Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958
Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia
and Australian law
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (acting) Graham NICHOLLS (since NA)
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator
appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the
queen and Australia
Legislative branch: unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 1996 (next to be held NA December
1997)
election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
@Christmas Island:Economy
Economy-overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant
economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government
closed the mine. In 1990, the mine was reopened by private operators.
Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $45
million casino on Christmas Island.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: NA
by occupation: tourism 400 people, mining 100 people
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: NA
Exports: $NA
commodities: phosphate
partners: Australia, NZ
Imports: $NA
commodities: consumer goods
partners: principally Australia
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January
1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994),
1.4704, (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: external telephone and telex services are provided by Intelsat
satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 500 (1992)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 350 (1992)
@Christmas Island:Transportation
Railways: 24 km to serve phosphate mines
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Flying Fish Cove
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Christmas Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
@Christmas Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
CLIPPERTON ISLAND
(possession of France)
@Clipperton Island:Geography
Location: Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
southwest of Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 10 17 N, 109 13 W
Map references: World
Area:
total: 7 sq km
land: 7 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 11.1 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains
May-October
Terrain: coral atoll
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all coral)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: subject to tornadoes
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: reef about 8 km in circumference
@Clipperton Island:People
Population: uninhabited
@Clipperton Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion
Data code: IP
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by France from
French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of
France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Clipperton Island:Economy
Economy-overview: Although 115 species of fish have been identified in
the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic
activity is a tuna fishing station.
@Clipperton Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Clipperton Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Clipperton Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
(territory of Australia)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri
Lanka
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area-comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2.6 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade wind for about nine
months of the year; moderate rainfall
Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones may occur in the early months of the year
Environment-current issues: fresh water resources are limited to
rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms
and other vegetation
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:People
Population: 637 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.21% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander
Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays
Religions: Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.)
Languages: English, Malay
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Data code: CK
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Government type: NA
National capital: West Island
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Suffrage: NA
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (acting) Maureen ELLIS (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; administrator
appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the
queen and Australia
Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
(NA seats)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: WMO
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
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole
cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners.
Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
Australia.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$NA
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction
workers, stevedores, and lighterage worker operations; tourism employs
others
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: copra products and tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Exports: $NA
commodities: copra
partners: Australia
Imports: $NA
commodities: foodstuffs
partners: Australia
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1-1.5281 (January
1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994),
1.4704 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with
Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA
type
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 300 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
note: intermittent television service via satellite
Televisions: NA
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: none; lagoon anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
@Cocos (Keeling) Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
COLOMBIA
@Colombia:Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Ecuador and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 W
Map references: South America, Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank
Area-comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 7,408 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru
2,900 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
km)
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado del Huila 5,750 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel,
gold, copper, emeralds
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 39%
forests and woodland: 48%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil damage from overuse of
pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
emissions
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography-note: only South American country with coastlines on both
North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
@Colombia:People
Population: 38,580,949 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 6,474,927; female 6,321,404)
15-64 years: 62% (male 11,725,078; female 12,333,982)
65 years and over: 5% (male 780,486; female 945,072) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.89% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 24.93 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.06 years
male: 66.15 years
female: 74.11 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian
Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 91.2%
female: 91.4% (1995 est.)
@Colombia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia
Data code: CO
Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government
structure
National capital: Bogota
Administrative divisions: 32 departments (departamentos,
singular-departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital);
Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia,
Distrito Capital de Santa Fe de Bogota*, Santander, Sucre, Tolima,
Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution: 5 July 1991
Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after
US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August
1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998); vice
president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new
procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents
by newly elected presidents
election results: Ernesto SAMPER Pizano elected president; percent of
vote-no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote, therefore,
a run-off election to select a president from the two leading
candidates was held 19 June 1994; percent of vote-Ernesto SAMPER
Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango (Conservative
Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%; Humberto de la CALLE Lombana elected
vice president; percent of vote-NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the
Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March
1998); House of Representatives-last held 13 March 1994 (next to be
held March 1998)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC and NDF) 31, other
12; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC and NDF) 53,
AD/M-19 2, other 17
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justical),
highest court of criminal law, judges are selected from the nominees
of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Council of
State, highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from
the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms;
Constitutional Court, guards integrity and supremacy of the
constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Emilio LEBOLO
Castellanos]; Conservative Party or PC [Hugo ESCOBAR Sierra]; New
Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango]; Democratic Alliance
M-19 or AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident
liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP) is a legal political
party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and
Colombian Communist Party (PCC)
Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups
active in Colombia-Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC; and
National Liberation Army or ELN
International organization participation: AG, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-
3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, MINUGUA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Carlos ESGUERRA Portocarrero
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
Washington, DC
consulate(s): Atlanta and Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Curtis Warren KAMMAN
embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, No. 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address: APO AA 34038
telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197
Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top,
double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is
longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the
center
@Colombia:Economy
Economy-overview: Columbia is recovering from a short recession that
began in late 1996 - resulting from tight monetary policy to drive
down inflation, declining business confidence related to President
SAMPER's political difficulties, and a slowdown in exports stemming
from an appreciation of the peso and a recession in neighboring
Venezuela. Although 1997's 3.1% GDP growth rate represented an
improvement over 1996, it ranked among the lowest in Latin America and
was substantially lower than the average annual growth rate exceeding
4% that Colombia posted for several decades prior to SAMPER's
election. Colombia's next president will inherit a variety of economic
problems. Most notably, the unemployment rate is at its highest level
this decade, risks for the export sector and foreign investors are
rising as a result of increasing guerrilla violence and a volatile
exchange rate, and the fiscal deficit has more than tripled since
1994.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$231.1 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 17.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 16.8 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 12.2% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $26 billion (1996 est.)
expenditures: $30 billion including capital expenditures of $NA (1996
est.)
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial production growth rate: -1.2% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 10.781 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 47 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,307 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco,
corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products;
shrimp farming
Exports:
total value: $11.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers
partners: US 39%, EC 25.7%, Japan 2.9%, Venezuela 8.5% (1992)
Imports:
total value: $13.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
goods, chemicals, paper products
partners: US 36%, EC 18%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 6.5%, Japan 8.7% (1992)
Debt-external: $17.1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $30 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1-1345.0 (February
1998), 1,140.96 (1997), 1,036.69 (1996), 912.83 (1995), 844.84 (1994),
863.06 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.89 million (1986 est.)
Telephone system: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite
system with 11 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 413 (licensed), FM 217 (licensed),
shortwave 28
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 33
Televisions: 5.5 million (1993 est.)
@Colombia:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,386 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to
maritime port at Bahia Portete)
narrow gauge: 3,236 km 0.914-m gauge (1,830 km in use) (1995)
Highways:
total: 107,000 km
paved: 12,733 km
unpaved: 94,267 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats
Pipelines: crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum products 1,350 km; natural
gas 830 km; natural gas liquids 125 km