[Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP
[Ben FAYOT]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie Wurth POLFER]; Action
Committee for Democracy and Pension Rights [Roby MEHLEN]; the Green
Alternative [Abbes JACOBY]; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: group of steel companies
representing iron and steel industry; Centrale Paysanne representing
agricultural producers; Christian and Socialist labor unions;
Federation of Industrialists; Artisans and Shopkeepers Federation
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse BERNS
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clay CONSTANTINOU
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, 2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
@Luxembourg:Economy
Economy-overview: The stable, prosperous economy features moderate
growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. Agriculture is based on
small family-owned farms. The industrial sector, until recently
dominated by steel, has become increasingly more diversified. During
the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than
compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking,
account for a growing proportion of the economy. Luxembourg
participates in an economic union with Belgium on trade and most
financial matters, is also closely connected economically to the
Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the
open European market.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$13.48 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3.6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$33,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 21%
services: 74% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.3% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 213,100 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers, mostly
from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany)
by occupation: trade, restaurants, hotels 20%, mining, quarrying,
manufacturing 16%, other market services 18%, community, social,
personal services 14%, construction 11%, finance, insurance, real
estate, business services 9%, transport, storage, communications 8%,
agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing 1%, electricity, gas, water 1%
(1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.5% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $5.46 billion
expenditures: $5.44 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (1995 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 138,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 470 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 13,518 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine
grapes; livestock products
Exports:
total value: $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber products,
glass, aluminum, other industrial products
partners: Germany 28%, France 18%, Belgium 15%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%
Imports:
total value: $9.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
partners: Belgium 38%, Germany 25%, France 11%, Netherlands 4%
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $50 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes; note-centimes no
longer in use
Exchange rates: Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1-37.459 (January
1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995), 33.456 (1994),
34.597 (1993); note-the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian
franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 221,900 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed, completely automated and efficient
system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable
(Europe to North America)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 230,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 plus 1 direct-broadcast satellite
link
Televisions: 100,500 (1993 est.)
@Luxembourg:Transportation
Railways:
total: 275 km
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified; 178 km
double track) (1995)
Highways:
total: 5,160 km
paved: 5,160 km (including 115 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 37 km; Moselle
Pipelines: petroleum products 48 km
Ports and harbors: Mertert
Merchant marine:
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 775,336 GRT/1,028,012 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, container 3,
liquefied gas tanker 11, oil tanker 5, passenger 2, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 8 (1997 est.)
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
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.)
@Luxembourg:Military
Military branches: Army, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 108,111 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 88,807 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 2,388 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $142 million (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 0.8% (1995)
@Luxembourg:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MACAU
(Chinese territory under Portuguese administration)
@Macau:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: not specified
Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain: generally flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Ozone Layer Protection (extended from Portugal)
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges
connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on
mainland
@Macau:People
Population: 429,152 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 54,845; female 51,354)
15-64 years: 68% (male 138,871; female 153,801)
65 years and over: 7% (male 12,139; female 18,142) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.91% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.76 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.6 years
male: 78.66 years
female: 84.68 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Macanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Macau
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, Portuguese 3%, other 2%
Religions: Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
est.)
Languages: Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 93%
female: 86% (1981 est.)
@Macau:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: none
local short form: Ilha de Macau
Data code: MC
Dependency status: Chinese territory under Portuguese administration;
note-scheduled to revert to China on 20 December 1999
Government type: NA
National capital: Macau
Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular-concelho);
Ilhas, Macau
Independence: none (Chinese territory under Portuguese administration;
Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return
Macau to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999; in the joint
declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and
economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Constitution: 17 February 1976, Organic Law of Macau; Macau's future
constitution, the "Basic Law", promulgated by China's National
People's Congress on 31 March 1993, will go into effect 20 December
1999
Legal system: Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of Portugal Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March
1996)
head of government: Governor General Vasco Joachim Rocha VIERA (since
20 March 1991)
cabinet: Consultative Council consists of a total of 15 members-five
appointed by the governor, two nominated by the governor, five elected
for a four-year term (two represent administrative bodies, one
represents moral, cultural, and welfare interests, and two represent
economic interests), and three statutory members
elections: none; governor general appointed by the president of
Portugal after consultation with the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (23 seats; 8
elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the
governor; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, consisting of five magistrates
including the president; lower court judges appointed for three-year
terms by the governor
Political parties and leaders: Association to Defend the Interests of
Macau, leader NA; Macau Democratic Center, leader NA; Group to Study
the Development of Macau, leader NA; Macau Independent Group, leader
NA
Political pressure groups and leaders: wealthy Macanese and Chinese
representing local interests, wealthy procommunist merchants
representing China's interests; in January 1967 the Macau Government
acceded to Chinese demands that gave China veto power over
administration
International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO
(associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO
(associate), WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (Chinese territory under
Portuguese administration)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US has no offices in Macau,
and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong
Kong
Flag description: the flag of Portugal is used
@Macau:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is based largely on tourism (including
gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to
diversify have spawned other small industries-toys, artificial
flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly
25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of
export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of
GDP. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and
energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw
materials and capital goods.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$7.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -0.3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$15,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.9% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 271,228 (1995)
by occupation: industry 28%, restaurants and hotels 28%, other
services 44%
Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $1.3 billion
expenditures: $1.07 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 260,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.3 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,250 kWh (1996 est.)
Agriculture-products: rice, vegetables
Exports:
total value: $1.99 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement
partners: US 42%, EU 31.7%, Hong Kong 10%, China 9.8% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $1.99 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels,
lubricants
partners: Hong Kong 28.9%, China 21.8%, EU 14.7%, Japan 10.5% (1996)
Debt-external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1-7.99 (1997), 7.962 (1996), 8.034
(1993-95), 7.973 (1992); note-linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the
rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 200,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: fairly modern communication facilities maintained
for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to
international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
China; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 135,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
note: TV programs received from Hong Kong
Televisions: 34,000 (1992 est.)
@Macau:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Macau
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Macau:Military
Military branches: NA
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 119,102 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 65,530 (1998 est.)
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of Portugal
@Macau:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 25,333 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km
water: 477 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
total: 748 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
heavy snowfall
Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys;
there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country
bisected by the Vardar River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Korab 2,753 m
Natural resources: chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel,
low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 830 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: high seismic risks
Environment-current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western
and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:People
Population: 2,009,387 (July 1998 est.)
note: the Macedonian government census of July 1994 put the population
at 1.94 million, but ethnic allocations were likely undercounted
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 244,636; female 230,103)
15-64 years: 67% (male 675,783; female 669,878)
65 years and over: 9% (male 85,030; female 103,957) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.68% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 15.71 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.08 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.77 years
male: 70.67 years
female: 75.03 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups: Macedonian 65%, Albanian 22%, Turkish 4%, Serb 2%,
Gypsies 3%, other 4%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%
Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian
3%, other 3%
Literacy: NA
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
Data code: MK
Government type: emerging democracy
National capital: Skopje
Administrative divisions: 34 counties (opstinas, singular-opstina)
Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kavadarci,
Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Murgasevo,
Negotino, Ohrid, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Resen, Skopje-Centar,
Skopje-Cair, Skopje-Karpos, Skopje-Kisela Voda, Skopje-Gazi Baba,
Stip, Struga, Strumica, Sveti Nikole, Tetovo, Titov Veles, Valandovo,
Vinica
note: in September 1996, the Macedonian Parliament passed legislation
changing the territorial division of the country; names of the 123 new
municipalities are not yet available
Independence: 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: 8 September
Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4
September 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the
deputies in the Assembly; note-after the withdrawal of the Liberal
Party (LP) from the ruling coalition in early 1996, the Council of
Ministers was reorganized without LP participation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: Kiro GLIGOROV elected president; percent of
vote-Kiro GLIGOROV 78.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms);
note-Assembly to vote on new election laws in spring 1998
elections: last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held NA
October/November 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-SDSM 58,
LDP 29, SP 8, PDP 10, DPA 4, independents 7, other 4; note-since
October 1994 elections, some members of the Assembly have changed
their party affiliation; the seating as of January 1997 is as follows:
SDSM 61, LDP 27, SP 6, PDP 11, DPA 7, independents 3, other 5
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the
Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected
by the Judicial Council
Political parties and leaders: Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia
or SDSM (former Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president];
Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Abdurahman ALITI, president];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Stojan ANDOV and Petar GOSEV];
Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubislav IVANOV-ZINGO,
president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic
Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubcho
GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Democratic Party for Albanians or DPA [Arben
XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil Tupur KOVSKI,
president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Movement for All Macedonian
Action or MAAK; Democratic Party of Serbs; Democratic Party of Turks;
Party for Democratic Action (Slavic Muslim); Party for the Complete
Emancipation of Romas or PCER [Faik ABDI]
International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica Z. ACEVSKA
chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337 3063
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher Robert HILL (18 July 1996)
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 9100 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] (91) 116-180
FAX: [389] (91) 117-103
Flag description: a rising yellow sun with 8 rays extending to the
edges of the red field
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Economy
Economy-overview: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, although
the poorest republic in the former Yugoslav federation, can meet basic
food and energy needs through its own agricultural and coal resources.
The economy slowly rebounded in 1996-97 after years of recession.
Continued recovery depends on Macedonia's ability to attract
investment, to redevelop trade ties with Greece and Serbia and
Montenegro, and to maintain its commitment to economic liberalization.
The economy depends on outside sources for all of its oil and gas and
most of its modern machinery and parts. An important supplement of GDP
is the remittances from thousands of Macedonians working in Germany
and other West European nations.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 1.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$960 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.4%
industry: 38.6%
services: 41% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 591,773 (June 1994)
by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1997 est.); note-many employed workers are, in
fact, furloughees
Budget:
revenues: $1.06 billion
expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $107
million (1996 est.)