Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river
states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan
commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with
Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other
areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan); 1,060
(Afghanistan)
IDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages
near Tajikistan border) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Uzbekistan is a source country for women and
girls trafficked to Kazakhstan, Russia, Middle East, and Asia for
the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to
Kazakhstan and Russia for purposes of forced labor in the
construction, cotton, and tobacco industries; men and women are also
trafficked internally for the purposes of domestic servitude, forced
labor in the agricultural and construction industries, and for
commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Uzbekistan is on the Tier 2 Watch
List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to
combat severe forms of trafficking in 2007; the government did not
amend its criminal code to increase penalties for convicted
traffickers; in March 2008, Uzbekistan adopted ILO Conventions on
minimum age of employment and on the elimination of the worst forms
of child labor and is working with the ILO on implementation; the
government also demonstrated its increasing commitment to combat
trafficking in March 2008 by adopting a comprehensive
anti-trafficking law; Uzbekistan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
bound for Afghanistan
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Vanuatu
Introduction
Vanuatu
Background:
Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language,
migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European
exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts
for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to
this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in
the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium,
which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the
new name of Vanuatu was adopted.
Geography
Vanuatu
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,528 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October;
moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by
cyclones from December to April
Terrain:
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources:
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.97%
other: 91.39% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption
on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes
minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of
potable water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
several of the islands have active volcanoes
People
Vanuatu
Population:
215,446 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.3% (male 34,441/female 33,000)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 71,159/female 68,435)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 4,352/female 4,059) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.8 years
female: 23.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.434% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 50.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 53.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.61 years
male: 62.04 years
female: 65.27 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups:
Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)
Religions:
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
Languages:
local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or
Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified
0.7% (1999 Census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74%
male: NA
female: NA (1999 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
9.5% of GDP (2003)
Government
Vanuatu
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu
local short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Port-Vila (on Efate)
geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
Independence:
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution:
30 July 1980
Legal system:
unified system being created from former dual French and British
systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 22
September 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 22 September
2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
minister last held 22 September 2008 (next to be held following
general elections in 2012)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 September 2008 (next to be held 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP
11, NUP 8, UMP 7, VRP 7, PPP 4, GC 2, MPP 1, NA 1, NAG 1, PAP 1,
Shepherds Alliance 1, VFFP 1, VLP 1, VNP 1, VPRFP 1, and independent
4; note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after
consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:
Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES]; Jon Frum Movement or
JF [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE];
Nagriamel movement or NAG [Havo MOLI]; Namangi Aute or NA [Paul
TELUKLUK]; National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]; People's Action
Party or PAP [Peter VUTA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato
KILMAN]; Shepherds Alliance Party [leader NA]; Union of Moderate
Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuatu Family First Party or VFFP
[Eta RORI]; Vanuatu Labor Party or VLP [Joshua KALSAKAU]; Vanuatu
National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Republican Farmers Party or VPRFP
[Jean RAVOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
(observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a
Permanent Mission to the UN
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua
New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow
Economy
Vanuatu
Economy - overview:
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale
agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than
60,000 visitors in 2005, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign
concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its
offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up
efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort
development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially
livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New
Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$897 million (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$455 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
76,410 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 65%
industry: 5%
services: 30% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.7% (1999)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $78.7 million
expenditures: $72.23 million (2005)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.16% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$107.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$421.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$229.5 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables;
beef; fish
Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production:
46 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
39.99 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:
660 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
671.1 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:
-$60 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$40 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
Exports - partners:
Thailand 58.3%, India 18.5%, Japan 11.3% (2007)
Imports:
$156 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners:
Australia 20.7%, Singapore 11.8%, NZ 11.2%, Norway 8.5%, US 8.3%,
Fiji 8.1%, China 7.2%, New Caledonia 4.5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$39.48 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$40.54 million (2003)
Debt - external:
$81.2 million (2004)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
vatu (VUV)
Currency code:
VUV
Exchange rates:
vatu (VUV) per US dollar - NA (2007), 111.93 (2006), NA (2005),
111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003)
Communications
Vanuatu
Telephones - main lines in use:
8,800 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
26,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
67,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)
Televisions:
2,300 (1999)
Internet country code:
.vu
Internet hosts:
990 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
17,000 (2007)
Transportation
Vanuatu
Airports:
31 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 22 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999)
Merchant marine:
total: 54
by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2,
passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4, vehicle
carrier 5
foreign-owned: 54 (Australia 2, Belgium 4, Canada 5, Estonia 1,
Greece 1, Japan 29, Monaco 1, Poland 7, Russia 2, Switzerland 1, US
1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Military
Vanuatu
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), Vanuatu
Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police Maritime Wing (PMW)) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 58,900 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 40,577 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,385
female: 2,290 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues
Vanuatu
Disputes - international:
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu
and France
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Venezuela
Introduction
Venezuela
Background:
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse
of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada,
which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th
century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military
strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social
reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since
1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, seeks to implement his
"21st Century Socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills
while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining
regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of
democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized
military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border,
increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the
petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible
mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and
indigenous peoples.
Geography
Venezuela
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 66 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Coastline:
2,800 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 15 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds
Land use:
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.88%
other: 96.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,233.2 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.37 cu km/yr (6%/7%/47%)
per capita: 313 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of
Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and
industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat
to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel
Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall
People
Venezuela
Population:
26,414,816 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 4,162,862/female 4,034,044)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 8,299,266/female 8,562,290)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 602,725/female 753,628) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.2 years
male: 24.6 years
female: 25.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.498% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.45 years
male: 70.4 years
female: 76.65 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.52 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne disease: dengue fever, malaria, and Venezuelan equine
encephalitis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan
Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous
people
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages:
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 93.3%
female: 92.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
Government
Venezuela
Country name:
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Caracas
geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W
time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district*
(distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia
federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,
Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito
Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva
Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Independence:
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Constitution:
30 December 1999
Legal system:
open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: