Defense Forces; Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA): Land Forces
(2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service
obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,639,923
females age 16-49: 9,321,106 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,586,468
females age 16-49: 5,678,427 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 488,679
female: 469,547 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Sudan
Disputes - international:
the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia
fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of the
neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central
African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda
provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which
includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by
Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in
turn, hosted about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller
numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and Congolese as
refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to
repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and 6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses
Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate
the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and
ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates Kenya
and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which
Kenya has administered since colonial times; while Sudan claims to
administer the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899 Treaty boundary
along the 22nd Parallel; both states withdrew their military
presence in the 1990s, and Egypt has invested in and effectively
administers the area; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese
residents over water and grazing rights persist among related
pastoral populations along the border with the Central African
Republic
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 157,220 (Eritrea); 25,023 (Chad);
11,009 (Ethiopia); 7,895 (Uganda); 5,023 (Central African Republic)
IDPs: 5.3 - 6.2 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in
Darfur region) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and
children trafficked internally for the purposes of forced labor and
sexual exploitation; Sudan is also a transit and destination country
for Ethiopian women trafficked abroad for domestic servitude;
Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country, as well
as possibly to Middle Eastern countries for domestic servitude; the
terrorist rebel organization, Lord's Resistance Army, continues to
harbor small numbers of Sudanese and Ugandan children in the
southern part of the country for use as cooks, porters, and
combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across
borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo; militia
groups in Darfur, some of which are linked to the government, abduct
women for short periods of forced labor and to perpetrate sexual
violence; during the two decades-long north-south civil war,
thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and subsequently
enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat tribes; while
there have been no known new abductions of Dinka by members of
Baggara tribes in the last few years, inter-tribal abductions
continue in southern Sudan
tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
significant efforts to do so; combating human trafficking through
law enforcement or prevention measures was not a priority for the
government in 2007 (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Suriname
Introduction
Suriname
Background:
First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled
by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became a Dutch
colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were
brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands
was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian government was
replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist
republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of
nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international
pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military
overthrew the civilian leadership, but a democratically elected
government - a four-party New Front coalition - returned to power in
1991 and has ruled since; the coalition expanded to eight parties in
2005.
Geography
Suriname
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 56 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,703 km
border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline:
386 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.36%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.58% (2005)
Irrigated land:
510 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
122 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.67 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
per capita: 1,489 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland
waterways by small-scale mining activities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly
tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for
the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;
relatively small population, mostly along the coast
People
Suriname
Population:
475,996 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 66,695/female 64,356)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 156,961/female 158,234)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 12,868/female 16,882) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.5 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 27.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.099% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.02 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.48 years
male: 70.76 years
female: 76.39 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.01 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,200 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: dengue fever, Mayaro virus, and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups:
Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors
emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%
Religions:
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman
Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages:
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.6%
male: 92%
female: 87.2% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 13 years (2002)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Suriname
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Paramaribo
geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence:
25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987
Legal system:
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
2000); Vice President Ramdien SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United
People's Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and
regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); election
last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN reelected president;
percent of vote - Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR
35.4%, other 1.7%; note - after two votes in the parliament failed
to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went
to a special session of the United People's Assembly on 3 August 2005
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%,
VVV 13.8%, A-Com 7.2%, A-1 5.9%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NF
23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A-1 3
Judicial branch:
Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
(justices are nominated for life)
Political parties and leaders:
Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or
APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21
[Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY],
Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or
T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP
[Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire
BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a
coalition that includes A-Combination or A-Com, Democratic
Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an independent, business-oriented party
[Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald
VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE], Pertjaja
Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA
[Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or
DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a
coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules
WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD
[Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
[Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU
[Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA];
Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
PANDAY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association
of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women's
Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]
International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: US Department of State, PO Box 1821, Paramaribo
telephone: [597] 472-900
FAX: [597] 410-025
Flag description:
five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
(quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band
Economy
Suriname
Economy - overview:
The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of
alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25%
of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to
mineral price volatility. The short-term economic outlook depends on
the government's ability to control inflation and on the development
of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Suriname has
received aid for these projects from Netherlands, Belgium, and the
European Development Fund. Suriname's economic prospects for the
medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible
monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural
reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. In 2000, the
government of Ronald VENETIAAN, returned to office and inherited an
economy with inflation of over 100% and a growing fiscal deficit. He
quickly implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, attempted to
control spending, and tamed inflation. These economic policies are
likely to remain in effect during VENETIAAN's third term. Prospects
for local onshore oil production are good as a drilling program is
underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the
State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with
Repsol, Maersk, and Occidental. Bidding on these new offshore blocks
was completed in July 2006.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.846 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.404 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 24.4%
services: 64.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
156,700 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 14%
services: 78% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
9.5% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $392.6 million
expenditures: $425.9 million (2004)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.77% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$416.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$824.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$651 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products
Industries:
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production; oil, lumbering, food
processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity - production:
1.595 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.457 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 25.2%
hydro: 74.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
13,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
12,370 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
2,899 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
6,369 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
88 million bbl (1 January 2008 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:
$24 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.391 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
alumina, gold, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
Exports - partners:
Canada 26.8%, Norway 20.2%, Belgium 9.2%, US 8.9%, UAE 7.9%, France
7.2% (2007)
Imports:
$1.297 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 27%, Netherlands 17.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.3%, China 5.9%,
Japan 5.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$43.97 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$263.3 million (2006)
Debt - external:
$504.3 million (2005 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Surinam dollar (SRD)
Currency code:
SRG
Exchange rates:
Surinamese dollars (SRD) per US dollar - 2.745 (2007), 2.745 (2006),
2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003)
note: in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the
Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket
Communications
Suriname
Telephones - main lines in use:
81,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
320,000 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about
90 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
300,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000)
Televisions:
63,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.sr
Internet hosts:
33 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)
Internet users:
44,000 (2007)
Transportation
Suriname
Airports:
50 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 40 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 50 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 4,304 km
paved: 1,130 km
unpaved: 3,174 km (2003)
Waterways:
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 1
by type: cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Paramaribo, Wageningen
Military
Suriname
Military branches:
National Army (Nationaal Leger, NL; includes Naval Wing, Air Wing)
(2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary, with personnel
drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 130,534
females age 16-49: 130,243 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 105,770
females age 16-49: 109,666 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,329
female: 4,350 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Suriname
Disputes - international:
area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle
of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic
dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to
resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the
territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters
Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for
arms-for-drugs dealing
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Svalbard
Introduction
Svalbard
Background:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.
Geography
Svalbard
Location:
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Geographic coordinates:
78 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Arctic Region
Area:
total: 61,020 sq km
land: 61,020 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
3,587 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia
Climate:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Terrain:
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
coasts
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)
(2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area;
Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a
seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and
the Norwegian Government
People
Svalbard
Population: