583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16
(1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF
100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since
1948
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 36,737 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 11, shortwave 0
Radios: 2 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
@Cameroon:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,104 km
narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance
Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Merchant marine:
total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509
DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 52 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 14 (1997 est.)
@Cameroon:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force,
National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 3,287,626 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 1,663,852 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 160,640 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $102 million (FY93/94)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Cameroon:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: demarcation 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; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime
boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred
to the ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998
______________________________________________________________________
CANADA
@Canada:Geography
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean
and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references: North America
Area:
total: 9,976,140 sq km
land: 9,220,970 sq km
water: 755,170 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than US
Land boundaries:
total: 8,893 km
border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline: 243,791 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in
southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m
Natural resources: nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 38% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 7,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle
to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North
American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow
Environment-current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain
severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting,
coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on
agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming
contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry
activities
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation
Geography-note: second-largest country in world (after Russia);
strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly
90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US/Canada
border
@Canada:People
Population: 30,675,398 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 3,106,331; female 2,961,328)
15-64 years: 68% (male 10,457,686; female 10,328,953)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,619,704; female 2,201,396) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.09% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.12 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.25 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.59 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.16 years
male: 75.86 years
female: 82.63 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian
Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other
European 20%, Amerindian 1.5%, other, mostly Asian 11.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%, other
35% (1991)
Languages: English (official), French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Canada:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Data code: CA
Government type: federation with parliamentary democracy
National capital: Ottawa
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta,
British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
note: the Northwest Territories will be split in two as of April 1999;
the eastern section, which will be self-governing, will be renamed
Nunavut, the west is as yet unnamed
Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)
National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution: 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the
machinery of the government was set up in the British North America
Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs
Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where
civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Romeo LeBLANC (since 8 February 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November
1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the
members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by
the governor general to become prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the
Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until
reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the
advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and
the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members
elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons-last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held by
NA June 2002)
election results: percent of votes by party-Liberal Party 38%, Reform
Party 19%, Tories 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 11%,
other 2%; seats by party - Liberal Party 155, Reform Party 60, Bloc
Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21, Progressive Conservative Party
20, independents 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime
minister through the governor general
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; Bloc
Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Reform Party [Preston MANNING]; New
Democratic Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party
[Jean CHAREST]
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer),
APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE
(observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS,
OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon GIFFIN
embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver
Flag description: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white
(double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the
white band
@Canada:Economy
Economy-overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada
today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system,
pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II,
the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service
sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into
one primarily industrial and urban. Canada started the 1990s in
recession, and real rates of growth have averaged only 1.1% so far
this decade. Because of slower growth, Canada still faces high
unemployment-especially in Quebec and the Maritime Provinces-and a
large public sector debt. With its great natural resources, skilled
labor force, and modern capital plant, however, Canada will enjoy
better economic prospects in the future. The continuing constitutional
impasse between English- and French-speaking areas is raising the
possibility of a split in the federation, making foreign investors
somewhat edgy.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$658 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$21,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 31%
services: 66% (1997)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.8% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 15.3 million (1997)
by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 16%, agriculture 3%,
construction 5%, other 1% (1997)
Unemployment rate: 8.6% (December 1997)
Budget:
revenues: $106.5 billion
expenditures: $117.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7
billion (1996)
Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood
and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish
products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 113.645 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 532.64 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 17,448 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits,
vegetables; dairy products; forest products; commercial fisheries
provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is
exported
Exports:
total value: $208.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery,
natural gas, aluminum, motor vehicles and parts; telecommunications
equipment
partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China
Imports:
total value: $194.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable
consumer goods, computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
partners: US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea
Debt-external: $253 billion (1996)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $1.6 billion (1995)
note: ODA and OOF commitments, $10.1 billion (1986-91)
Currency: 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1-1.4408 (January
1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.37241 (1995), 1.3656 (1994),
1.2901 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 15.3 million (1990)
Telephone system: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations-5
Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 900, FM 29, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 70 (repeaters 1,400) (1991)
Televisions: 11.53 million (1983 est.)
@Canada:Transportation
Railways:
total: 72,963 km; note-there are two major transcontinental freight
railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and
Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by
government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own
standard gauge: 72,963 km 1.435-m gauge (183 km electrified) (1996)
Highways:
total: 1.021 million km
paved: 358,371 km (including 19,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 662,629 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway
Pipelines: crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km
Ports and harbors: Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton,
Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New
Brunswick), Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney,
Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor
Merchant marine:
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 638,267 GRT/902,923 DWT
ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 9, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 16,
passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 7, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1
note: does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes (1997
est.)
Airports: 1,393 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 515
over 3,047 m: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 149
914 to 1,523 m: 240
under 914 m: 93 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 878
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 350
under 914 m: 455 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 17 (1997 est.)
@Canada:Military
Military branches: Canadian Armed Forces (includes Land Forces Command
or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications
Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP)
Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 8,200,963 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 7,033,996 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 209,679 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $7.1 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY97/98)
@Canada:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon
Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug
market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large
quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a
transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market
______________________________________________________________________
CAPE VERDE
@Cape Verde:Geography
Location: Western Africa, group of Islands in the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references: World
Area:
total: 4,030 sq km
land: 4,030 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 965 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very
erratic
Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico 2,829 m
Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic
ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure
visibility; volcanically and seismically active
Environment-current issues: overgrazing of livestock and improper land
use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil
erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation;
desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species
of birds and reptiles; overfishing
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa
near major north-south sea routes; important communications station;
important sea and air refueling site
@Cape Verde:People
Population: 399,857 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 92,175; female 90,557)
15-64 years: 48% (male 90,183; female 102,541)
65 years and over: 6% (male 9,765; female 14,636) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.49% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 34.47 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.04 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 47.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.5 years
male: 67.21 years
female: 73.89 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.08 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs
Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African
words
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.6%
male: 81.4%
female: 63.8% (1995 est.)
@Cape Verde:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
Data code: CV
Government type: republic
National capital: Praia
Administrative divisions: 14 districts (concelhos, singular-concelho);
Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa
Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau,
Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafa)
Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992
Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March
1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho
VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the
National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 18 February 1996 (next to be held NA February
2001); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed
by the president
election results: Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro elected president;
percent of vote-Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party-MPD 59%, PAICV 28%, PCD 6%;
seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de
Justia
Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime
Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and president]; African Party for
Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES,
chairman]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission is
Charge d'Affaires Manuel MATOS
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT (17 June 1996)
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16
FAX: [238] 61 13 55
Flag description: three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double
width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and
light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on
the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower
blue bands
@Cape Verde:Economy