Читать книгу The 2004 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 54
ОглавлениеInternational organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 686–9551 telephone: [1] (202) 364–1200
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a
yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles
between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;
Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three
main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African
countries upon independence that they became known as the
pan-African colors
Economy Ethiopia
Economy - overview:
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which
accounts for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total
employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought
and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian
economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but historically
low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement
income. The war with Eritrea in 1998–2000 and recurrent drought have
buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November
2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted
Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure
system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases
to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Return to normal weather patterns late
in 2003 should help agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004. The
government estimates that annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce
poverty.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $46.81 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
−3.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46% industry: 12.6% services: 41.4% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
17% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:
50% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17.8% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
NA (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and construction 8%,
government and services 12% (1985)
Unemployment rate:
NA (2002)
Budget:
revenues: $1.813 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $788
million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides,
cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing,
cement
Industrial production growth rate:
6.7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.713 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
1.594 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$-408 million (2003)
Exports:
$537 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners:
Djibouti 13.4%, Germany 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan 6.8%, Italy
6.4%, US 5.1% (2003)
Imports:
$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 24.1%, US 17%, China 6.4%, Italy 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$956 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$2.9 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$308 million (FY00/01)
Currency:
birr (ETB)
Currency code:
ETB
Exchange rates:
birr per US dollar - NA (2003), 8.5678 (2002), 8.4575 (2001),
8.2173 (2000), 7.9423 (1999)
note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Fiscal year:
8 July - 7 July
Communications Ethiopia
Telephones - main lines in use:
435,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
97,800 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay system;
adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
the national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
15.2 million (2002)
Television broadcast stations:
1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)
Televisions:
682,000 (2002)
Internet country code:
.et
Internet hosts:
9 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
75,000 (2003)
Transportation Ethiopia
Railways:
total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railroad)
narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)
Highways: total: 31,571 km paved: 3,789 km unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:
none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea
using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with
Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly
all of its imports
Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
2 (2004 est.)
Airports:
82 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
Military Ethiopia
Military branches:
Ethiopian National Defense Force: Ground Forces, Air Force,
Mobilized Militia
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
Eritrean possession
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15–49: 15,748,632 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 8,234,442 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 760,868 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$345 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Ethiopia
Disputes - international:
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 independent
boundary commission's delimitation decision, but demarcation has
been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by
Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography,"
made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awarded
Badme - the focus of the 1998–2000 war - and other areas to Eritrea
and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission's
decision; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line and no
international border with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and
maintains alliances with local clans in opposition to the
Transitional National Government, which lost its mandate in August
2003, in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port
facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; efforts to
demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil
war
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan), 23,578 (Somalia) IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998–2000 and ethnic clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia
and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine
destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for
local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia
(legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed
financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Europa Island
Introduction Europa Island
Background:
A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is
the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.
Geography Europa Island
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
22 20 S, 40 22 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
22.2 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
low and flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 24 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
wildlife sanctuary
People Europa Island
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)
Government Europa Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Europa Island
local short form: Ile Europa
local long form: none
Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy Europa Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Communications Europa Island
Communications - note: 1 meteorological station
Transportation Europa Island
Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Europa Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Europa Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@European Union
Introduction European Union
Preliminary statement:
The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic
agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's
supranational organization of 25 countries across the European
continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of
history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the
norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were
arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number
of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching
entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the
strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as
ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes
associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding
date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and
security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future,
many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded.
Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed
appropriate as a new, separate entry in The World Factbook. However,
because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after
the regular country entries.
Background:
Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all of Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.
The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.
In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined to the EU, raising the membership total to 15.
A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except Great Britain, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gives member states two years to ratify the document before it is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006.
Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.
Geography European Union
Location:
Europe between Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 3,976,372 sq km
Area - comparative:
less than one-half the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 11,214.8 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
note: data for European Continent only
Coastline:
65,413.9 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;
mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south
Terrain:
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the
central and southern areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark −7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands
−7 m
highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,
zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish
Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
Irrigated land:
115,807 sq km
Natural hazards:
flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes
in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in
Spain; ice floes in the Baltic
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
Hazardous Wastes, Biodiversity, Air Pollution, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94, Ozone
Layer Protection, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea, Desertification, Climate
Change; has signed, but not yet ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
People European Union
Population: 456,285,839 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: 16.3% 15–64 years: 67.2% 65 years and over: 16.6% (July 2004 est.)
