2,728,937 (July 1992), growth rate 0.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
15 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
12 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
4 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
65 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Latvian(s);adjective - Latvian
Ethnic divisions:
Latvian 51.8%, Russian 33.8%, Byelorussian 4.5%, Ukrainian 3.4%, Polish
2.3%, other 4.2%
Religions:
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Languages:
Latvian NA% (official), Lithuanian NA%, Russian NA%, other NA%
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write
Labor force:
1,407,000; industry and construction 41%, agriculture and forestry 16%,
other 43% (1990)
Organized labor:
NA
:Latvia Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Latvia
Type:
republic
Capital:
Riga
Administrative divisions:
none - all districts are under direct republic jurisdiction
Independence:
18 November 1918; annexed by the USSR 21 July 1940, the Latvian Soviet
Socialist Republic declared independence 6 September 1991 from USSR
Constitution:
April 1978, currently rewriting constitution, but readopted the 1922
Constitution
Legal system:
based on civil law system
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918)
Executive branch:
Prime Minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Chairman, Supreme Council, Anatolijs GORBUNOVS (since October 1988);
Chairmen, Andrejs KRASTINS, Valdis BIRKAVS (since NA 1992)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since May 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party of Latvia, Juris BOJARS, chairman; Inter-Front of the
Working People of Latvia, Igor LOPATIN, chairman; note - Inter-Front was
banned after the coup; Latvian National Movement for Independence, Eduards
BERKLAVS, chairman; Latvian Social Democratic Party, Janis DINEVICS,
chairman; Social Democratic Party of Latvia, Uldis BERZINS, chairman;
Latvian People's Front, Romualdas RAZUKAS, chairman; Latvian Liberal Party,
Georg LANSMANIS, chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held October 1988 (next to be held NA; note - elected by Parliament;
new elections have not been scheduled; results - percent of vote by party NA
Supreme Council:
last held 18 March 1990 (next to be held NA); results - undetermined; seats
- (234 total) Latvian Communist Party 59, Latvian Democratic Workers Party
31, Social Democratic Party of Latvia 4, Green Party of Latvia 7, Latvian
Farmers Union 7, 126 supported by the Latvia Popular Front
Congress of Latvia:
last held April 1990 (next to be held NA); note - the Congress of Latvia is
a quasi-governmental structure; results - percent of vote by party NA%;
seats - (231 total) number of seats by party NA
Member of:
CSCE, IAEA, UN
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Dr. Anatol DINBERGS; Chancery at 4325 17th St. NW, Washington, DC
20011; telephone (202) 726-8213 and 8214
:Latvia Government
US:
Ambassador Ints SILINS; (mailing address is APO AE 09862); telephone [358]
(49) 306-067 (cellular), (7) (01-32) 325-968/185; FAX [358] (49) 308-326
(cellular), (7) (01-32) 220-502
Flag:
two horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (middle, narrower than other two
bands) and maroon (bottom)
:Latvia Economy
Overview:
Latvia is in the process of reforming the centrally planned economy
inherited from the former USSR into a market economy. Prices have been
freed, and privatization of shops and farms has begun. Latvia lacks natural
resources, aside from its arable land and small forests. Its most valuable
economic asset is its work force, which is better educated and disciplined
than in most of the former Soviet republics. Industrial production is highly
diversified, with products ranging from agricultural machinery to consumer
electronics. One conspicuous vulnerability: Latvia produces only 10% of its
electric power needs. Latvia in the near term must retain key commercial
ties to Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine while moving in the long run toward
joint ventures, technological support, and trade ties to the West. Because
of the efficiency of its mostly individual farms, Latvians enjoy a diet that
is higher in meat, vegetables, and dairy products and lower in grain and
potatoes than diets in the 12 non-Baltic republics of the USSR. Good
relations with Russia are threatened by animosity between ethnic Russians
(34% of the population) and native Latvians.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $NA; per capital NA; real growth rate - 8%
(1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
approximately 200% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)
Exports:
$239 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
food 14%, railroad cars 13%, chemicals 12%
partners:
Russia 50%, Ukraine 15%, other former Soviet republics 30%, West 5%
Imports:
$9.0 billion (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
machinery 35%, petroleum products 13%, chemicals 9%
partners:
NA
External debt:
$650 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0% (1991)
Electricity:
1,975,000 kW capacity; 6,500 million kWh produced, 2,381 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
employs 33.2% of labor force; highly diversified; dependent on imports for
energy, raw materials, and intermediate products; produces buses, vans,
street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery,
fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals,
processed foods, textiles
Agriculture:
employs 23% of labor force; principally dairy farming and livestock feeding;
products - meat, milk, eggs, grain, sugar beets, potatoes, and vegetables;
fishing and fish packing
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to
Western Europe
:Latvia Economy
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $NA billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-86), $NA million;
Communist countries (1971-86), $NA million
Currency:
as of May 1992, retaining ruble as currency but planning early introduction
of ``lat''
Exchange rates:
NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Latvia Communications
Railroads:
2,400 km (includes NA km electrified) does not include industrial lines
(1990)
Highways:
59,500 km total (1990); 33,000 km hard surfaced 26,500 km earth
Inland waterways:
300 km perennially navigable
Pipelines:
crude oil NA km, refined products NA km, natural gas NA km
Ports:
maritime - Riga, Ventspils, Liepaja; inland - Daugavpils
Merchant marine:
96 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 917,979 GRT/1,194,666 DWT; includes 14
cargo, 29 refrigerated cargo, 2 container, 9 roll-on/roll-off, 42 petroleum
tanker
Civil air:
NA major transport aircraft
Airports:
NA total, NA usable; NA with permanent-surface runways; NA with runways over
3,659 m; NA with runways 2,440-3,659 m; NA with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - NA; international traffic carried by leased connection
to the Moscow international gateway switch and the Finnish cellular net
:Latvia Defense Forces
Branches:
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard,
Russian Forces (Ground, Navy, Air, Air Defense, Border Guard
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, NA; NA fit for military service; NA reach military age (18)
annually
Defense expenditures:
NA% of GDP; 3-5% of Latvia's budget (1992)
:Lebanon Geography
Total area:
10,400 km2
Land area:
10,230 km2
Comparative area:
about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
454 km; Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline:
225 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Israeli troops in southern
Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October
1976
Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa` (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and
Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Natural resources:
limestone, iron ore, salt; water-surplus state in a water-deficit region
Land use:
arable land 21%; permanent crops 9%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and
woodland 8%; other 61%; includes irrigated 7%
Environment:
rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous
factional groups based on religion, clan, ethnicity; deforestation; soil
erosion; air and water pollution; desertification
Note:
Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international
boundary
:Lebanon People
Population:
3,439,115 (July 1992), growth rate 1.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
28 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-5 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
43 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
66 years male, 71 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Lebanese (singular and plural); adjective - Lebanese
Ethnic divisions:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Religions:
Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%; 17 legally recognized groups - 5
Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma`ilite, Shi`a, Sunni); 11 Christian,
consisting of 4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox,
Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 6 Catholic (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek
Catholic, Maronite, Roman Catholic, and Syrian Catholic) and the
Protestants; 1 Jewish
Languages:
Arabic and French (both official); Armenian, English
Literacy:
80% (male 88%, female 73%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
650,000; industry, commerce, and services 79%, agriculture 11%, government
10% (1985)
Organized labor:
250,000 members (est.)
:Lebanon Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Lebanon; note - may be changed to Lebanese Republic
Type:
republic
Capital:
Beirut
Administrative divisions:
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Biqa, `Al Janub, Ash
Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan
Independence:
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)
Constitution:
26 May 1926 (amended)
Legal system:
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Cabinet; note - by custom, the president is a
Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of
the legislature is a Shi`a Muslim
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Arabic - Majlis Alnuwab, French - Assemblee
Nationale)
Judicial branch:
four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and
one court for criminal cases)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Rashid SULH (since 13 May 1992)
Political parties and leaders:
political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines;
numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political
figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic
considerations; most parties have well-armed militias, which are still
involved in occasional clashes
Suffrage:
compulsory for all males at age 21; authorized for women at age 21 with
elementary education
Elections:
National Assembly:
elections should be held every four years, but security conditions have
prevented elections since May 1972; in June 1991, the Cabinet appointed 40
new deputies to fill vacancies and balance Christian and Muslim
representation; the legislature's mandate expires in 1994
Communists:
the Lebanese Communist Party was legalized in 1970; members and sympathizers
estimated at 2,000-3,000
Member of:
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
:Lebanon Government
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador - no ambassador at present; Mission is headed by Charge; Chancery
at 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-6300;
there are Lebanese Consulates General in Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
US:
Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER; Embassy at Antelias, Beirut (mailing address is
P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut, or Box B, FPO AE 09836); telephone [961] 417774 or
415802, 415803, 402200, 403300
Flag:
three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a
green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
:Lebanon Government
Note:
Between early 1975 and late 1976 Lebanon was torn by civil war between its
Christians - then aided by Syrian troops - and its Muslims and their
Palestinian allies. The cease-fire established in October 1976 between the
domestic political groups generally held for about six years, despite
occasional fighting. Syrian troops constituted as the Arab Deterrent Force
by the Arab League have remained in Lebanon. Syria's move toward supporting
the Lebanese Muslims, and the Palestinians and Israel's growing support for
Lebanese Christians, brought the two sides into rough equilibrium, but no
progress was made toward national reconciliation or political reforms - the
original cause of the war. Continuing Israeli concern about the Palestinian
presence in Lebanon led to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982.
Israeli forces occupied all of the southern portion of the country and
mounted a summer-long siege of Beirut, which resulted in the evacuation of
the PLO from Beirut in September under the supervision of a multinational
force (MNF) made up of US, French, and Italian troops. Within days of the
departure of the MNF, Lebanon's newly elected president, Bashir Gemayel, was
assassinated; his elder brother Amin was elected to succeed him. In the
immediate wake of Bashir's death, however, Christian militiamen massacred
hundreds of Palestinian refugees in two Beirut camps. This prompted the
return of the MNF to ease the security burden on Lebanon's weak Army and
security forces. In late March 1984 the last MNF units withdrew. In 1988,
President Gemayel completed his term of office. Because parliamentarians
failed to elect a presidential successor, Gemayel appointed then Lebanese
Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Gen. Michel Awn acting president. Lebanese
parliamentarians met in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, in late 1989 and concluded a
national reconciliation pact that codified a new power-sharing formula,
specifying reduced powers for the Christian president and giving Muslims
more authority. Rene MUAWAD was subsequently elected president on 4 November
1989, ending a 13-month period during which Lebanon had no president and
rival Muslim and Christian governments. MUAWAD was assassinated 17 days
later, on 22 November; on 24 November, Ilyas Harawi was elected to succeed
MUAWAD. In October 1990, the civil war was apparently brought to a
conclusion when Syrian and Lebanese forces ousted renegade Christian General
Awn from his stronghold in East Beirut. Awn had defied the legitimate
government and established a separate ministate within East Beirut after
being appointed acting Prime Minister by outgoing President Gemayel in 1988.
Awn and his supporters feared Ta'if would diminish Christian power in
Lebanon and increase the influence of Syria. Awn was granted amnesty and
allowed to travel in France in August 199l. Since the removal of Awn, the
Lebanese Government has made substantial progress in strengthening the
central government, rebuilding government institutions, and extending its
authority throughout the nation. The LAF has deployed from Beirut north
along the coast road to Tripoli, southeast into the Shuf mountains, and
south to Sidon and Tyre. Many militiamen from Christian and Muslim groups
have evacuated Beirut for their strongholds in the north, south, and east of
the country. Some heavy weapons possessed by the militias have been turned
over to the government, or sold outside the country, which has begun a plan
to integrate some militiamen into the military and the internal security
forces. Lebanon and Syria signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in
May 1991. Lebanon continues to be partially occupied by Syrian troops, which
are deployed in Beirut, its southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley, and northern
Lebanon. Iran also maintains a small contingent of revolutionary guards in
the Bekaa Valley to support Lebanese Islamic fundamentalist groups. Israel
withdrew the bulk of its forces from the south in 1985, although it still
retains troops in a 10-km-deep security zone north of its border with
Lebanon. Israel arms and trains the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), which also
occupies the security zone and is Israel's first line of defense against
attacks on its northern border. The following description is based on the
present constitutional and customary practices of the Lebanese system.
:Lebanon Economy
Overview:
Since 1975 civil war has seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's
position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Following October
1990, however, a tentative peace has enabled the central government to begin
restoring control in Beirut, collect taxes, and regain access to key port
and government facilities. The battered economy has also been propped up by
a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale
manufacturers. Family remittances, banking transactions, manufactured and
farm exports, the narcotics trade, and international emergency aid are main
sources of foreign exchange. In the relatively settled year of 1991,
industrial production, agricultural output, and exports showed substantial
gains. The further rebuilding of the war-ravaged country could provide a
major stimulus to the economy in 1992, provided that the political and
military situation remains reasonably calm.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $4.8 billion, per capita $1,400; real growth rate
NA (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
30% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
35% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $533 million; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
Exports:
$700 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, precious and semiprecious metals
and jewelry, metals and metal products
partners:
Saudi Arabia 16%, Switzerland 8%, Jordan 6%, Kuwait 6%, US 5%
Imports:
$1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
commodities:
NA
partners:
Italy 14%, France 12%, US 6%, Turkey 5%, Saudi Arabia 3%
External debt:
$900 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
1,381,000 kW capacity; 3,870 million kWh produced, 1,170 kWh per capita
(1989)
Industries:
banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals,
jewelry, some metal fabricating
Agriculture:
accounts for about one-third of GDP; principal products - citrus fruits,
vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, hemp (hashish), sheep, and goats; not
self-sufficient in grain
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of opium and hashish for the international drug trade;
opium poppy production in Al Biqa` is increasing; hashish production is
shipped to Western Europe, Israel, US, and the Middle East
:Lebanon Economy
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $356 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $664 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $962 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $9
million
Currency:
Lebanese pound (plural - pounds); 1 Lebanese pound (#L) = 100 piasters
Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds (#L) per US$1 - 879.00 (January 1992), 928.23 (1991), 695.09
(1990), 496.69 (1989), 409.23 (1988), 224.60 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Lebanon Communications
Railroads:
system in disrepair, considered inoperable
Highways:
7,300 km total; 6,200 km paved, 450 km gravel and crushed stone, 650 km
improved earth
Pipelines:
crude oil 72 km (none in operation)
Ports:
Beirut, Tripoli, Ra'Sil`ata, Juniyah, Sidon, Az Zahrani, Tyre
Merchant marine:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 236,196 GRT/346,760 DWT; includes 36
cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off, 1
container, 8 livestock carrier, 1 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 3
bulk, 1 combination bulk
Civil air:
19 major transport aircraft
Airports:
9 total, 8 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m; none
under the direct control of the Lebanese Government
Telecommunications:
rebuilding program disrupted; had fair system of microwave relay, cable;
325,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 3 FM (numerous AM and FM
radio stations are operated inconsistently by various factions), 13 TV; 1
Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station,
erratic operations; 3 submarine coaxial cables; radio relay to Jordan
inoperable, but operational to Syria, coaxial cable to Syria
:Lebanon Defense Forces
Branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (including Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 750,319; 465,938 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $271 million, 8.2% of GDP (1992 budget)
:Lesotho Geography
Total area:
30,350 km2
Land area:
30,350 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
909 km; South Africa 909 km
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
none
Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly highland with some plateaus, hills, and mountains
Natural resources:
some diamonds and other minerals, water, agricultural and grazing land
Land use:
arable land 10%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 66%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 24%
Environment:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in
overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification
Note:
landlocked; surrounded by South Africa; Highlands Water Project will
control, store, and redirect water to South Africa
:Lesotho People
Population:
1,848,925 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
35 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
74 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
60 years male, 63 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
4.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural); adjective - Basotho
Ethnic divisions:
Sotho 99.7%; Europeans 1,600, Asians 800
Religions:
Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs
Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho) and English (official); also Zulu and Xhosa
Literacy:
59% (male 44%, female 68%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)
Labor force:
689,000 economically active; 86.2% of resident population engaged in
subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in
South Africa
Organized labor:
there are two trade union federations; the government favors formation of a
single, umbrella trade union confederation
:Lesotho Government