Читать книгу The 1999 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 37
ОглавлениеCommunications
Telephones: 5,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (one of the shortwave stations has three frequencies) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (broadcasts 1800 to 2100 hours, four days per week) (1997)
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,000 km navigable
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 52 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air
Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force,
Police
Military manpower—military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15–49: 1,689,112 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 875,541 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 70,464 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $39 million (1996)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
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@Chile——
Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline: 6,435 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south
Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged
Andes in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious
metals, molybdenum
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,650 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment—current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: strategic location relative to sea lanes between
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
People
Population: 14,973,843 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 28% (male 2,137,255; female 2,044,605)
15–64 years: 65% (male 4,845,523; female 4,885,328)
65 years and over: 7% (male 440,010; female 621,122) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.23% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 17.81 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.02 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.46 years male: 72.33 years female: 78.75 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish less than 1%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.4%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile
Data code: CI
Government type: republic
Capital: Santiago
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular—region);
Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania,
Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins,
Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region
Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Constitution: 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989
Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March
1994); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11
March 1994); note—the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December
1999)
election results: Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle elected president; percent
of vote—Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%,
other 17.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso
Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by
popular vote; members serve eight-year terms—one-half elected every
four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held 11 December 1997 (next to be held NA
December 2001); Chamber of Deputies—last held 11 December 1997 (next
to be held NA December 2001)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA%; seats by
party—CPD (PDC 14, PS 4, PPD 2), UPP 17 (RN 7, UDI 10), Chile 2000
(UCCP) 1, independent 10; Chamber of Deputies—percent of vote by
party—CPD 50.55% (PDC 22.98%, PS 11.10%, PPD 12.55%, PRSD 3.13%),
UPP 36.23% (RN 16.78%, UDI 14.43%); seats by party—CPD 70 (PDC 39,
PPD 16, PRSD 4, PS 11), UPP 46 (RN 24, UDI 21, Party of the South
1), right-wing independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 21-member court
Political parties and leaders: Coalition of Parties for Democracy or CPD consists mainly of: Christian Democratic Party or PDC Javier ERRAZURIZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation: APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO,
G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Genaro Luis ARRIAGADA Herrera chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John O'LEARY
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and
red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the
hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white
five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag
Economy
Economy—overview: Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market economy. Civilian governments—which took over from the military in March 1990—have continued to reduce the government's role in the economy while shifting the emphasis of public spending toward social programs. Growth in real GDP averaged more than 7.0% in 1991–1997 but fell to about half of that average in 1998 because of spillover from the global financial crisis. Inflation has been on a downward trend and hit a 60-year low in 1998. Chile's currency and foreign reserves also are strong, as sustained foreign capital inflows—including significant direct investment—have more than offset current account deficits and public debt buy-backs. President FREI, who took office in March 1994, has placed improving Chile's education system and developing foreign export markets at the top of his economic agenda. The Chilean economy remains largely dependent on a few sectors—particularly copper mining, fishing, and forestry. Success in meeting the government's goal of sustained annual economic growth of 5% depends largely on world prices for these commodities, continued foreign investor confidence, and the government's ability to maintain a conservative fiscal stance. In 1996, Chile became an associate member of Mercosur and concluded a free trade agreement with Canada.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$184.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$12,500 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 33% services: 61% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 20.5% (1994 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 46.1% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1998)
Labor force: 5.8 million (1998 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%, construction 6.4% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 6.4% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $17 billion
expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: −1.1% (1998)
Electricity—production: 35.81 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 41.89% hydro: 58.11% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 35.81 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; timber; fish
Exports: $14.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: copper 37%, other metals and minerals 8.2%,
wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1994)
Exports—partners: EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20%
(1995 est.)
Imports: $17.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw
materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% (1994)
Imports—partners: EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26%
(1995 est.)
Debt—external: $31.5 billion (1998)
Economic aid—recipient: ODA, $50.3 million (1996 est.)
Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1—475.68 (January 1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30 (1997), 412.27 (1996), 396.78 (1995), 420.08 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.5 million (1994 est.)
Telephone system: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: satellite earth stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 63 (in addition, there are 121 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2.85 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 6,782 km
broad gauge: 3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km
electrified) (1995)
Highways: total: 79,800 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 68,788 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 725 km
Pipelines: crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural
gas 320 km
Ports and harbors: Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo,
Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente,
Talcahuano, Valparaiso
Merchant marine:
total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 527,201 GRT/787,719 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 10, chemical tanker 5, container 2,
liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 4, passenger 3, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 4, vehicle carrier 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 378 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 58
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 320
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 229 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes
Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force of the Nation,
Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigations Police
Military manpower—military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15–49: 3,968,176 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 2,943,206 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 132,202 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $2.12 billion (1998); note—includes earnings from CODELCO Company and costs of pensions; does not include funding for the National Police (Carabineros) and Investigations Police
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.79% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: short section of the southwestern boundary with Argentina is indefinite—process to resolve boundary issues is underway; Bolivia has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Bolivia over Rio Lauca water rights; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims
Illicit drugs: a growing transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe; economic prosperity has made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits; imported precursors pass on to Bolivia
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@China——
Introduction
Background: For most of its 3,500 years of history, China led the world in agriculture, crafts, and science, then fell behind in the 19th century when the Industrial Revolution gave the West clear superiority in military and economic affairs. In the first half of the 20th century, China continued to suffer from major famines, civil unrest, military defeat, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China's autonomy, imposed strict controls over all aspects of life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping decentralized economic decision making; output quadrupled in the next 20 years. Political controls remain tight at the same time economic controls have been weakening. Present issues are: incorporating Hong Kong into the Chinese system; closing down inefficient state-owned enterprises; modernizing the military; fighting corruption; and providing support to tens of millions of displaced workers.
Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay,
Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 9,596,960 sq km
land: 9,326,410 sq km
water: 270,550 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries:
total: 22,143.34 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea
1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia
4,673 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605
km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
Coastline: 14,500 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in
north
Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west;
plains, deltas, and hills in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Turpan Pendi −154 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 14%
other: 33% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 498,720 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts
Environment—current issues: air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal, produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
Test Ban
Geography—note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia,
Canada, and US)
People
Population: 1,246,871,951 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 26% (male 169,206,275; female 149,115,216)
15–64 years: 68% (male 435,047,915; female 408,663,265)
65 years and over: 6% (male 39,824,361; female 45,014,919) (1999
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.77% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 15.1 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: −0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 43.31 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.92 years male: 68.57 years female: 71.48 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi,
Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities
8.1%
Religions: Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1%
(est.)
note: officially atheist, but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic
Languages: 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 divisions entry)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.5%
male: 89.9%
female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhong Guo
abbreviation: PRC
Data code: CH
Government type: Communist state
Capital: Beijing
Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and
plural), 5 autonomous regions* (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4
municipalities** (shi, singular and plural); Anhui, Beijing**,
Chongqing**, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi*, Guizhou, Hainan,
Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
Liaoning, Nei Mongol*, Ningxia*, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong,
Shanghai**, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tianjin**, Xinjiang*, Xizang* (Tibet),
Yunnan, Zhejiang
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entry
for the special administrative region of Hong Kong
Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty
221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12
February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949)
Constitution: most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice
President HU Jintao (since 16 March 1998)
head of government: Premier ZHU Rongji (since 18 March 1998); Vice
Premiers QIAN Qichen (since 29 March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March
1993), WU Bangguo (since 17 March 1995), and WEN Jiabao (since 18
March 1998)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 16–18
March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); premier nominated by the
president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
election results: JIANG Zemin reelected president by the Ninth
National People's Congress with a total of 2,882 votes (36 delegates
voted against him, 29 abstained, and 32 did not vote); HU Jintao
elected vice president by the Ninth National People's Congress with
a total of 2,841 votes (67 delegates voted against him, 39
abstained, and 32 did not vote)
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress or
Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,979 seats; members elected by
municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held NA December-NA February 1998 (next to be held
late 2002-NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—NA
Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the
National People's Congress
Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party or CCP
registered small parties controlled by CCP
Political pressure groups and leaders: no meaningful political
opposition groups exist
International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS,
CCC, CDB (non-regional), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM
(observer), OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMSIL, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador LI Zhaoxing
chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James R. SASSER
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521–0002
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang
Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy
Economy—overview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been trying to move the economy from a sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented economy but still within a rigid political framework of Communist Party control. To this end the authorities 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. 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, lassitude, corruption) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. In late 1993 China's leadership approved additional long-term reforms aimed at giving still more play to market-oriented institutions and at strengthening the center's control over the financial system; state enterprises would continue to dominate many key industries in what was now termed "a socialist market economy". In 1995–97 inflation dropped sharply, reflecting tighter monetary policies and stronger measures to control food prices. At the same time, the government 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, most of which had not participated in the vigorous expansion of the economy and many of which had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 60 to 100 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. The next few years may witness increasing tensions between a highly centralized political system and an increasingly decentralized economic system. Economic growth probably will slow to more moderate levels in 1999–2000.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$4.42 trillion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 7.8% (1998 est.) (official figures may substantially overstate growth)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,600 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 49% services: 32% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.9% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): −0.8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 696 million (1997 est.)
Labor force—by occupation: agriculture 50%, industry 24%, services 26% (1997)
Unemployment rate: officially 3% in urban areas; probably 8%-10%;
substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (1998
est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, autos, consumer electronics, telecommunications
Industrial production growth rate: 8.8% (1998 est.)
Electricity—production: 1.16 trillion kWh (1998)
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 93% hydro: 6% nuclear: 1% other: 0% (1996 est.)
Electricity—consumption: 994.921 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 6.025 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 755 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish
Exports: $183.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: electrical machinery and equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, woven apparel, knit apparel, footwear, toys and sporting goods (1998)
Exports—partners: Hong Kong 21%, US 21%, Japan 14%, Germany,
South Korea, Netherlands, UK, Singapore, Taiwan (1997)
Imports: $140.17 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports—commodities: electrical machinery and equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, plastics, iron and steel, scientific and photograph equipment, paper and paper board (1998)
Imports—partners: Japan 20%, US 12%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 11%,
Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia (1997)
Debt—external: $159 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $6.222 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 yuan (Y) = 10 jiao
Exchange rates: yuan (Y) per US$1—8.28 (February 1999), 8.2779
(December 1998), 8.2790 (1998), 8.2898 (1997), 8.3142 (1996), 8.3514
(1995), 8.6187 (1994)
note: beginning 1 January 1994, the People's Bank of China quotes
the midpoint rate against the US dollar based on the previous day's
prevailing rate in the interbank foreign exchange market
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 105 million (1998 est.)
Telephone system: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and all
townships
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: satellite earth stations—5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean Regions); several international
fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and
Germany
Radio broadcast stations: AM 569, FM NA, shortwave 173
Radios: 216.5 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 209 (China Central Television, government-owned; in addition there are 31 provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 city TV stations) (1997)
Televisions: 300 million
Transportation
Railways:
total: 64,900 km (including 5,400 km of provincial "local" rails)
standard gauge: 61,300 km 1.435-m gauge (12,000 km electrified;
20,000 km double track)
narrow gauge: 3,600 km 0.750-m gauge local industrial lines (1998
est.)
note: a new total of 68,000 km has been estimated for early 1999
Highways:
total: 1.21 million km
paved: 271,300 km (with at least 24,474 km of motorways)
unpaved: 938,700 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 109,800 km navigable (1997)
Pipelines: crude oil 9,070 km; petroleum products 560 km; natural
gas 9,383 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu,
Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao,
Shanghai, Shantou, Tianjin, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang
Merchant marine:
total: 1,759 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,828,349
GRT/24,801,291 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 330, cargo 855, chemical tanker
21, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 121,
liquefied gas tanker 20, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil
tanker 245, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 47, refrigerated cargo 25,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 24, short-sea passenger 43, vehicle carrier 1
(1998 est.)
Airports: 206 (1996 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 192 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 65 1,524 to 2,437 m: 90 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways: total: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: People's Liberation Army (PLA), which includes the Ground Forces, Navy (includes Marines and Naval Aviation), Air Force, Second Artillery Corps (the strategic missile force), People's Armed Police (internal security troops, nominally subordinate to Ministry of Public Security, but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA in wartime)
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15–49: 361,267,706 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 198,398,601 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 10,273,696 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $12.608 billion (FY99); note-Western analysts believe that China's real defense spending is several times higher than the official figure because several significant items are funded elsewhere
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: boundary with India in dispute; dispute over at least two small sections of the boundary with Russia remain to be settled, despite 1997 boundary agreement; most of the boundary with Tajikistan in dispute; 33-km section of boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan; sections of land border with Vietnam are indefinite
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem
======================================================================
@Christmas Island————————
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of
Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 138.9 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Natural resources: phosphate
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
People
Population: 2,373 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: NA 15–64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 7.77% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island
Ethnic groups: Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no
indigenous population
Religions: Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20%
(1991)
Languages: English
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island
Data code: KT
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from
Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport and
Territories
Government type: NA
Capital: The Settlement
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958
Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of
Australia and Australian law
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (acting) Graham NICHOLLS (since NA)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia
Legislative branch: unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 1998 (next to be held NA December
1999)
election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of
Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy—overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1990, the mine was reopened by private operators. Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $45 million casino on Christmas Island.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$NA
GDP—real growth rate: NA%
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$NA
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: NA
Labor force—by occupation: tourism 400 people, mining 100 people
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: NA kWh
Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity—consumption: NA kWh
Electricity—exports: NA kWh
Electricity—imports: NA kWh
Agriculture—products: NA
Exports: $NA
Exports—commodities: phosphate
Exports—partners: Australia, NZ
Imports: $NA
Imports—commodities: consumer goods
Imports—partners: principally Australia
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1—1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: external telephone and telex services are provided by Intelsat
satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 500 (1992)
Television broadcast stations: NA (1997)
Televisions: 350 (1992)
Transportation
Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Flying Fish Cove
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Clipperton Island————————
Geography
Location: Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 10 17 N, 109 13 W
Map references: World
Area:
total: 7 sq km
land: 7 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 12 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 11.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, humid, average temperature 20–32 degrees C,
rains May-October
Terrain: coral atoll
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all coral)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: subject to tornadoes
Environment—current issues: NA
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: reef about 8 km in circumference
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion
Data code: IP
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory
of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy—overview: Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity is a tuna fishing station.
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes—international: none
======================================================================
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands———————————
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area—comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2.6 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade wind for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones may occur in the early months of the
year
Environment—current issues: fresh water resources are limited to
rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
