total: 1,287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,396,164
GRT/37,390,720 DWT
ships by type: bulk 350, cargo 404, chemical tanker 38, combination
bulk 20, combination ore/oil 15, container 55, liquefied gas tanker 1,
livestock carrier 2, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker
269, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated
cargo 43, roll-on/roll-off cargo 42, short-sea passenger 17,
specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 16
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 51 countries
among which includes Greece 477, Russia 61, Switzerland 51, Italy 50,
Norway 49, Croatia 39, Turkey 38, Germany 30, Georgia 23, and Monaco
23 (1997 est.)
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Malta:Military
Military branches: Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 99,066 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 78,805 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $65.5 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY96/97)
@Malta:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Malta and Tunisia are discussing the
commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their
countries, particularly for oil exploration
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa
to Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
MAN, ISLE OF
(British crown dependency)
@Man, Isle of:Geography
Location: Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
Britain and Ireland
Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N, 4 30 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 588 sq km
land: 588 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than three times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 113 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the
time
Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 620 m
Natural resources: lead, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA% (extensive arable land and forests)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the
southwest, and is a bird sanctuary
@Man, Isle of:People
Population: 75,121 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 6,790; female 6,510)
15-64 years: 65% (male 24,466; female 24,366)
65 years and over: 17% (male 5,168; female 7,821) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.79% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.49 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 11.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.1 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 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.57 years
male: 74.04 years
female: 81.28 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Manxman, Manxwoman
adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups: Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian,
Society of Friends
Languages: English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy: NA
@Man, Isle of:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man
Data code: IM
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
National capital: Douglas
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July
Constitution: 1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6
February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Sir
Timothy DAUNT (since NA 1995)
head of government: President of the Tynwald and the Legislative
Council Sir Charles KERRUISH (since NA 1990)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor
appointed by the queen for a five-year term; president of the
Legislative Council elected by the Tynwald for a five-year term;
election last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: Sir Charles KERRUISH elected president of the
Legislative Council; percent of legislative vote-NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative
Council (a 10-member body composed of the Lord Bishop of Sodor and
Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of
Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys-last held 21 November 1996 (next to be held
NA 2001)
election results: House of Keys-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-independents 24
Judicial branch: High Court of Justice, justices are appointed by the
Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant
governor
Political parties and leaders: there is no party system; members sit
as independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria),
in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of
the flag, a two-sided emblem is used
@Man, Isle of:Economy
Economy-overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key
sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives
to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in
high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the
mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP.
Banking and other services now contribute more than half to GDP. Trade
is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU
markets.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$780 million (1994 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,800 (1994 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 33,577 (1996)
by occupation: manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and
communication 8%, retail distribution 9%, professional and scientific
services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%
Unemployment rate: 2% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $333.7 million
expenditures: $333.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95 est.)
Industries: financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs,
poultry
Exports: $NA
commodities: tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
partners: UK
Imports: $NA
commodities: timber, fertilizers, fish
partners: UK
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Manx pound (£M) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Manx pounds (£M) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998),
0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658
(1993); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 46,000 (1996)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 4
Televisions: 24,450 licenses (1996)
@Man, Isle of:Transportation
Railways:
total: 52 km (27 km electrified)
Highways:
total: 640 km
paved: 320 km
unpaved: 320 km
Ports and harbors: Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey
Merchant marine:
total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,481,925 GRT/7,663,593
DWT
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 8, chemical tanker 8, combination bulk
3, container 14, liquefied gas tanker 9, oil tanker 46, passenger 2,
railroad carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15,
short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2
note: a flag of convenience registry; UK owns 11 ships, Switzerland 2,
South Africa 1, Denmark 1, Sweden 1, Belgium 1, and Netherlands 1
(1997 est.)
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Man, Isle of:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
@Man, Isle of:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MARSHALL ISLANDS
@Marshall Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 181.3 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein
Area-comparative: about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 370.4 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands
border typhoon belt
Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources: phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed
minerals
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: 60%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 40%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment-current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography-note: two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152
islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
missile test range
@Marshall Islands:People
Population: 63,031 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 50% (male 16,073; female 15,432)
15-64 years: 48% (male 15,408; female 14,695)
65 years and over: 2% (male 669; female 754) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.85% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 45.39 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 44.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.48 years
male: 62.89 years
female: 66.14 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Religions: Christian (mostly Protestant)
Languages: English (universally spoken and is the official language),
two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family,
Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 100%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
@Marshall Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)
Data code: RM
Government type: constitutional government in free association with
the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October
1986
National capital: Majuro
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN
trusteeship)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall
Islands, 1 May (1979)
Constitution: 1 May 1979
Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own members
for a four-year term; election last held 14 January 1997 (next to be
held NA January 2000); note-Imata KABUA elected to succeed and
complete the term of the late President Amata KABUA
election results: Imata KABUA elected president; percent of Parliament
vote-63%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000;
note-new elections will be held upon the completion of the term of the
late President Amata KABUA)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
matters affecting customary law and practice
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no
formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely
resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party
headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two
"groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years-Our
Islands Party, leader NA, and Ralik/Ratak Democratic Party (RRDP),
Ramsey REIMERS
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general: Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joan M. PLAISTED
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012
Flag description: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
hoist-side corner-orange (top) and white; there is a white star with
four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two
stripes
@Marshall Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of the
economy, constituting an important supplement to GDP. Agricultural
production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important
commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit.
Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and
copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange
employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for
future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and
imports far exceed exports. The government is drafting economic
reforms designed to increase revenue and compensate for reductions in
US Government grants-in FY95/96, the US Government provided grants of
$68 million, equal to roughly 70% of the country's GDP. More than 25%
of the government's FY95/96 budget was devoted to debt repayment. In
1996, efforts to stabilize the economy included a 27% reduction in the
government's work force and a 10% cut in the budget.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$98 million (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,680 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 13%
services: 72% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 4% (FY95/96)
Labor force:
total: 4,800 (1986)
by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $80.1 million
expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5
million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and
pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 16,000 kW (1994)
Electricity-production: 57 million kWh (1994)
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs,
chickens
Exports:
total value: $17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells
partners: US, Japan, Australia
Imports:
total value: $71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and
tobacco
partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ
Debt-external: $128 million (FY95/96)
Economic aid:
recipient: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US
is to provide approximately $68 million in aid annually
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 2,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: telex services
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US
Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
@Marshall Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Ports and harbors: Majuro
Merchant marine:
total: 128 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,274,057 GRT/10,641,686
DWT
ships by type: bulk 57, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, combination
ore/oil 1, container 25, oil tanker 36, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2,
vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes the ships of Canada 1,
China 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, and US 7 (1997 est.)
Airports: 16 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
@Marshall Islands:Military
Military branches: no regular military forces (a coast guard may be
established); Police Force
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Marshall Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claims US territory of Wake Island
______________________________________________________________________
MARTINIQUE
(overseas department of France)
@Martinique:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad
and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 61 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km
water: 40 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly more than six times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight
years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid
Terrain: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 17%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an
average of one major natural disaster every five years)
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
@Martinique:People
Population: 407,284 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 47,431; female 46,457)
15-64 years: 67% (male 134,738; female 137,818)
65 years and over: 10% (male 17,216; female 23,624) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.05% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 16.52 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.13 years
male: 76.34 years
female: 81.98 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais
Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Languages: French, Creole patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 92%
female: 93% (1982 est.)
@Martinique:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local long form: Departement de la Martinique
local short form: Martinique
Data code: MB
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Fort-de-France
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
(since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice
of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils