Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo
Merchant marine:
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,775 GRT/94,677 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 8, container 1, multi-function large load
carrier 2, oil tanker 3 (1997 est.)
Airports: 1,136 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 86
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1,050
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 65
914 to 1,523 m: 348
under 914 m: 636 (1997 est.)
@Colombia:Military
Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional,
includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 10,229,023 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 6,862,893 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 352,204 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $2 billion (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.8% (1995)
@Colombia:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in
the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial disputes with Nicaragua over
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis;
cultivation of coca in 1997-79,500 hectares, an 18% increase over
1996; potential production of cocaine in 1997-125 metric tons, a 14%
increase over 1996; cultivation of opium in 1997-6,600 hectares, a 5%
increase over 1996; potential production of opium in 1997-66 metric
tons, a 5% increase over 1996; the world's largest processor of coca
derivatives into cocaine; supplier of cocaine to the US and other
international drug markets; active aerial eradication program seeks to
virtually eliminate coca and opium crops
______________________________________________________________________
COMOROS
Introduction
Historical perspective: Comoros has had difficulty in achieving
political stability, having endured 18 coups or attempted coups since
receiving independence from France in 1975. Most recently, in August
1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence
from Comoros. An attempt in September 1997 by the government to
reestablish control over the rebellious islands by force failed, and
presently the Organization of African Unity is brokering negotiations
to effect a reconciliation.
@Comoros:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel,
about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern
Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 340 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 35%
permanent crops: 10%
permanent pastures: 7%
forests and woodland: 18%
other: 30% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to
April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Environment-current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from
crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: important location at northern end of Mozambique
Channel
@Comoros:People
Population: 545,528 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 116,345; female 115,886)
15-64 years: 54% (male 146,655; female 150,612)
65 years and over: 3% (male 7,644; female 8,386) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.1% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 40.52 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.52 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 84.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.36 years
male: 57.95 years
female: 62.84 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 64.2%
female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
@Comoros:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
local short form: Comores
Data code: CN
Government type: independent republic
National capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: three islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja),
Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali)
note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni,
Moroni, and Mutsamudu
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution: 20 October 1996
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Nourdine BOURHANE (since 6 December
1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; share of
vote-64%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15
seats; members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a
Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA
December 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RND 39,
RND candidate running as independent 1, FNJ 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supremes, two members are
appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal
Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of
the republic
Political parties and leaders: Rassemblement National pour le
Development or RND [Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim], party of the government;
Front National pour la Justice or FNJ, Islamic party in opposition
note: under a new constitution ratified in October 1996, a two party
system was established; President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim called for
all parties to dissolve and join him in creating the RND; the
constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the
Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in
opposition, but if no party accomplishes that the second most
successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December
1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and
Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and
Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East 45th
Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Flag description: green with a white crescent in the center of the
field, its points facing downward; there are four white five-pointed
stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the
crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the
four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali,
Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France,
but claimed by Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is
described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992
@Comoros:Economy
Economy-overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is
made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a
young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources.
The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a
subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the
economy. It contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force,
and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient
in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of
imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and
technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial
enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to
promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate.
Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP
growth is to be maintained in the late 1990s.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$400 million (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$685 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 14%
services: 46% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.5% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 144,500 (1996 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $55 million
expenditures: $71 million, including capital expenditures of $15
million (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture,
jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: -6.5% (1989 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 9,750 kW (1996)
Electricity-production: 31 million kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 38 kWh (1996)
Agriculture-products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra,
coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Exports:
total value: $11.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
partners: France 54%, Germany 18%, US 18%
Imports:
total value: $70 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum
products, cement, transport equipment
partners: France 60%, South Africa 10%, Kenya 5%, Singapore 4%
Debt-external: $219 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1-456.27 (January 1998),
437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994), 283.16
(1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75
per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed
since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 4,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and
Reunion
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 78,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 200 (1993 est.)
@Comoros:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudu
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Comoros:Military
Military branches: Comoran Security Force
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 129,095 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 76,991 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $3 million (1994 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Comoros:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claims French-administered Mayotte
______________________________________________________________________
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:Geography
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US
Land boundaries:
total: 10,271 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African
Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km,
Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and
drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands;
north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to
February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season
April to October
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Margherita Peak (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and
gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium,
radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 7%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 13% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
Environment-current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations;
water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were
responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife
poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees
were repatriated in November and December 1996)
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography-note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that
controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic
Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern
highlands
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:People
Population: 49,000,511 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 11,829,386; female 11,766,829)
15-64 years: 49% (male 11,778,121; female 12,339,837)
65 years and over: 3% (male 557,095; female 729,243) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.99% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 46.77 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 15.2 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Zaire (now called
Democratic Republic of the Congo), to escape the fighting between the
Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread
fighting between rebels and government forces in October 1996 spurred
about 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early
1997; additionally, Democratic Republic of the Congo is host to about
200,000 Angolan, about 110,000 Burundi, about 100,000 Sudanese, about
15,000 Ugandan, and about 18,000 Republic of the Congo refugees
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 101.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.31 years
male: 47.27 years
female: 51.4 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.51 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority
are Bantu; the four largest tribes-Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and
the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim
10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade
language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo,
Tshiluba
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala,
Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 77.3%
male: 86.6%
female: 67.7% (1995 est.)
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
Data code: CG
Government type: dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to
representative government
National capital: Kinshasa
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular-province)
and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur,
Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema,
Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: anniversary of independence from Belgium, 30 June
(1960)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February
1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in
April 1994; following successful rebellion the new government
announced on 29 May 1997 a two-year time table of constitutional
reform
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note-the
president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997);
note-the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: National Executive Council; KABILA's cabinet was appointed by
him and has no prime minister
elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president
was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held
29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime
minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note-the
term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not
held, and former president MOBUTU continued in office until his
government was militarily defeated by KABILA on 17 May 1997
election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected
president in 1984 without opposition
note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president
from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his
government was overturned militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who
immediately assumed governing authority; in his 29 May 1997 inaugural
address, President KABILA announced a two-year time table for
political reform leading to elections by April 1999
Legislative branch: legislative activity has been suspended pending
the establishment of KABILA's promised constitutional reforms and the
elections to be held by April 1999
elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and
legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not
held; instead KABILA overthrew the MOBUTO government and seized
control of the country
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January
1991-Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR; other parties include
Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa
Mulumba]; Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO];
Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [Gabriel
KYUNGU wa Kumwunzu]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]
note: President KABILA, who has banned political party activity
indefinitely, currently leads the Alliance of Democratic Forces for
the Liberation of Congo-Zaire or AFDL
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,
CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires ad interim Tambo A. Kabila MUKENDI
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 686-3631
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535, 21104; [243] (88) 43604
through 43608
FAX: [243] (88) 43805, 43467
Flag description: light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in
the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed
stars along the hoist side
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy of Democratic Republic of the Congo-a
nation endowed with vast potential wealth-has declined significantly
since the mid-1980s. The new government has instituted a tight fiscal
policy that has curbed inflation and currency depreciation. Plans are
underway to introduce a new national currency. Most formal
transactions are conducted in hard currency but a barter economy
flourishes in all but the largest cities. Most individuals and
families survive through subsistence farming or petty trade.
International investors show renewed interest, especially in the
mining and telecommunications sectors. However, poor infrastructure,
an uncertain legal framework, corruption and lack of transparency in
government economic policy remain a brake on investment and growth. A
number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the new government
to help it develop a coherent economic plan.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$18 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$400 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 15%
services: 26% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)