chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands
(since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN
(since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July
1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Glenbert F. CROES
cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; governor general
appointed for a six-year term by the queen; prime minister and deputy
prime minister elected by the Staten for a four-year term; election
last held 12 July 1997 (next to be held by December 2001)
election results: inconclusive; no party won majority in December 1997
parliamentary elections; no new government formed as of May 1998
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats;
members elected by direct popular vote and serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held by NA December
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-AVP 10,
MEP 9, OLA 2; although elections were held 12 December 1997, a new
government had not been formed as of May 1998
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice; judges are appointed by
the Netherlands monarch
Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson
ODUBER]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; National
Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]; New Patriotic Party or
PPN [Eddy WERLEMEN]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET];
Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Democratic Action '86
or AD '86 [Arturo ODUBER]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert
CROES]
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), Interpol,
IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom
of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS
embassy: J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao
mailing address: P.O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
FAX: 461-6489
Flag description: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes
across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in
white in the upper hoist-side corner
@Aruba:Economy
Economy-overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy,
although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also
important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade
has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.
Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985
level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in
1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has
further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1%
unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies
despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.4 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$21,000 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.2% (1996)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1996)
Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $376 million
expenditures: $409 million, including capital expenditures of $107
million (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 90,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 340 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,154 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: aloes; livestock; fishing
Exports:
total value: $1.7 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: mostly refined petroleum products
partners: US 64%, EU
Imports:
total value: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products,
crude oil for refining and reexport
partners: US 8%, EU
Debt-external: $669 million (December 1995)
Economic aid: the Netherlands provided a 1996 aid package of $224
million to Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and Suriname
Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1-1.7900 (fixed rate since
1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 22,922 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: more than adequate
international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands
Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 19,000 (1993 est.)
@Aruba:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large
tracts of the interior
Ports and harbors: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Merchant marine:
total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,365 GRT/29,170
DWT (1997 est.)
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Aruba:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
@Aruba:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: drug money-laundering center and transit point for
narcotics bound for the US and Europe; added to the US list of major
drug producing or drug transit countries in December 1996
______________________________________________________________________
ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS
(territory of Australia)
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
Australia
Geographic coordinates: 12 14 S, 123 05 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
Cartier Island
Area-comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 74.1 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low with sand and coral
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all grass and sand)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime
hazards
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in
August 1983
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:People
Population:
note: there are only seasonal caretakers
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Data code: AT
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and
Territories
Legal system: relevant laws of the Northern Territory of Australia
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
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic
visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force
@Ashmore and Cartier Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
ATLANTIC OCEAN
@Atlantic Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and the
Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 W
Map references: World
Area:
total: 82.217 million sq km
note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
Denmark Strait, Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea,
North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary
water bodies
Area-comparative: slightly less than nine times the size of the US;
second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,
but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 111,866 km
Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of
Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from
August to November
Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark
Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre
(broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic,
counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean
floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south
centerline for the entire Atlantic basin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic
nodules, precious stones
Natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been
spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from
Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject
to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to
May and extreme southern Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog
can be a maritime hazard from May to September
Environment-current issues: endangered marine species include the
manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is
hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to international
disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil,
and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and
municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean
Sea
Environment-international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
@Atlantic Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for
hydrographic codes-see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data
Codes appendix
@Atlantic Ocean:Economy
Economy-overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most
heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and
Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation
of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands
(The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean
Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).
Communications
Telephone system:
international: numerous submarine cables with most between continental
Europe and the UK, between North America and the UK, and in the
Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via satellite
networks
@Atlantic Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
(Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
(Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
(Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London
(UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada),
Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo
(Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)
Transportation-note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
important waterways
@Atlantic Ocean:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
______________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIA
@Australia:Geography
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than the US
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver,
uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
natural gas, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 54%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 21,070 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts
Environment-current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial
development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity
rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing
for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased
shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh
water resources
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography-note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor"
occurs along the west coast in the summer
@Australia:People
Population: 18,613,087 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,023,147; female 1,926,206)
15-64 years: 66% (male 6,251,159; female 6,105,381)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,005,196; female 1,301,998) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.93% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 13.47 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.89 years
male: 76.95 years
female: 82.98 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
non-Christian 11%
Languages: English, native languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)
@Australia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
Data code: AS
Government type: democratic, federal-state system recognizing the
British monarch as sovereign
National capital: Canberra
Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian
Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland,
South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March
1996); Deputy Prime Minister Timothy Andrew FISCHER (since 11 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament
by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; following legislative elections, the leader of
the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the
Senate (76 seats-12 from each of the six states and two from each of
the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the
basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no
state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate-last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held by March
1999); House of Representatives-last held 2 March 1996 (next to be
held by March 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens 1,
independent 1; note-subsequent to the election, there has been a
change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as
follows-Liberal-National 37, Labor 28, Australian Democrats 7, Greens
2, independents 2; House of Representatives-percent of vote by
party-NA; seats by party-Liberal-National 94, Labor 49, independent 5
note: it is widely anticipated that the prime minister will call
elections in late 1998
Judicial branch: High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices
are appointed by the governor general
Political parties and leaders:
government: coalition of Liberal Party, John Winston HOWARD, and
National Party, Timothy Andrew FISCHER
opposition: Australian Labor Party, Kim BEAZLEY; Australian Democratic
Party, Meg LEES; Green Party, Bob BROWN
Political pressure groups and leaders: Australian Democratic Labor
Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear
Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)
International organization participation: AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA,
MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Sharp PEACOCK
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Genta Hawkins HOLMES
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000
FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side
quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross
constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four,
larger, seven-pointed stars
@Australia:Economy
Economy-overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist
economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the highly
industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources,
Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals,
metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of
total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a
big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased
exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international
markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low
growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the
early 1990s, but the economy has expanded at reasonably steady rates
in recent years. In addition to high unemployment, short-term economic
problems include a balancing of output growth and inflationary
pressures and the stimulation of exports to offset rising imports,
especially given the economic crisis in Asia.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$394 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$21,400 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 31%
services: 65% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 9.2 million (December 1997)
by occupation: services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.4% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $89.35 billion
expenditures: $91.92 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
processing, chemicals, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 38.83 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 163.082 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 8,901 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep,
poultry
Exports:
total value: $68 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
machinery and transport equipment
partners: Japan 20%, ASEAN 16%, South Korea 9%, US 9%, NZ 8%, UK,
Taiwan, Hong Kong, China (1997)
Imports:
total value: $67 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and
petroleum products
partners: US 22%, Japan 17%, UK 6%, China 5%, NZ 5% (1994/95)
Debt-external: $150 billion (December 1996)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $1.43 billion (FY97/98)