total: 2,835 km (in addition, there are 224 km not restored to service
after war damage)
standard gauge: 151 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 2,454 km 1.000-m gauge
other gauge: 230 km NA-m dual gauge (three rails)
Highways:
total: 93,300 km
paved: 23,418 km
unpaved: 69,882 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 17,702 km navigable; more than 5,149 km navigable at all
times by vessels up to 1.8 m draft
Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km
Ports and harbors: Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong
Gai, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang
Merchant marine:
total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 487,427 GRT/750,000 DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 97, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
1, oil tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
note: Vietnam owns an additional 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
97,531 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Honduras,
Liberia, Malta, and Panama (1997 est.)
Airports: 48 (1994 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 7 (1994 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
@Vietnam:Military
Military branches: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes Ground
Forces, Navy, and Air Force), Coast Guard
Military manpower-military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 19,818,187 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 12,519,072 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 811,382 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $544 million (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 2.7% (1995)
@Vietnam:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary
with Thailand resolved, August 1997; maritime boundary dispute with
China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but
claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; offshore islands and sections of
boundary with Cambodia are in dispute; sections of land border with
China are indefinite
Illicit drugs: key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 6,150 hectares
of poppy in 1997 (an increase of 95% over 1996), with a potential
production of 45 metric tons (an increase of 80% over 1996) of opium;
opium producer and probably minor transit point for Southeast Asian
heroin destined for the US and Europe; growing opium addiction;
possible small-scale heroin production
______________________________________________________________________
VIRGIN ISLANDS
(territory of the US)
@Virgin Islands:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km
water: 3 sq km
Area-comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 188 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to
November
Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 26%
forests and woodland: 6%
other: 47% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
Environment-current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: important location along the Anegada Passage-a key
shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
@Virgin Islands:People
Population: 118,211 (July 1998 est.)
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born
elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%,
other 8%
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 17,310; female 16,502)
15-64 years: 64% (male 34,434; female 40,645)
65 years and over: 7% (male 4,065; female 5,255) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.16% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 16.45 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.01 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.3 years
male: 74.68 years
female: 82.15 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole
Literacy: NA
@Virgin Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
Data code: VQ
Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US;
administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
Interior
Government type: NA
National capital: Charlotte Amalie
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)
Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system: based on US laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note-indigenous inhabitants are
US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (since 5 January
1995) and Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since 5 January 1995)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor of the Virgin Islands
elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 22
November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998)
election results: Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER elected governor of the Virgin
Islands; percent of vote-Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 54.7%, former
Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 2 November 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-independents 6, Democrats 5, Republicans 2, Independent Citizens
Movement 2
note: the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the US House of
Representatives; elections last held 19 November 1996 (next to be held
NA November 1998); results - Dr. Donna GREEN (ICM) 51.5%, Victor O.
FRAZER (independent) 48.5%
Judicial branch: US District Court, handles civil matters over
$200,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal
cases; judges are appointed by the president; Territorial Court,
handles civil matters of unlimited cash amount; felonies, small
claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases; judges
appointed by the governor
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON;
Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican
Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center
between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a
yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in
the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes
below a blue panel
@Virgin Islands:Economy
Economy-overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally
host 2 million visitors a year. The number of US tourists in the first
five months of 1996 was down by 55% from the same period in 1995, the
lingering result of the fierce hurricanes of 1995. Unemployment rose
sharply in 1996. The manufacturing sector consists of textile,
electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The
agricultural sector is small, most food being imported. International
business and financial services are a small but growing component of
the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at
Saint Croix. A major economic problem at the beginning of 1997 was the
more than $1 billion in governmental arrears, in income tax refunds,
payments to vendors, and overdue wages.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.2 billion (1987 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$12,500 (1987 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 47,443 (1990 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 62%, other 17%
(1990)
Unemployment rate: 6.2% (March 1994)
Budget:
revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1990 est.)
Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 316 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 10,285 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: truck garden products, fruit, vegetables,
sorghum; Senepol cattle
Exports:
total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: refined petroleum products
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Imports:
total value: $2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 60,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite
earth stations - NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)
Radios: 105,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 66,000 (1994 est.)
@Virgin Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 856 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port
Alucroix
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix; there is
an airfield on St. John (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
@Virgin Islands:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Virgin Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
WAKE ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Wake Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 36 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 19.3 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
emergency landing location for transpacific flights
@Wake Island:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are no permanent US military personnel on the island; some
civilian contract personnel remain (1998 est.)
@Wake Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island
Data code: WQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC by the Department of the Interior; occasional
activities on the island are managed by the US Army under a US Air
Force contract
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Wake Island:Economy
Economy-overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services
to contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods
must be imported.
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Communications
Telephone system: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service
provided by satellite
Television broadcast stations: NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) television service
provided by satellite
@Wake Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Transportation-note: formerly an important commercial aviation base,
now occasionally used by US military, some commercial cargo planes,
and for emergency landings
@Wake Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Wake Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claimed by Marshall Islands
______________________________________________________________________
WALLIS AND FUTUNA
(overseas territory of France)
@Wallis and Futuna:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 274 sq km
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Area-comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 129 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry
season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
average temperature 26.6 degrees C
Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Singavi 765 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 20%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: deforestation (only small portions of the
original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of
wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the
forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to
erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the
lack of natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: both island groups have fringing reefs
@Wallis and Futuna:People
Population: 14,974 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.06% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 23.02 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.82 years
male: 73.24 years
female: 74.4 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.78 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Ethnic groups: Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 100%
Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)
@Wallis and Futuna:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna
Data code: WF
Dependency status: overseas territory of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there
are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are three kingdoms named Wallis, Sigave, Alo
Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
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), represented by High Administrator Claude PIERRET (since NA)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Victor BRIAL
(since 1 June 1997)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
elections: high administrator appointed by the president of France on
the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of
the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
the members of the assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate-elections
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1998);
results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats-(1 total) RPR 1; French
National Assembly-elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be
held by NA March 2002); results - percent of vote by party-NA;
seats-(1 total) RPR 1
Judicial branch: none; justice generally administered under French law
by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer
customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR; Union
Populaire Locale or UPL; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF;
Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG;
Taumu'a Lelei
International organization participation: FZ, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Flag description: a large white modified Maltese cross centered on a
red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is
in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official
occasions
@Wallis and Futuna:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
agriculture, with about 80% of the labor force earning its livelihood
from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs),
and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government.
Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing
rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from
expatriate workers in New Caledonia. Wallis and Futuna imports food -
particularly flour, sugar, rice, and beef-fuel, clothing, machinery,
and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting
mostly of breadfruit, yams, and taro root.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$28.7 million (1995 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: NA%
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,000 (1995 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4%
(est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $22 million
expenditures: $22 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997
est.)
Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: NA kW
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats
Exports:
total value: $370,000 (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: copra, handicrafts
partners: NA
Imports:
total value: $13.5 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment,
fuel, clothing
partners: France, Australia, New Zealand
Debt-external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per
US$1-110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995),
100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993); note-linked at the rate of 18.18 to the
French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 340 (1985 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA
@Wallis and Futuna:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Leava, Mata-Utu
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,160 GRT/41,656 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, passenger 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Wallis and Futuna:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Wallis and Futuna:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
WEST BANK
Introduction