River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western
note: it has been reported but not verified that the name of the
MacCarthy Island division has been changed to Central River
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); note-The Gambia and Senegal
signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation
of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement
was dissolved on 30 September 1989
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and
approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in
January 1997
Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 12 October
1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year
term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26
September 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote-President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE 35.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45
elected, 4 appointed by the president)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held
NA)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-APRC 33,
UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1, independents 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation
and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; National
Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic
Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA];
United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]; note-in August 1996
the government banned the following from participation in the
elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President
Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties-the National
Convention Party or NCP [former vice president Sheriff DIBBA] and the
Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald Wesley SCOTT
embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971
FAX: [220] 392475
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
white edges, and green
@Gambia, The:Economy
Economy-overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural
resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the
population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts,
fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment
of economic activity, but the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in
January 1994 made Senegalese goods more competitive and hurt the
reexport trade. The Gambia has benefited from a rebound in tourism
after its decline in response to the military's takeover in July 1994.
Short-run economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained
bilateral and multilateral aid and on responsible government economic
management.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.23 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.1% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,000 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 15%
services: 58% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: NA
by occupation: agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services
18.9%, government 6.1%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $88.6 million
expenditures: $98.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)
Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 29,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 73 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 74 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava
(tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishing
resources not fully exploited
Exports:
total value: $160 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: peanuts and peanut products 70%, fish, cotton lint, palm
kernels
partners: Japan, Senegal, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland, UK,
Indonesia
Imports:
total value: $140 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery
and transport equipment
partners: China, Cote d'Ivoire, Hong Kong, UK, Germany
Debt-external: $426 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: bilateral $36.1 million; multilateral $34.7 million (1994)
Currency: 1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut
Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1-10.513 (December 1997), 10.200
(1997), 9.789 (1996), 9.546 (1995), 9.576 (1994), 9.129 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 11,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open wire
international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 180,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government owned)
Televisions: NA
@Gambia, The:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,700 km
paved: 956 km
unpaved: 1,744 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 400 km
Ports and harbors: Banjul
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Gambia, The:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, National Police, National Guard
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 286,847 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 144,547 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $1.2 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY93/94)
@Gambia, The:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: short section of boundary with Senegal is
indefinite
______________________________________________________________________
GAZA STRIP
Introduction
Current issues: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five
years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the
West Bank. Permanent status negotiations began on 5 May 1996, but have
not resumed since the initial meeting. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to
transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian
Authority, which includes a Palestinian Legislative Council elected in
January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities
for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in
additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement and the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron. The DOP provides that
Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for
external security and for internal security and public order of
settlements and Israelis. Permanent status is to be determined through
direct negotiations.
@Gaza Strip:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
and Israel
Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement-permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation
Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 39%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: desertification; salination of fresh
water; sewage treatment
Environment-international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1997 est.)
@Gaza Strip:People
Population: 1,054,173 (July 1998 est.)
note: in addition, there are 6,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip
(August 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 52% (male 278,551; female 265,009)
15-64 years: 46% (male 241,420; female 238,857)
65 years and over: 2% (male 12,966; female 17,370) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 6.4% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 49.07 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 18.97 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: 0.75 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.95 years
male: 71.56 years
female: 74.4 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.57 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%
Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish
0.6%
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Literacy: NA
@Gaza Strip:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gaza Strip
local long form: none
local short form: Qita Ghazzah
Data code: GZ
@Gaza Strip:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic progress in the Gaza Strip has been
hampered by tight Israeli security restrictions. In 1991 roughly 40%
of Gaza Strip workers were employed across the border by Israeli
industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker
remittances supplementing GDP by roughly 50%. Gaza has depended upon
Israel for nearly 90% of its external trade. The Persian Gulf crisis
and its aftershocks have dealt blows to Gaza since August 1990. Worker
remittances from the Gulf states have dropped, unemployment and
popular unrest have increased, and living standards have fallen. The
redeployment of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip in May 1994 has added
to the set of adjustment problems. This series of disruptions has
meant a sharp decline in employment in Israel since 1991 and a drop in
GDP as a whole. An estimated 378,000 persons were in refugee camps in
1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -6.9% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,100 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 25%
services: 42% (1995 est., includes West Bank)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 8.4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)
note: excluding Israeli settlers
Unemployment rate: 28% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $684 million
expenditures: $779 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996)
note: includes West Bank
Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles,
soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial
center
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by Israel
Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by Israel
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: olives, citrus, other fruits, vegetables; beef,
dairy products
Exports:
total value: $630 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.) (includes West Bank)
commodities: citrus
partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Imports:
total value: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) (includes West Bank)
commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials
partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1-3.5340 (December
1997), 3.4494 3.1917 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301
(1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
Communications
Telephones: NA
note: 3.1% of Palestinian households have telephones
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA; note-95% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 station operated by the Palestinian
Authority
Televisions: NA; note-59% of Palestinian households have televisions
(1992 est.)
@Gaza Strip:Transportation
Railways:
total: NA km; note-one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little
trackage remains
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: small, poorly developed road network
Ports and harbors: Gaza
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
note: includes new international airport that was scheduled to open in
June 1997, but has been delayed due to political and security
disagreements between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Gaza Strip:Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Gaza Strip:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied
with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim
Agreement-permanent status to be determined through further
negotiation
______________________________________________________________________
GEORGIA
Introduction
Current issues: Beset by ethnic and civil strife since independence in
1991, Georgia began to stabilize in 1994. Separatist conflicts in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been dormant since spring 1994,
although political settlements remain elusive. Russian peacekeepers
are deployed in both regions and a UN Observer Mission is operating in
Abkhazia. As a result of these conflicts, Georgia still has about
250,000 internally displaced people. In 1995, Georgia adopted a new
constitution and conducted generally free and fair nationwide
presidential and parliamentary elections. In 1996, the government
focused its attention to implementing an ambitious economic reform
program and professionalizing its parliament. Violence and organized
crime were sharply curtailed in 1995 and 1996, but corruption remains
rife. In 1997, SHEVARDNADZE succeeded in bringing international
attention to the Abkhazia conflict. The UN sponsored two meetings on
the subject, but a resolution is still far off. Georgia also took some
steps in 1997 to reduce its dependence on Russia, acquiring coastal
patrol boats it hopes to use to replace the current Russian border
units on the Black Sea coast. The year 1997 also saw a sharpening of
rhetoric-especially from parliament-against Russia's continued
military presence on Georgian territory.
@Georgia:Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
Turkey 252 km
Coastline: 310 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhida Lowland
opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east;
good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m
Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore,
copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow
for important tea and citrus growth
Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 34%
other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi;
heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate
supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Desertification
@Georgia:People
Population: 5,108,527 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 562,623; female 540,378)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,631,296; female 1,756,087)
65 years and over: 12% (male 235,042; female 383,101) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.92% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 11.72 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.79 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 51.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.79 years
male: 61.36 years
female: 68.4 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.54 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri
5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%
Religions: Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian
Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%
Languages: Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%,
other 7%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1989 est.)
@Georgia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: GG
Government type: republic
National capital: T'bilisi
Administrative divisions: 53 rayons (raionebi, singular-raioni), 9
cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous
republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika);
Abashis, Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi),
Adigenis, Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi),
Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris,
Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus,
Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis,
Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis,
Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is,
Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis,
Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris,
Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis,
T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris,
Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*,
Zugdidis
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses)
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992,
Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of
Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995;
inaugurated 26 November 1995); note-the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE
(previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992,
Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of
Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000)
election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of
vote-Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Umaghiesi Sabcho
(235 seats; members are elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA November
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-CUG 24%, NDP 8%, AGUR 7%,
all other parties received less than 5% each; seats by party-CUG 107,
NDP 34, AGUR 32, Progress Bloc (DUG, Political Association "Georgian
Proprietors," Political Union of Young Democrats, Solidarity) 4, SPG
4, others 9, Abkazian deputies 12, independents 29, not filled 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges elected by the Supreme Council
on the president's recommendation; Constitutional Court