total: 2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline: 459 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp,
fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 84%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy
seasons
Environment-current issues: water pollution from sewage and
agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Guyana:People
Population: 707,954 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 112,339; female 108,095)
15-64 years: 64% (male 228,719; female 226,309)
65 years and over: 5% (male 14,652; female 17,840) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.47% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 18.49 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.72 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -14.45 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.34 years
male: 59.5 years
female: 65.32 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%,
white and Chinese 1%
Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages: English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.1%
male: 98.6%
female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
@Guyana:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana
Data code: GY
Government type: republic
National capital: Georgetown
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni,
Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West
Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution: 6 October 1980
Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Executive President Janet JAGAN (since December 1997);
replaced Samuel HINDS
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible
to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
Assembly after legislative elections which must be held within five
years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be
held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53
popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March
2003)
election results: percent of vote by party-PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%,
TUF 1%; seats by party-PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party (PPP),
People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE; For a Good and
Green Guyana (GGG), Hamilton GREEN; Alliance for Guyana (AFG), Rupert
ROOPNARINE; Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE; People's
Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN; National Democratic Front
(NDF), Joseph BACCHUS; The United Force (TUF), Manzoor NADIR; National
Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN; Guyana Labor Party (GLP);
Guyana Democratic Party (GDP), Asgar ALLY; Guyanese Organization for
Liberty and Democracy Party (GOLD), Anthony MEKDECI
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress (TUC);
Guyana Council of Indian Organizations (GCIO); Civil Liberties Action
Committee (CLAC)
note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well
organized
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MACK
embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969
FAX: [592] (2) 58497
Flag description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the
hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow
black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border
between the yellow and the green
@Guyana:Economy
Economy-overview: In 1997, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the
Western Hemisphere, posted its sixth straight year of economic growth
of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and
by sugar growing. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in
the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere
for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate
inflation rate, and the continued support of international
organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue.
Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major
barrier to future gains in national output. The government must
persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its
privatization program.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 39%
industry: 28%
services: 33% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 4.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $278 million
expenditures: $299 million, including capital expenditures of $133
million (1996 est.)
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp),
textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1994 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 114,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 230 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 339 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork,
poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and
forestry
Exports:
total value: $546 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses
partners: Canada 33%, US 24%, UK 22% (1994 est.)
Imports:
total value: $589 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
partners: US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Netherlands Antilles 17%,
UK 11%, (1994 est.)
Debt-external: $1.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1-144.2 (January 1998),
142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth
station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
Radios: 398,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (1995 est.)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
@Guyana:Transportation
Railways:
total: 88 km
standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
Highways:
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara,
and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km,
100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Merchant marine:
total: 2 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,340 GRT/4,530 DWT
(1997 est.)
Airports: 50 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 34 (1997 est.)
@Guyana:Military
Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces,
Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana
National Service (GNS)
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 201,126 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 151,963 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $7 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (1994)
@Guyana:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River
claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper
Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari [Koetari] Rivers (all headwaters of
the Courantyne)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South
America-primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of
cannabis
______________________________________________________________________
HAITI
@Haiti:Geography
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 275 km
border countries: Dominican Republic 275 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade
winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 44% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject
to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment-current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the
remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as
fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography-note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic
(western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican
Republic)
@Haiti:People
Population: 6,780,501 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 1,465,735; female 1,422,260)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,733,636; female 1,881,367)
65 years and over: 4% (male 138,678; female 138,825) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 32.84 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 14.17 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 98.98 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.4 years
male: 49.33 years
female: 53.58 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.67 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Haitian(s)
adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%,
Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo
Languages: French (official) 20%, Creole
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45%
male: 48%
female: 42.2% (1995 est.)
@Haiti:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti
local short form: Haiti
Data code: HA
Government type: republic
National capital: Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements,
singular-departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est,
Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles
reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be
observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October
1994
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH resigned June 1997;
currently no prime minister; ratification of a new prime minister held
up in political gridlock stemming from controversy over the 6 April
1997 elections
cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December
2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
Congress
election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of
vote-Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms;
one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and
runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April 1997;
results disputed and runoffs postponed indefinitely); Chamber of
Deputies-last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs
on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber elections to be held November
1998)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Lavalas Political Organization 7, Lavalas family-leaning 7,
independent 2, non-active members 2, vacant 9; Chamber of
Deputies-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Lavalas Political
Organization (OPL) 32, antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and
independents 22, vacant 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: Lavalas Family (FL), Jean-Bertrand
ARISTIDE; National Lavalas Political Organization (OPL), Gerard
PIERRE-CHARLES; National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), Evans
PAUL and Turneb DELPE; National Congress of Democratic Movements
(KONACOM), Victor BENOIT; Movement for the Installation of Democracy
in Haiti (MIDH), Marc BAZIN; National Progressive Revolutionary Party
(PANPRA), Serge GILLES; Movement for National Reconstruction (MRN),
Rene THEODORE; Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Fritz
PIERRE; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie
MANIGAT; Mobilization for National Development (MDN), Hubert DE
RONCERAY; Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner
COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE; Open the Gate Party (PLB), Renaud BERNARDIN;
Union of Patriotic Democrats (UPD), Rockefeller GUERRE; Generation
2004, Claude ROUMAIN; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of
Haiti (ALAH), Reynold GEORGES; Haitian Democratic Party (PADEMH),
Clark PARENT; National Alliance for Democracy and Progress; Haiti Can
(Ayiti Kapab), Ernst VERDIEU
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church;
Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH); Federation of Workers Trade
Unions (FOS); Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH); National Popular
Assembly (APN); Papaye Peasants Movement (MPP); Popular Organizations
Gathering Power (PROP)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom
(observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
LAES, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); mission led by charge d'
affairs
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 through 4092
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Michael CARNEY
embassy: 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
telephone: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612
FAX: [509] 23-1641
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red
with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which
contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll
bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
@Haiti:Economy
Economy-overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty.
Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which
consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about
two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has
experienced little or no job creation since President PREVAL took
office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing.
Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied
Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid
conditions in 1998 will be especially challenging in the face of
mounting popular criticism of reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$7.1 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 1.1% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,070 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 44%
industry: 13%
services: 43% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 17% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 3.6 million (1995)
by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%
note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)
Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $284 million
expenditures: $308 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)
Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism,
light assembly industries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 153,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 315 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 48 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum;
wood
Exports:
total value: $90 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: light manufactures 53%, coffee 17%, other agriculture 17%
partners: US 76.3%, EU 19.8% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $665 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%,
petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9%
partners: US 65.0%, EU 13.9% (1995)
Debt-external: $781 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1 (end of period)-17.311 (December
1997), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994),
12.805 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate, international
facilities slightly better
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
@Haiti:Transportation
Railways:
total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line)-closed in
early 1990s
narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways:
total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes,
Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 14 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)
@Haiti:Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally
abolished
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,490,464 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 807,330 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 75,448 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA; note-mainly for police and
security activities
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Haiti:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route
to the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS
(territory of Australia)
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 412 sq km
land: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: antarctic