1890
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: NA
Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
(Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the
public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll
Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation
@Johnston Atoll:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel
(January 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -6.41% (1998 est.)
@Johnston Atoll:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Data code: JQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC, by the US Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA)
and managed cooperatively by DSWA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of
the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife
Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Johnston Atoll:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services
to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor
Electricity-production: six 25,000 kWh generators
note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor
Communications
Telephone system: 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines;
adequate telecommunications
domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite,
Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch,
Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground
radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network
(PCTN) satellite
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 5 channels; also 1 local volunteer
FM radio station;, shortwave NA; 1 amateur station, call sign KJ6BZ
Television broadcast stations: commercial satellite television system,
16 channels
@Johnston Atoll:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Johnston Island
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Johnston Atoll:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Johnston Atoll:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JORDAN
@Jordan:Geography
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 89,213 sq km
land: 88,884 sq km
water: 329 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,619 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 85% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 630 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources;
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Jordan:People
Population: 4,434,978 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 985,211; female 935,982)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,224,595; female 1,160,915)
65 years and over: 3% (male 64,406; female 63,869) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 35.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 3.91 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.29 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.84 years
male: 70.96 years
female: 74.84 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 96%, Christian 4% (1997 est.)
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper
and middle classes
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.6%
male: 93.4%
female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
@Jordan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan
Data code: JO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat,
singular-muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al
Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review
of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HUSSEIN bin Talal Al-Hashimi (since 2 May 1953)
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-MAJALI (since 19
March 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with
the king
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister
appointed by the king
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma
consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the king from
designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year
terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives-last held 4 November 1997 (next to
be held NA November 2001)
election results: House of Representatives-percent of vote by
party-NA; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land
Party 1, independents 75, other 2
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by
the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Al-Ahrar (Freedom) Party, Dr. Ahmad
ZO'BI, secretary general; Arab Ba'th Progressive Party, Mahmoud
al-MA'AYTAH, secretary general; Arab Islamic Democratic Party (Doa'a),
Yousif ABU BAKR, secretary general; Arab Jordanian Ansar Party,
Muhammad MAJALI, secretary general; Arab Land Party, Dr. Muhammad
al-'ORAN, secretary general; Islamic Action Front, Dr. Ishaq
al-FARHAN, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Constitutional Front
Party, Milhem TELL, secretary general; Jordanian Ba'th Arab Socialist
Party, Tayseer al-HOMSI, secretary general; Jordanian Communist Party,
Ya'acoub ZAYADIN, secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Popular
Unity Party, Sa'eed MUSTAPHA, secretary general; Jordanian Labor
Party, Muhammad KHATAYIBAH, secretary general; Jordanian Peace Party,
Dr. Shaher KHREIS, secretary general; Jordanian People's Democratic
Party (HASHD), Salem NAHHAS, secretary general; Jordanian Unitary
Democratic Party, Mousa al-MA'AYTAH, secretary general; Al-Mustaqbal
(Future) Party, Suleiman 'ARAR, secretary general; National Action
Party (Haqq), Muhammad ZO'BI, secretary general; National
Constitutional Party, Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general; National
Democratic Public Movement Party, Muhammad al-'AMER, secretary
general; Progressive Party, Na'el BARAKAT, secretary general; Al-Umma
(Nation) Party, Ahmad HNEIDI, secretary general
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan Jamil MUASHIR
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley W. EGAN, Jr.
embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 820101
FAX: [962] (6) 820159
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white,
and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star
represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
@Jordan:Economy
Economy-overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate
supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal.
Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the
late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged
more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in
both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to an
average of roughly 2% per year. Imports-mainly oil, capital goods,
consumer durables, and food-outstripped exports, with the difference
covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian
Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to
implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually reduce the
budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The
Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated
Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to
shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend
rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker
remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country,
producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth,
and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992,
largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning
from the Gulf, but recovery was uneven in 1994-97. The government is
implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and continues to
secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign debt. Debt,
poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's biggest on-going problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$20.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,800 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 30%
services: 64% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.15 million plus 300,000 foreign workers (1997 est.)
by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels
10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%,
agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 15% official rate; note-actual rate is 20%-25%
(1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.7 billion
expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $630
million (1997 est.)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash,
light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate: -3.4% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 1.066 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 5.02 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,259 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives;
sheep, goats, poultry
Exports:
total value: $1.53 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products,
manufactures
partners: Iraq, India, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE
Imports:
total value: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live
animals, manufactured goods
partners: EU, Iraq, US, Japan, Turkey
Debt-external: $7.3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $424 million (1996)
Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1-0.7090 (January
1998-1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993)
note: since May 1989, the dinar has been pegged to a basket of
currencies
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 81,500 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: adequate telephone system
domestic: microwave radio relay, cable, and radiotelephone links
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave radio relay to
Lebanon is inactive; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios: 1.1 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link
Televisions: 350,000 (1992 est.)
@Jordan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 676 km
narrow gauge: 676 km 1.050-m gauge; note-an additional 110 km stretch
of the old Hejaz railroad is out of use
Highways:
total: 6,640 km
paved: 6,640 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 209 km
Ports and harbors: Al 'Aqabah
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 43,759 GRT/69,795 DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 17 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
@Jordan:Military
Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal
Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air
Force); Badiya (irregular) Border Guards; Ministry of the Interior's
Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis
situations)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,076,618 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 766,973 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 48,706 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $627 million (1997 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 7.8% (1997)
@Jordan:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
JUAN DE NOVA ISLAND
(possession of France)
@Juan de Nova Island:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 17 03 S, 42 45 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 4.4 sq km
land: 4.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 24.1 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth the of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m
Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 90%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: wildlife sanctuary
@Juan de Nova Island:People
Population: uninhabited
@Juan de Nova Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
Data code: JU
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Juan de Nova Island:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Juan de Nova Island:Transportation
Railways:
total: NA km; short line going to a jetty
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Juan de Nova Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Juan de Nova Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Madagascar
______________________________________________________________________
KAZAKHSTAN
@Kazakhstan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, northwest of China
Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
note: Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea (1,015 km) and the Caspian Sea
(1,894 km)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the
plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Zhengis Shingy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal,
iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum,
lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 11%
permanent pastures: 57%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 16% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 22,000 sq km (1996 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment-current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites
associated with its former defense industries and test ranges are
found throughout the country and pose health risks for humans and
animals; industrial pollution is severe in some cities; because the
two main rivers which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for
irrigation, it is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of
chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in
the Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
and salinization from faulty irrigation practices
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked
@Kazakhstan:People
Population: 16,846,808 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 2,486,607; female 2,413,207)
15-64 years: 64% (male 5,243,028; female 5,523,199)
65 years and over: 7% (male 393,950; female 786,817) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.17% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 17.24 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.15 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.79 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: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 58.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.59 years
male: 58.12 years
female: 69.33 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.12 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani
Ethnic groups: Kazakh (Qazaq) 46%, Russian 34.7%, Ukrainian 4.9%,
German 3.1%, Uzbek 2.3%, Tatar 1.9%, other 7.1% (1996)
Religions: Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages: Kazakh (Qazaq) official language spoken by over 40% of
population, Russian official language spoken by two-thirds of
population and used in everyday business
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
@Kazakhstan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: KZ
Government type: republic
National capital: Astana (Akmola)
note: the government has recently moved from Almaty to Astana
Administrative divisions: 14 oblystar (singular-oblys) and 1 city
(qalalar, singular-qala)*; Almaty Qalasy*, Almaty Oblysy, Aqmola
Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Oral), Mangghystau Oblysy (Aqtau; formerly Gur'yev), Ongtustik
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy, Qaraghandy Oblysy,
Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen;
formerly Ust'-Kamenogorsk), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Petropavl),
Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz; formerly Dzhambul)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses); in 1995 the governments of Kazakhstan and
Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a
period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Bayqongyr
(Baykonur) space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Leninsk)
Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 October (1991); Republic Day,
16 December (1991)
Constitution: adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal