McDonald Islands-small and rocky
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called
Big Ben
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: primarily used for research stations
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:People
Population: uninhabited
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code: HM
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Legal system: NA
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
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY)
Holy See (Vatican City)
Holy See (Vatican City)
@Holy See (Vatican City):Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries:
total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with
hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography-note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's
smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and
Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial
rights
@Holy See (Vatican City):People
Population: 860 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.15% (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none
Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss, other
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian, Latin, various other languages
@Holy See (Vatican City):Government
Country name:
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Data code: VT
Government type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
National capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978)
(John Paul II)
note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October
1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal
SODANO (since 2 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by Pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election
last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the
current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence
exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM
(observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR,
UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino
CACCIAVILLAN
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Corrine BOGGS
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via Delle Terme Deciane 26, Rome 00153
mailing address: PSC 59, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (6) 46741
FAX: [39] (6) 5758346, 57300682
Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white
with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in
the white band
@Holy See (Vatican City):Economy
Economy-overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported
financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman
Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist
mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.
The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or
somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of
Rome.
Labor force: NA
by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay
workers who live outside the Vatican
Budget:
revenues: $175.5 million
expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994)
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and
staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Electricity-capacity: 5,000 kW standby
note: electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Currency: 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1-1,787.7 (January 1998),
1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994),
1,573.7 (1993); note-the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira
which circulates freely
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,000
Telephone system: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1996)
Televisions: NA
@Holy See (Vatican City):Transportation
Railways:
total: 862 meters; note-connects to Italy's network at Rome's Saint
Peter's station
narrow gauge: 862 meters 1.435-m gauge
Highways: none; all city streets
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Heliports: 1
@Holy See (Vatican City):Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal
Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City
@Holy See (Vatican City):Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
HONDURAS
@Honduras:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922
km
Coastline: 820 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
antimony, coal, fish
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 14%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging
hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Environment-current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation
results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural
purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by
uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as
farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa
(the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several
rivers and streams with heavy metals
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: none of the selected agreements
@Honduras:People
Population: 5,861,955 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 1,248,291; female 1,204,574)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,591,995; female 1,615,449)
65 years and over: 3% (male 96,017; female 105,629) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 31.79 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.48 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 41.88 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.01 years
male: 63.31 years
female: 66.8 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian
7%, black 2%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.7%
male: 72.6%
female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
@Honduras:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras
local short form: Honduras
Data code: HO
Government type: republic
National capital: Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos,
singular-departamento) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa);
Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,
Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La
Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of
English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27
January 1998); First Vice President William HANDAL; Second Vice
President Gladys CABALLERO de Arevalo; Third Vice President Hector
Vidal CERRATO Hernandez; note-the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27
January 1998); First Vice President William HANDAL; Second Vice
President Gladys CABALLERO de Arevalo; Third Vice President Hector
Vidal CERRATO Hernandez; 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 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: Carlos FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of
vote-Carlos FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%, Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 42%, other
5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional
(128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held November
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-PLH 50%, PNH 42%, PINU-SD
4%, PDCH 2%, other 2%; seats by party-PLH 70, PNH 55, PINU-SD 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica),
judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PLH), Raphael PINEDA
Ponce, president; National Party of Honduras (PNH), Nora MELGAR,
president; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social Democratic Party
(PINU-SD), Olban VALLADARES, president; Christian Democratic Party
(PDCH)
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Association of
Honduran Campesinos (ANACH); Honduran Council of Private Enterprise
(COHEP); Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH); National Union of
Campesinos (UNC); General Workers Confederation (CGT); United
Federation of Honduran Workers (FUTH); Committee for the Defense of
Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH); Coordinating Committee of Popular
Organizations (CCOP)
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edgardo DUMAS Rodriguez
chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN (29 July 1996)
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114
FAX: [504] 36-9037
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white,
and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern
centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the
former Federal Republic of Central America-Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle
encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA
CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
@Honduras:Economy
Economy-overview: In 1994 the REINA administration inherited an
economy in the grips of stagflation due to an unprecedented energy
crisis, declining agricultural output, and extravagant public
expenditures. In response the REINA administration cut the fiscal
deficit and enacted a number of structural reforms including passage
of a modern financial sector reform law in 1995 and a central bank
reform law in 1996. As a result, Honduras finished 1997 with improved
GDP growth and a decreasing rate of inflation. The newly elected
FLORES administration faces pressure from the international financial
community and the IMF to further decrease the fiscal deficit and
implement key reforms, including the privatization of state
enterprises such as Hondutel. Tegucigalpa will probably implement
tighter fiscal and monetary policies to keep inflation low and meet
commitments to the IMF. This may slow GDP growth to 3.5% in 1998.
Moreover, wage increases for public-sector employees, agreed to in
1997, will make it difficult for FLORES to make headway on the fiscal
deficit and inflation.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$12.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 19%
services: 61% (1997)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 15% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.3 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 62%, services 20%, manufacturing 9%,
construction 3%, other 6% (1985)
Unemployment rate: 6.3% (1997); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $655 million
expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150
million (1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 305,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 2.8 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 516 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp;
Exports:
total value: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
partners: US 54%, Germany 7%, Belgium 5%, Japan 4%, Spain 3% (1995)
Imports:
total value: $1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw
materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil,
foodstuffs
partners: US 43%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, Mexico 3%, El
Salvador 3% (1995)
Debt-external: $4.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period)-13.1332 (January
1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994),
7.2600 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 2.115 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 28
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
@Honduras:Transportation
Railways:
total: 595 km
narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km
0.914-m gauge
note: in 1993, there was a total of 988 km of track
Highways:
total: 15,400 km
paved: 3,126 km
unpaved: 12,274 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San
Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine:
total: 219 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 545,829 GRT/801,456 DWT
ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 131, chemical tanker 3, container 7,
liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 2, oil tanker 19, passenger
1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5,
short-sea passenger 3, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 7 ships, Vietnam 2,
Singapore 2, North Korea 1, Brazil 1, Japan 1, Iran 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 122 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 110
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 87 (1997 est.)
@Honduras:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Public
Security Forces (FUSEP, now being converted to a civilian police
force)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,409,012 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 839,283 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 68,076 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $42.5 million (1997)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: about 1.5% (1997)
@Honduras:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly
resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ)
decision; the presidents of El Salvador and Honduras signed in January
1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the 1992 demarcated areas to
choose Salvadoran or Honduran citizenship; the two countries also
agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year; the
agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both
countries; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de
Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and
advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras,
and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with
Nicaragua
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics, mostly
along the Caribbean coastline; illicit producer of cannabis,
cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption
______________________________________________________________________
HONG KONG
(special administrative region of China)
Introduction
Current issues: Pursuant to the agreement signed by China and the UK
on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became a special administrative region
of China on 1 July 1997. Under the terms of this agreement, China has
promised that Hong Kong shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs.
@Hong Kong:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km
Area-comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 30 km
border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment-current issues: air and water pollution from rapid
urbanization
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: more than 200 islands
@Hong Kong:People
Population: 6,706,965 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 637,808; female 591,900)
15-64 years: 71% (male 2,360,878; female 2,425,291)
65 years and over: 11% (male 312,033; female 379,055) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.24% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.85 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.87 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 15.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.81 years
male: 76.07 years
female: 81.74 years (1998 est.)