nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular
independent state.
Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations
with 184 independent states, including 178 of the 185 UN members
(excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, former
Yugoslavia, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic
relations with 6 independent states that are not in the UN-Holy See,
Kiribati, Nauru, Switzerland, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief
of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX
number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and
consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of
the foreign mission, chancery address, telephone number, FAX number,
consulate general locations, consulate locations, honorary consulate
general locations, and honorary consulate locations.
Disputes-international: This entry includes a wide variety of
situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to
unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding
disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has
been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other
situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such
as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues;
however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance
or recognition by the US Government.
Economic aid: This entry refers to bilateral commitments of official
development assistance (ODA) and other official flows (OOF). ODA is
defined as financial assistance, which is concessional in character,
has the main objective to promote economic development and welfare of
LDCs, and contains a grant element of at least 25%. OOF transactions
are also official government assistance, but with a main objective
other than economic development and with a grant element less than
25%. OOF transactions include official export credits (such as Ex-Im
Bank credits), official equity and portfolio investment, and debt
reorganization by the official sector that does not meet concessional
terms. Aid is considered to have been committed when agreements are
initialed by the parties involved and constitute a formal declaration
of intent. The entry is separated into two components-donor and
recipient.
Economy: This category includes the entries dealing with the size,
development, and management of productive resources, i.e., land,
labor, and capital.
Economy-overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy,
including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic
development, the most important natural resources, and the unique
areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events
and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a
statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
Electricity-capacity: This entry gives the maximum designed potential
for electricity production expressed in kilowatts.
Electricity-consumption per capita: This entry gives the figure for
annual electricity generation plus imports, minus exports, and divided
by total population for the same year expressed in kilowatt hours.
Electricity-production: This entry gives the annual amount of
electricity actually generated expressed in kilowatt hours.
Elevation extremes: This entry includes both the highest point and the
lowest point.
Entities: Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of
special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are
not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US
Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically
organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory.
"Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad
category of political entities that are associated in some way with an
independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or
for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the
US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states,
dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic
entities. There are a total of 266 separate geographic entities in The
World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:
INDEPENDENT STATES
191 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
OTHER
1 Taiwan
DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY
6 Australia-Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island
1 China-Hong Kong
2 Denmark-Faroe Islands, Greenland
16 France-Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique,
Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin
Island, Wallis and Futuna
2 Netherlands-Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
3 New Zealand-Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
3 Norway-Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
1 Portugal-Macau
15 UK-Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
14 US-American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis
Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
Wake Island
MISCELLANEOUS
6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West
Bank, Western Sahara
OTHER ENTITIES
4 oceans-Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
1 World
__________
266 Total
Environment-current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and
important environmental problems.
Environment-international agreements: This entry separates country
participation in international environmental agreements into two
levels-party to and signed but not ratified. Agreements are listed in
alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
Environmental agreements: This information is presented in Appendix D:
Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the
name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into
force, objective, and parties by category.
Ethnic groups: This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups
starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total
population.
Exchange rates: This entry provides the official value of a country's
monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as
expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined
by international market forces or official fiat.
Executive branch: This entry includes several subfields. Chief of
state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country
who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may
not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head
of government includes the name and title of the administrative leader
who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the
government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of
advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections includes
the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last
election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the
percent of vote for each candidate in the last election. In the UK,
the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head
of government. In the US, the President is both the chief of state and
the head of government.
Exports: This entry includes three subfields. Total value is the total
US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b. basis. Commodities is a rank
ordering of exported products starting with the most important and
sometimes includes the percent of dollar value. Partners is a rank
ordering of trading partners starting with the most important and
sometimes includes the percent of dollar value.
Fiscal year: This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for
a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the
calendar year but may begin in any month. FY93/94 refers to the fiscal
year that began in calendar year 1993 and ended in calendar year 1994.
All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated
as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description
produced from actual flags or the best information available at the
time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used
by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local
flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Flag graphic: Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at
the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced
from actual flags or the best information available at the time of
preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their
dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some
disputed and other areas do not have flags.
GDP: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all
final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP
dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power
parity (PPP) calculations. See the note on GDP methodology for more
information.
GDP methodology: In the Economy section, GDP dollar estimates for all
countries are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations
rather than from conversions at official currency exchange rates. The
PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price
weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and
services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP
method provide a better comparison of economic well-being between
countries. The division of a GDP estimate in domestic currency by the
corresponding PPP estimate in dollars gives the PPP conversion rate.
When converted at PPP rates, $1,000 will buy the same market basket of
goods in any country. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are
quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough
approximations. Most of the GDP estimates are based on extrapolation
of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program
(UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the
University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. In contrast, currency
exchange rates depend on a variety of international and domestic
financial forces that often have little relation to domestic output.
In developing countries with weak currencies the exchange rate
estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP
estimate. Furthermore, exchange rates may suddenly go up or down by
10% or more because of market forces or official fiat whereas real
output has remained unchanged. On 12 January 1994, for example, the 14
countries of the African Financial Community (whose currencies are
tied to the French franc) devalued their currencies by 50%. This move,
of course, did not cut the real output of these countries by half. One
important caution: the proportion of, say, defense expenditures as a
percentage of GDP in local currency accounts may differ substantially
from the proportion when GDP accounts are expressed in PPP terms, as,
for example, when an observer tries to estimate the dollar level of
Russian or Japanese military expenditures.
Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data can not be chained
together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in
the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical
agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes
in national statistical methods and practices. For statistical series
on GDP and other economic variables, see the Handbook of International
Economic Statistics available from the same sources as The World
Factbook.
GDP-composition by sector: This entry gives the percentage
contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP.
GDP-per capita: This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity
basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
GDP-real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis
adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.
Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and
longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate
geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of
Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic
Names and on other sources.
Geographic names: This information is presented in Appendix H:
Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names which indicates where various
geographic names-including alternate names, former names, political or
geographical portions of larger entities, and the location of all US
Foreign Service Posts-can be found in The World Factbook. Spellings
are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on
Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names are included in parentheses,
while additional information is included in brackets.
Geography: This category includes the entries dealing with the natural
environment and the effects of human activity.
Geography-note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic
information of significance not included elsewhere.
GNP: Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and
services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned
by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from
domestic production. The Factbook uses GDP rather than GNP to measure
national production.
Government: This category includes the entries dealing with the system
for the adoption and administration of public policy.
Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government (e.g.,
republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary
democracy, military dictatorship).
Government-note: This entry includes miscellaneous government
information of significance not included elsewhere.
Gross domestic product: see GDP
Gross national product: see GNP
Gross world product: see GWP
GWP: This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value
of all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.
Heliports: This entry gives the total number of established helicopter
takeoff and landing sites (which may or may not have fuel or other
services).
Highways: This entry includes the total length of the highway system
as well as the length of the paved and unpaved components.
Historical perspective: This entry at the beginning of a country
profile contains a brief summary of the background information
necessary to understand the current situation in a country. The entry
appears for only a few countries at the present time, but may be added
to more countries in the future.
Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of
illicit drugs- narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives),
hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs
legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally
produced and sold outside of medical channels.
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which
provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes
marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).
Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that
contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused
with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making
chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.
Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca
bush.
Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and
anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal,
Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium),
methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil,
Placidyl, Valmid).
Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical,
mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.
Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical
substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral
impairment in an individual.
Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking,
self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid,
microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine
variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog),
phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin,
psilocyn).
Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant
(Cannabis sativa).
Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.
Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical
depressant.
Marijuana is the dried leaves of the cannabis or hemp plant
(Cannabis sativa).
Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as
mandrax in Southwest Asia.
Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep,
and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes.
Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine
(MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with
codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include
heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic
narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan),
methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil).
Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe
seedpod of the opium poppy.
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the
natural and semisynthetic narcotics.
Poppy straw concentrate is the alkaloid derived from the
mature, dried opium poppy.
Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of
Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea.
Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone,
a pharmaceutical depressant.
Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase
energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack),
amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), phenmetrazine (Preludin),
methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).
Imports: This entry includes three subfields. Total value is the total
US dollar amount of imports on a c.i.f. or f.o.b. basis. Commodities
is a rank ordering of imported products starting with the most
important and sometimes includes the percent of dollar value. Partners
is a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most
important and sometimes includes the percent of dollar value.
Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that
sovereignty was achieved, and from what nation, empire, or
trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent
''independence'' in the strict sense, but rather some significant
nationhood event such as traditional founding date, date of
unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental
change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas
include the notation ''none'' followed by the nature of their
dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual
percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing,
mining, and construction).
Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting
with the largest by value of annual output.
Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of
infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births
occurring in the same year. The infant mortality rate is often used an
indicator of the level of health in a country.
Inflation rate-consumer price index: This entry furnishes the annual
percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's
consumer prices.
International disputes: see Disputes-international
International organization participation: This entry lists in
alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations
in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other
way.
International organizations: This information is presented in Appendix
C: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name,
abbreviation, address, telephone, FAX, date established, aim, and
members by category.
Introduction: This category includes two entries-Current issues and
Historical perspective. At present it appears in only a few country
profiles, but may be added to others in the future.
Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of
land area that is artificially supplied with water.
Judicial branch: This entry contains the name(s) of the highest
court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure and a
rank ordering of component parts by occupation.
Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land
boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous
border countries.