Median age:
NA
Population growth rate:
0.17% (July 2004 est.)
Birth rate:
10.2 births/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)
Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.1 years
male: 74.9 years
female: 81.4 years (July 2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.48 children born/woman (July 2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Languages:
Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official
languages are listed
Government European Union
Union name:
conventional long form: European Union
abbreviation: EU
Political structure:
a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization
Capital:
Brussels, Belgium
Member states:
25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands
(Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and French Guyana,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed
separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal,
and France; candidate countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey
Independence:
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1
November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
National holiday:
Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that
Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized Europe
Constitution:
based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up
the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties
of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single
European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastrict) in
1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in
2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October
2004 in Rome, gives member states two years for ratification either
by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it is scheduled
to take effect on 1 November 2006
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose DURAO
BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
election results: European Parliament approved the European
Commission by an approval vote of 449–149 with 82 abstentions
elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
(next to be held 2009)
cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
areas)
note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
political issues relating to European integration and to issue
general policy guidelines
Legislative branch:
Council of the European Union (25 member-state ministers having 321
votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'
population); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of
the EU; European Parliament (732 seats; seats allocated among member
states by proportion to population); members elected by direct
universal suffrage for a five-year term
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED
268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN
27, independents 28
elections: last held 10–13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)
Judicial branch:
European Court of Justice (ensures that the treaties are
interpreted and applied correctly) - 25 Justices (one from each
member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of
efficiency, the court can sit with 11 justices known as the "Grand
Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25 justices appointed for a
six-year term
Political parties and leaders:
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE
[Graham R. WATSON]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM
[Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Group of Greens/European Free
Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc
COHN-BENDIT]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES
[Martin SCHULZ]; Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic
Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Union for
Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana
MUSCARDINI]
International organization participation:
European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF (dialogue member),
EBRD, IDA, OAS (observer), OECD, WTO
European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, G-10, NSG
(observer), UN (observer)
European Central Bank: BIS
European Investment Bank: WADB (nonregional member)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 FAX: [1] (202) 429–1766 telephone: [1] (202) 862–9500
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rockwell SCHNABEL embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat (Rue Zinner), B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508–2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512–5720
Flag description:
on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle,
representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars
is fixed
Economy European Union
Economy - overview:
Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower trade barriers,
adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living
standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade
position and its political and economic power. Because of the great
differences in per capita income (from $10,000 to $28,000) and
historic national animosities, the European Community faces
difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example,
both Germany and France since 2003 have flouted the member states'
treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running
more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the EU admitted 10 central and
eastern European countries that are, in general, less advanced
technologically and economically than the existing 15. The Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU), an associated organization, introduced the
euro as the common currency on 1 January 1999. The UK, Sweden, and
Denmark do not now participate; the 10 new countries may choose to
join the EMU when they meet its fiscal and monetary criteria and the
member states so agree.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.05 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 28.3% services: 69.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
percent of GDP - NA (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.2% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.1 (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
211.1 million
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.3%, industry 29%, services 66.8% (2000)
Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes, dairy products,
cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish
Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
industries, including iron and steel, aluminum, petroleum, coal,
cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aircraft, railroad
equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools,
electronics, telecommunications equipment, fishing, food processing,
furniture, paper, textiles and clothing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.822 trillion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
2.635 trillion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
234.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
245.7 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
3.244 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - consumption:
14.48 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - exports:
6.429 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
16.97 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
7.467 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
243.8 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - consumption:
463.6 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - exports:
77.04 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - imports:
292.2 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.262 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:
$NA
Exports:
$850.3 billion (2002)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and
other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp
and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic
beverages.
Exports - partners:
NA
Imports:
$887.1 billion (2002)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals,
textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:
NA
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$NA
Debt - external:
$NA
Economic aid - donor:
$NA
Currency:
euro; pound (Cyprus), koruna (Czech Republic), krone (Denmark),
kroon (Estonia), forint (Hungary), lat (Latvia), litas (Lithuania),
lira (Malta), zloty (Poland), koruna (Slovakia), tolar (Slovenia),
krona (Sweden), pound (UK)
Currency code:
EUR
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year:
NA
Communications European Union
Telephones - main lines in use:
238,763,162 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
314,644,700 (2002)
Telephone system:
note - see individual country entries of member states
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of individual
country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
station (Euroradio)
Television broadcast stations:
2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum of indiviual
country television broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
station (Eurovision)
Internet country code:
.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states
for individual country codes
Internet hosts:
22,000,414 (2004); note - sum of individual country Internet hosts
Internet users:
206,032,067 (September 2004)
Transportation European Union
Railways:
total: 222,293 km
broad gauge: 28,438 km
narrow gauge: 7,427 km
standard gauge: 186,405 km
other: 23 km (2003)
Highways:
total: 4,634,810 km (including 56,704 km of expressways)
paved: 4,161,318 km
unpaved: 473,492 km (1999–2000)
Waterways:
53,512 km
Ports and harbors:
Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Bremen (Germany), Copenhagen
(Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland),
Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon
(Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy),
Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia)
Airports: total: 3,130 with paved runways: 1,834 with unpaved runways: 1,296 (2003)
Heliports: 94 (2003)
Military European Union
Military - note:
In October 2004, the European Union heads of government signed a
"constitutional treaty" that offers possibilities - with some limits
- for increased defense and security cooperation. If ratified, in a
process that may take some two years, this treaty will in effect
make operational the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)
approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for
some EU members, development of a European military planning unit is
likely to continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military
force and a humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will
support. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and
Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation
Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and
Luxembourg - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping
missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic
Republic of Congo and assumed command of the International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps
directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade and the
Multinational Command Support Brigade and will command EUFOR, which
will take over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop
contributions are under national command - committments to provide
67,100 troops were made at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some
56,000 EU troops were actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the
new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative
European defense capabilities, began operations. As of November
2004, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France had proposed creation
of three 1,500-man rapid-reaction "battle groups."
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Background:
Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first
landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in
1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until
1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the
islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first
between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The
UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval
garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April
1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed
seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine
surrender on 14 June 1982.
Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
of southern Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
51 45 S, 59 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 12,173 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and
about 200 small islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,288 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on
more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches
in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and
February, but does not accumulate
Terrain:
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
Natural resources:
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
strong winds persist throughout the year
Environment - current issues: overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster
Geography - note:
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing
season
People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Population: 2,967 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: NA 15–64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.44% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island
Ethnic groups:
British
Religions:
primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist
Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages:
English
Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Stanley
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Constitution:
3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998
Legal system:
English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
secretary), and the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected
by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by
the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8; note
- 71% voter turnout
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court
(senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions);
Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
none
International organization participation:
ICFTU, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the
major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew
discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the
motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Economy - overview:
The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep
farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic
activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing
zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which
goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system.
Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports
domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature
shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage
stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for
defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil
exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic
surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000
barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An
agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse
licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign
interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially
eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in
2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the
government has in the bank. The British military presence also
provides a sizeable economic boost.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)
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):
3.6% (1998)
Labor force:
1,100 (est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
Unemployment rate:
full employment; labor shortage (2001)
Budget:
revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
million (FY98/99 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products
Industries:
fish and wool processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Electricity - production:
16.33 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
15.19 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$82 million (2002)
Exports - commodities:
wool, hides, meat
Exports - partners:
Spain 80%, UK 9.3%, US 3.6% (2003)
Imports:
$53 million (2002)
Imports - commodities:
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
Imports - partners:
UK 62%, Spain 30.4%, Italy 2.5% (2003)
Debt - external:
NA (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
none (1997 est.)
Currency:
Falkland pound (FKP)
Currency code:
FKP
Exchange rates:
Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002),
0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.618 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note -
the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.fk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
NA; however one-half of all households are reported to have
internet access (2002)
Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Highways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)
Ports and harbors:
Stanley
note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known
locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the
facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300
meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after
1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988
Airports:
5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Disputes - international:
claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but
now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force; UK
continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Faroe Islands
Introduction Faroe Islands
Background:
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from
Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have
been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high
degree of self-government was attained in 1948.
Geography Faroe Islands
Location:
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to
Norway
Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 7 00 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
land: 1,399 sq km
Area - comparative:
eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,117 km
