6.4%, Pakistan 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$68.82 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$852 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$689 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Currency (code):
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
LSL; ZAR
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593
(2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
Communications
Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:
53,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
456,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but
growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system,
and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular
telephone system is expanding
domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing
an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a
target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a
subscribership approaching 25 per 100 persons; rural services are
scant
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
NA (2002)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.ls
Internet hosts:
83 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
70,000 (2007)
Transportation
Lesotho
Airports:
28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 7,091 km
paved: 1,404 km
unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)
Military
Lesotho
Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 525,203
females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 262,101
females age 16-49: 238,350 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 26,084
female: 26,006 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
Military - note:
Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent
sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice,
external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of
the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public
Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the
defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's
cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities
and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a
small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a
planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous
resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF
(2008)
Transnational Issues
Lesotho
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Liberia
Introduction
Liberia
Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia
began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish
a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to
promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and
political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and
the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by
Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December
1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that
led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A
period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought
TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003
peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former
president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague
related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two
years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in
late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout
the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the
process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this
war-torn country will take many years.
Geography
Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km
Coastline:
579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
232 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%)
per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People
Liberia
Population:
3,334,587 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 734,375/female 731,287)
15-64 years: 53.3% (male 879,848/female 896,319)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,175/female 47,583) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.661% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
42.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
21.45 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
15.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 143.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 159.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 127.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.13 years
male: 39.85 years
female: 42.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo,
Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo,
and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from
the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions:
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
6 January 1986
Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January
2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
January 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent
of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH
40.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note -
number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members
elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to
be held in 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in
each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a
six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates
staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all
senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney
SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or
NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: demobilized former military officers
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000
Monrovia, 10
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 7-705-4826
FAX: [231] 7-701-0370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with
white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the
upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy
Liberia
Economy - overview:
Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital,
Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and
expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the
installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some
have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources,
forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a
producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and
rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in
scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and
administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support
from international donors, and encourage private investment.
Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new
sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of
infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance
from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as
infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.525 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$730 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$49.89 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane,
bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
320 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
297.6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
3,687 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
23.37 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,593 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007)
Exports:
$1.197 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
Malaysia 27.5%, Poland 18.5%, Germany 11.5%, US 10.5%, Spain 8.2%,
Norway 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$7.143 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 31.4%, Singapore 22.1%, Japan 14.9%, China 10.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$236.2 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code:
LRD
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006),
53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications
Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
563,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost
exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number
of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network
operators
domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited;
mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity
approaching 20 per 100 persons
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Radios:
790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Televisions:
70,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
7 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)
Internet users:
1,000 (2002)
Transportation
Liberia
Airports:
53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 38 (2007)
Railways:
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered
during the civil war (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical
tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84,
passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated
cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle
carrier 36
foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7,
China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5,
Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2,
Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South
Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6,
Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94,
Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland
13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay
3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military
Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 729,813
females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 371,287
females age 16-49: 373,265 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 30,448
female: 29,902 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Liberia
Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of
18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January
2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire,
Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing
turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN
forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict
continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send
their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban
Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Libya
Introduction
Libya
Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli
in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated
in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved
independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar
Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the
Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and
Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be
implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of
"direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a
revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the
1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting
subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and
capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military
operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to
minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but
was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI
politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over
Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his
relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999
and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted
responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya
announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to
develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism.
QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with
Western nations since then. He has received various Western European
leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations,
and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he
traveled to Brussels in April 2004. Libya has responded in good
faith to legal cases brought against it in US courts for terrorist
acts that predate its renunciation of violence. Claims for
compensation in the Lockerbie bombing, LaBelle disco bombing, and
UTA 772 bombing cases are ongoing. The US rescinded Libya's
designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In late
2007, Libya was elected by the General Assembly to a nonpermanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
Geography
Libya
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:
1,770 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Climate: