chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in Bridgetown
(Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag description: green with a centered cross of three equal bands-the
vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white-the horizontal
part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of
the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10
green five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the
10 administrative divisions (parishes)
@Dominica:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus is
highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms.
Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 26% of GDP and employs
40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains
difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the
lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the
country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out
one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The government is attempting
to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the
island's production base.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$208 million (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.7% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 1.7% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 25,000
by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services
28% (1984)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $77 million
expenditures: $78 million, including capital expenditures of $22
million (FY95/96)
Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate: -0.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 8,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 37 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 448 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts;
forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
Exports:
total value: $51.8 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit,
oranges
partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Imports:
total value: $98.1 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food,
chemicals
partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada
Debt-external: $110 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed
rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 14,613 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fully automatic network
international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 45,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 cable
Televisions: 5,200 (1993 est.)
@Dominica:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Dominica:Military
Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Dominica:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
Europe; minor cannabis producer
______________________________________________________________________
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
@Dominican Republic:Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola,
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 275 km
border countries: Haiti 275 km
Coastline: 1,288 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: 6 nm
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation;
seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional hurricanes (July to October)
Environment-current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea
damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Geography-note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
@Dominican Republic:People
Population: 7,998,766 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 1,435,698; female 1,382,377)
15-64 years: 60% (male 2,452,310; female 2,379,991)
65 years and over: 5% (male 165,602; female 182,788) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.63% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 26.42 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 44.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.73 years
male: 67.53 years
female: 72.04 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: none
Data code: DR
Government type: republic
National capital: Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias,
singular-provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco,
Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo,
Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La
Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte
Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez
Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago,
Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: President FERNANDEZ elected to his first term;
percent of vote-Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA
Gomez (PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or
Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 30 May 1994 (next to be held NA May 1998);
Chamber of Deputies-last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA May
1998)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14; Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by
party-NA; seats by party - PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by
a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the
president presiding
Political parties and leaders:
major parties: Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin
BALAGUER Ricardo]; Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Lidio CADET];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Jose Franciso PENA Gomez];
Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI
minor parties: National Veterans and Civilian Party or PNVC [Juan Rene
BEAUCHAMPS Javier]; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD
[Andres Van Der HORST]; Democratic Quisqueyan Party or PQD [Elias
WESSIN Chavez]; National Progressive Force or FNP [Pelegrin CASTILLO];
Popular Christian Party or PPC [Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert]; Dominican
Communist Party or PCD [Narciso ISA Conde]; Dominican Workers' Party
or PTD [Ivan RODRIGUEZ]; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic Union or UPA
[Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini]; Alliance for Democracy Party or APD
[Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS, Vicente BENGOA];
Democratic Union or UD [Fernando ALVAREZ Bogaert]
note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to
form the Dominican Leftist Front or FID; however, they still retain
individual party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom (observer),
ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS,
OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280, 6281
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto
Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and
San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston,
Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171, 221-8100
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges,
divides the flag into four rectangles-the top ones are blue (hoist
side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small
coat of arms is at the center of the cross
@Dominican Republic:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed
to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and strong GDP
growth in 1995-96. In 1996, there was increased mineral and petroleum
exploration, and a new investment law that allows for repatriation of
capital dividends has drawn more investment to the island. Upon coming
to power in August 1996, President FERNANDEZ nevertheless inherited a
trouble-ridden economy hampered by a pressured peso, a large external
debt, nearly bankrupt state-owned enterprises, and a manufacturing
sector hindered by daily power outages. In December, FERNANDEZ
presented a bold economic reform package-including such reforms as the
devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in sales
taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline prices-in an
attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can compete
internationally. Even though reforms are moving ahead at a slow pace,
the economy grew vigorously in 1997, with tourism and
telecommunications leading the advance. The government is working to
increase electric generating capacity, a key to continued economic
growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$38.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 7% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 22%
services: 63% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 10.9% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
by occupation: agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry
18% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $994
million (1996 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining,
textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 1.447 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 6.5 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 865 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, meat,
eggs
Exports:
total value: $815 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, coffee, cocoa
partners: US 45%, EU 34%, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico (1995)
Imports:
total value: $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals
partners: US 44%, EU 16%, Venezuela 11%, Netherlands Antilles, Mexico,
Japan (1995)
Debt-external: $3.6 billion (1997)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $21 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Dominican peso (RD$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1-14.332 (December 1997),
14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996), 13.597 (1995), 13.160 (1994), 12.676
(1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 190,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station-1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 18 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 728,000 (1993 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Transportation
Railways:
total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway); 240
km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m,
1.067-m gauges) (1995)
Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de
Macoris, Santo Domingo
Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
(1997 est.)
Airports: 36 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 2,119,278 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 1,332,971 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 80,784 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $116 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.4% (1994)
@Dominican Republic:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US through Puerto Rico
______________________________________________________________________
ECUADOR
@Ecuador:Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 56%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,560 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
@Ecuador:People
Population: 12,336,572 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 2,253,920; female 2,175,402)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,636,637; female 3,725,766)
65 years and over: 4% (male 254,432; female 290,415) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.86% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 23.16 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.8 years
male: 69.19 years
female: 74.54 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish) 55%, Amerindian
25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially
Quechua)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
@Ecuador:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
Data code: EC
Government type: republic
National capital: Quito
Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias,
singular-provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo,
Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los
Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of
Quito)
Constitution: 10 August 1979
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fabian ALARCON Rivera (since 11 February
1997); Vice President Pedro AGUAYO (since 1 April 1998); note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fabian ALARCON Rivera (since 11 February
1997); Vice President Pedro AGUAYO (since 1 April 1998); note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
note: in an unusual, out of cycle change in executive power, Congress
on 11 February 1997 elected then Congress President ALARCON to be
Interim President until August 1998 after ousting former President
BUCARAM because of "mental incapacity"; ARTEAGA remained vice
president until March 1998
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 19 May 1996;
runoff election held 7 July 1996; note-because of the February 1997
unusual change in executive power, the next presidential elections
will take place 31 May 1998
election results: runoff election; percent of vote-Abdala BUCARAM
Ortiz 54%, Jaime NEBOT 46%; note-in February 1997, Congress elected
ALARCON to be Interim President until August 1998, with 57 of 82
Congressmen voting in favor of him
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
(82 seats; 12 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to
serve four-year terms; 70 members are popularly elected by province
for two-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 1996 (next to be held 31 May 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PSC 27,
PRE 19, DP 12, P-NP 8, ID 4, FRA 3, MPD 2, PCE 2, CFP 1, independents
and other 4; note - defections by members of congress are commonplace,
resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the
various parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by
Congress