the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed
agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum
wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 4
million tourists in 1993. The construction sector has been a key
factor in recent economic growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$32.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$8,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 5.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.3 million (1996)
by occupation: government 19%, manufacturing 13%, trade 17%,
construction 5%, other 32%, unemployed 14% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 13% (FY96/97 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.1 billion
expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95)
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products;
tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 4.465 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 17.34 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,548 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: livestock products, chickens; sugarcane, coffee,
pineapples, plantains, bananas
Exports:
total value: $22.9 billion (f.o.b. 1996)
commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
beverage concentrates, medical equipment
partners: US 88% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $19.1 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners: US 62% (1995 est.)
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1.315 million (1994 est.)
Telephone system: modern system, integrated with that of the US by
high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system with about 1 million lines (1990
est.); cellular telephone service
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat; submarine cable to
US
Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 63, shortwave 0
note: there were 118 radio stations in 1995
Radios: 2.6 million (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 15 (1995)
note: cable television available with US programs (1990 est.)
Televisions: 973,000 (1994 est.)
@Puerto Rico:Transportation
Railways:
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for
hauling sugarcane; no passenger service
Highways:
total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San
Juan
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 30 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
@Puerto Rico:Military
Military branches: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Puerto Rico:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
QATAR
@Qatar:Geography
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
gravel
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Aba al Bawl 103 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 94% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 80 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environment-current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are
increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
petroleum deposits
@Qatar:People
Population: 697,126 (July 1998 est.)
note: includes 516,508 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 97,317; female 93,532)
15-64 years: 71% (male 353,700; female 138,564)
65 years and over: 2% (male 9,731; female 4,282) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.82% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 16.97 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 3.53 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 24.76 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: 2.55 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.27 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.89 years
male: 71.38 years
female: 76.54 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other
14%
Religions: Muslim 95%
Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second
language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 79.2%
female: 79.9% (1995 est.)
@Qatar:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between
cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
Data code: QA
Government type: traditional monarchy
National capital: Doha
Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (baladiyat,
singular-baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al
Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batnah, Ash Shamal, Umm Salal
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir,
although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant
in personal matters
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al
Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa
Al Thani, third son of the amir (selected crown prince by the amir 22
October 1996); note-Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of
defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the amir (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister
MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the amir (since 20 January
1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the amir
elections: none; the amir is an absolute monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35
seats; members appointed by the amir)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this
consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when
there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had
their terms extended every four years since
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO
(pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Saad Muhammad al-KUBAYSI
chancery: Suite 200, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick N. THEROS
embassy: 149 Ahmed Bin Ali St., Fariq Bin Omran (opposite the
television station), Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha; pouch address-AMEMB Doha,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6130
telephone: [974] 864701 through 864703
FAX: [974] 861669
note: work week is Saturday-Wednesday
Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white
points) on the hoist side
@Qatar:Economy
Economy-overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for
more than 30% of GDP, roughly 70% of export earnings, and 66% of
government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should
ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given
Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading West European
industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7
trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest
in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming
increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of
off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$11.2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$16,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 49%
services: 50% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.5% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 233,000 (1993 est.)
note: 83% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $3.7 billion
expenditures: $4.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement
Industrial production growth rate: -4% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 1.303 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 5.8 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 10,863 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products,
beef; fish (all on small scale)
Exports:
total value: $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel
partners: Japan 55%, Singapore 11%, South Korea 6%, Australia 3%, UAE
3% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals
partners: Italy 14%, UK 12%, France 11%, Japan 10%, Germany 9% (1996)
Debt-external: $11 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1-3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Telephones: 160,717 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay
to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite
earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 201,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 205,000 (1992 est.)
@Qatar:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 618,447 GRT/1,031,135 DWT
ships by type: combination ore/oil 2, container 3, cargo 11, oil
tanker 5 (1997 est.)
Airports: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Qatar:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 294,205 (1998 est.)
note: includes non-nationals
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 154,436 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 5,777 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $400 million (1996 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996 est.)
@Qatar:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the
Hawar Islands and maritime boundary dispute with Bahrain currently
before the International Court of Justice (ICJ); in 1996, agreed with
Saudi Arabia to demarcate border per 1992 accord; that process is
ongoing
______________________________________________________________________
REUNION
(overseas department of France)
@Reunion:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references: World
Area:
total: 2,510 sq km
land: 2,500 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 201 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and
dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 35%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April);
Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
@Reunion:People
Population: 705,053 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 116,705; female 111,262)
15-64 years: 62% (male 214,914; female 221,502)
65 years and over: 6% (male 16,846; female 23,824) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.81% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.78 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 4.67 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.4 years
male: 72.36 years
female: 78.6 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.67 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 76%
female: 80% (1982 est.)
@Reunion:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local long form: none
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
Data code: RE
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there
are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
government, but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
cantons
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 law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)
head of government: President of the General Council Christophe PAYET
(since 4 April 1994) and President of the Regional Council Margarite
SUDRE (since 25 June 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice
of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General
and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils,
who vote on party lines
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote
to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council-last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA
2000); Regional Council-last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held NA
1999)
election results: General Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party-PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional
Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UPF 17, Free-Dom
Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6
note: Reunion elects 3 representatives to the French Senate; elections
last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results-percent of
vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 1, FRA 1, independent 1; Reunion
also elects 5 deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA); results-percent of
vote by party-NA; seats by party-PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre
Maurice PIHOUEE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Ibrahim DINDAN];
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; France-Reunion Future
or FRA [Andre THIEN AH KOON]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude
FRUTEAU]; Center of Social Democrats or CDS; Union for France or UPF
(includes RPR and UDF); Free-DOM Movement [Marguerite SUDRE]; National
Front or FN [Alix MOREL, leader]
International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
@Reunion:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy has traditionally been based on
agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a
century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The
government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to
relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the
labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is
extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The
white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other
segments of the population, often approaching European standards,
whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical
of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe
rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic
tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on
continued financial assistance from France.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,300 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 242,169 (1993)
by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 35% (1994)
Budget:
revenues: $856.7 million
expenditures: $2.2437 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1993)
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
extraction
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 299,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.105 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,659 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits,
vegetables, corn
Exports:
total value: $171.776 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%,
lobster 3%, (1993)
partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Imports:
total value: $2.354 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery
and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: substantial annual subsidies from France
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998),
5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632
(1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 191,647 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network
international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France,
Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth
station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios: 155,000 (1993)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (repeaters 18)
Televisions: 116,181 (1992 est.)
@Reunion:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,784 km
paved: 2,187 km
unpaved: 597 km (1987 est.)
Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Reunion:Military
Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Gendarmerie)
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 182,620 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 93,572 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 5,780 (1998 est.)
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Reunion:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
ROMANIA
@Romania:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362
km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from
the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps