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed appreciably in 1999 and 2000, and GDP remains far below the 1990 level. Economic data are of limited use because, although both entities issue figures, national-level statistics are not available. Moreover, official data do not capture the large share of activity that occurs on the black market. The marka - the national currency introduced in 1998 - has gained wide acceptance, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of privatization, however, has been slower than anticipated. Banking reform accelerated in early 2001 as all the communist-era payments bureaus were shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance. 8% (2000 est.) Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10% Sarajevo 35%-40% (1999 est.) steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock $950 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $2.45 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $3.4 billion (2000 est.) $1 billion (1999 est.) .ba Bolivia Central South America, southwest of Brazil Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, continuing the privatization program, and waging an anti-corruption campaign. varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower flooding in the northeast (March-April) 8,300,463 (July 2001 est.) republic Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, has made considerable progress toward the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico and joining the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power company, and oil company. His successor, Hugo BANZER Suarez has tried to further improve the country`s investment climate with an anticorruption campaign. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to tight government budget policies, which limited needed appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances in April, and again in September and October, held down overall growth to 2.5%. 4.4% (2000 est.) Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official) Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary) 11.4% (1997) mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes; timber $1.26 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.86 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $6.6 billion (2000) $588 million (1997) .bo Burma Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the military junta ruling the country refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG San Suu Kyi, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention in September 2000; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed. tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts 41,994,678 military regime Burma has a mixed economy with private activity dominant in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with substantial state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and the rice trade. Government policy in the 1990s has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of tight central planning. Private activity markedly increased in the early to mid-1990s, but began to decline in the past several years due to frustrations with the unfriendly business environment and political pressure from western nations. Published estimates of Burma`s foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black-market, illicit, and border trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Burma remains a poor Asian country and living standards for the majority have not improved over the past decade. Short-term growth will continue to be restrained because of poor government planning and minimal foreign investment. 18% (1999) Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon) 7.1% (official FY97/98 est.) agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; hardwood $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999) $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999) $6 billion (FY99/00 est.) $99 million (FY98/99) .mm Benin Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991. tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter 6,590,782 republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991 The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a sound 5% in 1996-99, but a rapid population rise offset much of this growth. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation in recent years. While high fuel prices constrained growth in 2000, increased cotton production - enabled by a major restructuring program - and an expansion of the Cotonou port, may lead to increased growth in 2001. 3% (2000 est.) French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government NA% textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock $396 million (f.o.b., 1999) $566 million (c.i.f., 1999) $1.6 billion (1998 est.) $274.6 million (1997) .bj Belarus Eastern Europe, east of Poland After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration but, to date, neither side has actively sought to implement the accord. cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime generally flat and contains much marshland forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas NA 10,350,194 (July 2001 est.) republic Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of `market socialism.` In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state`s right to intervene in the management of private enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by extremely high inflation, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, and retroactive application of new business regulations prohibiting practices that had been legal. Further economic problems are two consecutive bad harvests, 1998-99, and persistent trade deficits. Close relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. 200% (2000 est.) Byelorussian, Russian, other Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Minsk 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earth movers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $1 billion (2000 est.) $194.3 million (1995) .by Solomon Islands Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control. tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity 480,442 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government`s inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. 10% (1999 est.) Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Honiara NA% fish (tuna), mining, timber cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $152.4 million (1998) $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ .sb Navassa Island Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge. marine, tropical raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high) guano NA uninhabited no economic activity Brazil Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, Brazil became Latin America`s leading economic power by the 1970s. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. mostly tropical, but temperate in south mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south 174,468,575 federative republic Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil`s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. In the late eighties and early nineties, high inflation hindered economic activity and investment. `The Real Plan`, instituted in the spring of 1994, sought to break inflationary expectations by pegging the real to the US dollar. Inflation was brought down to single digit annual figures, but not fast enough to avoid substantial real exchange rate appreciation during the transition phase of the `Real Plan`. This appreciation meant that Brazilian goods were now more expensive relative to goods from other countries, which contributed to large current account deficits. However, no shortage of foreign currency ensued because of the financial community`s renewed interest in Brazilian markets as inflation rates stabilized and the debt crisis of the eighties faded from memory. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998. Brazil`s debt to GDP ratio for 1999 beat the IMF target and helped reassure investors that Brazil will maintain tight fiscal and monetary policy even with a floating currency. The economy continued to recover in 2000, with inflation remaining in the single digits and expected growth for 2001 of 4.5%. Foreign direct investment set a record of more than $30 billion in 2000. 6% (2000) Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French Roman Catholic (nominal) 80% Brasilia 7.1% (2000 est.) textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef $55.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $55.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $232 billion (2000) NA .br Bassas da India Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968. tropical volcanic rock none maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones uninhabited (July 2001 est.) no economic activity Bhutan Southern Asia, between China and India Under British influence a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later a treaty was signed whereby the country became a British protectorate. Independence was attained in 1949, with India subsequently guiding foreign relations and supplying aid. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions. varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide 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 2,049,412 (July 2001 est.) monarchy; special treaty relationship with India The economy, one of the world`s smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. 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. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. 7% (2000 est.) Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% Thimphu NA% cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs $154 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $269 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) $120 million (1998) $73.8 million (1995) .bt Bulgaria Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Bulgaria earned its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, but having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People`s Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multi-party election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began accession negotiations in 2000. temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land earthquakes, landslides 7,707,495 (July 2001 est.) parliamentary democracy Bulgaria, a former communist country struggling to enter the European market economy, suffered a major economic downturn in 1996 and 1997, with triple digit inflation and GDP contraction of 10.6% and 6.9%. The current government - which took office in May 1997 after pre-term parliamentary elections - stabilized the economy and promoted growth by implementing a currency board, practicing sound financial policies, invigorating privatization, and pursuing structural reforms. Additionally, strong assistance from international financial institutions - most notably the IMF which approved a three-year Extended Fund Facility worth approximately $900 million in September 1998 - played a critical role in turning the economy around. After several years of tumult, Bulgaria`s economy has stabilized. Its better-than-expected economic performance in 1999 - despite the impact of the Kosovo conflict, the 1998 Russian financial crisis, and structural reforms - and strong growth in 2000 portends solid growth over the next few years; this assumes continued fiscal restraint, additional structural reforms, aid from abroad, and prosperous times in the EU economy. 10.4% (2000 est.) Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Bulgarian Orthodox 83.5%, Muslim 13%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1% (1998) Sofia 17.7% (2000 est.) electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $10.4 billion (2000 est.) $1 billion (1999 est.) .bg Bouvet Island Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825 when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. antarctic volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 m; coast is mostly inaccessible none NA uninhabited (July 2001 est.) no economic activity; declared a nature reserve .bv Brunei Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia The Sultanate of Brunei`s heyday occurred between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled in Brunei for over six centuries. tropical; hot, humid, rainy flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west petroleum, natural gas, timber typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare 343,653 (July 2001 est.) constitutional sultanate This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. Exports of crude oil and natural gas account for over half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei`s leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, a further widening of the economic base beyond oil and gas. 1% (1999 est.) Malay (official), English, Chinese Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10% Bandar Seri Begawan 4.9% (1995 est.) petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.) $0 $4.3 million (1995) .bn Burundi Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Between 1993 and 2000, wide-spread, often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions in Burundi created hundreds of thousands of refugees and left tens of thousands dead. Although some refugees have returned from neighboring countries, continued ethnic strife has forced many others to flee. Burundian troops, seeking to secure their borders, have intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and December to January hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower flooding, landslides, drought 6,223,897 republic Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries of the climate and the international coffee market. Since October 1993 the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has resulted in the death of perhaps 250,000 persons and the displacement of about 800,000 others. Only one in four children go to school, and one in nine adults has HIV/AIDS. Foods, medicines, and electricity remain in short supply. 22% (2000 est.) Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area) Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10% Bujumbura NA% light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides $32 million (f.o.b., 2000) $110 million (f.o.b., 2000) $1.12 billion (1999 est.) $1.344 billion (1999 est.) .bi Canada Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country. varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country`s rain and snow 31,592,805 (July 2001 est.) confederation with parliamentary democracy As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Real rates of growth have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is falling and government budget surpluses are being partially devoted to reducing the large public sector debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professional persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure. 2.6% (2000) English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5% Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 40%, other 18% Ottawa 6.8% (2000 est.) processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish $272.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $238.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.9 billion (2000) .ca Cambodia Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos Following a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces. tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts 12,491,501 multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993 Cambodia`s economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 4%. GDP growth for 2000 had been projected to reach 5.5%, but the worst flooding in 70 years severely damaged agricultural crops, and high oil prices hurt industrial production, and growth for the year is estimated at only 4%. Tourism is Cambodia`s fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political instability and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter side, the government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors. 1.6% (2000 est.) Khmer (official) 95%, French, English Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5% Phnom Penh 2.8% (1999 est.) garments, tourism, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles rice, rubber, corn, vegetables $942 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $829 million (1999 est.) $548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by international donors .kh Chad Central Africa, south of Libya Chad, part of France`s African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997 respectively. In 1998 a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which continued to escalate throughout 2000. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy. tropical in south, desert in north broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad) hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues 8,707,078 (July 2001 est.) republic Landlocked Chad`s economic development suffers from its geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture, including the herding of livestock. Of Africa`s Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African Development Fund, and other sources is directed largely at the improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. The World Bank`s decision to back the Doba oil field development and the Chad-Cameroon pipeline will add Chad to the group of already booming West African oil exporters. However, the rank and file may not benefit much from the oil development projects. 3% (2000 est.) French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25% N`Djamena NA% cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels $172 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $223 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1 billion (1999 est.) $238.3 million (1995); note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank .td Sri Lanka Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester. tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower occasional cyclones and tornadoes 19,408,635 (July 2001 est.) republic In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka`s most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an annual average rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-98 with growth of 6.4% and 4.7% - but slowed to 4.3% in 1999. Growth increased to 5.6% in 2000, with growth in tourism and exports leading the way. But a resurgence of civil war between the Sinhalese and the minority Tamils and a possible slowdown in tourism dampen prospects for 2001. For the next round of reforms, the central bank of Sri Lanka recommends that Colombo expand market mechanisms in nonplantation agriculture, dismantle the government`s monopoly on wheat imports, and promote more competition in the financial sector. 8.5% (2000 est.) Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999) Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital 8.8% (1999 est.) processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef $5.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $9.9 billion (2000) $577 million (1998) .lk Congo, Republic of the Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO. tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower seasonal flooding 2,894,336 republic The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Moreover, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government`s shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo`s budget deficit. Even with the IMF`s renewed confidence and high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14 million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction. 3.5% (2000 est.) French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users) Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% Brazzaville NA% petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $870 million (f.o.b., 2000) $5 billion (1999 est.) $159.1 million (1995) .cg Congo, Democratic Republic of the Central Africa, northeast of Angola Since 1994 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. The new president quickly began overtures to end the war. tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity 53,624,718 dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue and has increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, raging inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold. 540% (2000 est.) French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10% Kinshasa NA% mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products $960 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $660 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) $13 billion (1998 est.) $195.3 million (1995) .cd China Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam For centuries China has stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the first half of the 20th century, China was beset by major famines, civil unrest, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China`s sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making. Output quadrupled in the next 20 years and China now has the world`s second largest GDP. Political controls remain tight even while economic controls continue to weaken. extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world`s largest) frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts 1,273,111,290 (July 2001 est.) Communist state In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state managers and enterprises has been steadily increasing. The authorities have switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. In 2000, with its 1.26 billion people but a GDP of just $3,600 per capita, China stood as the second largest economy in the world after the US (measured on a purchasing power parity basis). Agricultural output doubled in the 1980s, and industry also posted major gains, especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan, where foreign investment helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. On the darker side, the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) collect revenues due from provinces, businesses, and individuals; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises many of which had been shielded from competition by subsides and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China`s population control program, which is essential to maintaining growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to continued rapid economic growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Weakness in the global economy in 2001 could hamper growth in exports. Beijing will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure--such as water control and power grids--and poverty relief and through rural tax reform aimed at eliminating arbitrary local levies on farmers. 0.4% (2000 est.) Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.) Beijing urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2000 est.) iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish $232 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $197 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $162 billion (2000 est.) $NA .cn Chile Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, which ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship, led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the country`s commitment to democratic and representative government. Growth slowed in 1998-99, but recovered strongly in 2000. temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis 15,328,467 (July 2001 est.) republic Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile`s reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of 1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth rebounded to 5.5% in 2000. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, however, putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. Meanwhile, Chile has launched free trade negotiations with the US. 4.5% (2000 est.) Spanish Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL% Santiago 9% (December 2000) copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber $18 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $17 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $39 billion (2000) ODA, $40 million (2001 est.) .cl Cayman Islands Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism hurricanes (July to November) 35,527 (July 2001 est.) British crown colony With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1997, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million visitors in 1997. About 90% of the islands` food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. 3% (1998) English United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant George Town 4.1% (1997) tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming $1.5 million (1998) $507.6 million (1998) $70 million (1996) $NA .ky Cocos (Keeling) Islands Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka The islands were discovered in 1609, but remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands is split between the mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island. pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall flat, low-lying coral atolls fish cyclones may occur in the early months of the year 633 (July 2001 est.) NA Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. NA% English, Malay Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.) West Island copra products and tourism vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts $NA $NA $NA $NA .cc Cameroon Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy. varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases 15,803,220 unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation`s banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. Higher oil prices in 2000 helped to offset the country`s lower cocoa export revenues. A rebound in the cocoa market should increase growth to over 5% in 2001. 2% (2000 est.) 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Yaounde 30% (1998 est.) petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $10.9 billion (2000 est.) on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon`s debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion .cm Comoros Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through the 2000 Fomboni Accord, a confederal arrangement that the Organization of African Unity has yet to recognize. tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills NEGL cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano 596,202 (July 2001 est.) independent republic One of the world`s poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. 3.5% (1999) Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Moroni 20% (1996 est.) tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) $7.9 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $55.1 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $197 million (1997 est.) $28.1 million (1997) .km Colombia Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. While Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts 40,349,388 (July 2001 est.) republic; executive branch dominates government structure Colombia is poised for muted growth in the next several years, marking continued recovery from the severe 1999 recession when GDP fell by about 4%. President PASTRANA`s well-respected economic team is working to keep the economy on track, maintaining low interest rates, for example. In accordance with its IMF loan agreement, the administration also is taking steps to improve the public sector`s fiscal health. However, many challenges to improved prosperity remain. Unemployment was stuck at a record 20% in 2000, contributing to the extreme inequality in income distribution. Two of Colombia`s leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are depressed. The lack of public security is a key concern for investors, making progress in the government`s peace negotiations with insurgent groups an important driver of economic performance. Colombia is looking for continued support from the international community to boost economic and peace prospects. 9% (2000) Spanish Roman Catholic 90% Bogota 20% (2000 est.) textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp $14.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $34 billion (2000 est.) $40.7 million (1995) .co Northern Mariana Islands Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic arable land, fish active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) 74,612 (July 2001 est.) commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. 1.2% (1997 est.) English, Chamorro, Carolinian Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) Saipan NA% tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle $NA $NA $NA extensive funding from US .mp Coral Sea Islands Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on Willis Island. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. tropical sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) NEGL occasional tropical cyclones no indigenous inhabitants no economic activity Costa Rica Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has achieved a relatively high standard of living. Land ownership is widespread. Tourism is a rapidly expanding industry. tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands coastal plains separated by rugged mountains hydropower occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes 3,773,057 (July 2001 est.) democratic republic Costa Rica`s basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the coun