air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941, the
island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World
War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and
refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the
Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been used by the US
military, as well as for emergency landings. All operations on the
island were suspended and all personnel evacuated in August 2006
with the approach of super typhoon IOKE (category 5), which struck
the island with sustained winds of 250 kph and a 6 m storm surge
inflicting major damage. A US Air Force assessment and repair team
returned to the island in September and restored limited function to
the airfield and facilities. The future status of activities on the
island will be determined upon completion of the survey and
assessment.
Geography
Wake Island
Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the
way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates:
19 17 N, 166 39 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
19.3 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up
on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands
are part of the rim
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
location for transpacific flights
People
Wake Island
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along
with 75 contractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct
clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2008 est.)
Government
Wake Island
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island
Dependency status:
unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities in the
atoll are currently conducted by the US Air Force
Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description:
the flag of the US is used
Economy
Wake Island
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to military
personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Communications
Wake Island
Telephone system:
general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN circuits off the
Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (Armed Forces Radio/Television Service
(AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2005)
Transportation
Wake Island
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Transportation - note:
there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island,
except in direct support of island missions; emergency landing is
available
Military
Wake Island
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air Force is
responsible for overall administration and operation of the island;
the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile
Defense Agency (MDA)
Transnational Issues
Wake Island
Disputes - international:
claimed by Marshall Islands
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Wallis and Futuna
Introduction
Wallis and Futuna
Background:
The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and
Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a
protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.
Geography
Wallis and Futuna
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the
way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
13 18 S, 176 12 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 274 sq km
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
129 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
average temperature 26.6 degrees C
Terrain:
volcanic origin; low hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops: 35.71%
other: 57.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)
largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the
mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
natural fresh water resources
Geography - note:
both island groups have fringing reefs
People
Wallis and Futuna
Population:
15,237 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: (male 2,215/female 1,999)
15-64 years: (male 4,982/female 4,996)
65 years and over: (male 465/female 580)
Population growth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Death rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
NA (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Ethnic groups:
Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages:
Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,
French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)
Government
Wallis and Futuna
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna
Dependency status:
overseas territory of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis
Independence:
none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007);
represented by High Administrator Philippe PAOLANTONI (since 28 July
2008)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
KANIMOA (since January 2001)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
the members of the assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held 22 April 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held by September
2010); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now
UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007
(next to be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats - PS 1
Judicial branch:
justice generally administered under French law by the high
administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary
law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is
located in Noumea, New Caledonia
Political parties and leaders:
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG;
Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU];
Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union
Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
Francaise or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles
triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the
islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles
are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of
France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist
quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag
Economy
Wallis and Futuna
Economy - overview:
The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with
about 80% of labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and
vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the
population is employed in government. Revenues come from French
Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South
Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New
Caledonia.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
3,104 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry: 4%
services: 16% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15.2% (2003)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $29,730
expenditures: $31,330 (2004)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish
Industries:
copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0%
Exports:
$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)
Exports - commodities:
copra, chemicals, construction materials
Exports - partners:
Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2006)
Imports:
$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
assistance from France, $NA
Debt - external:
$3.67 million (2004)
Currency (code):
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:
XPF
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - NA
(2007), 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
Communications
Wallis and Futuna
Telephones - main lines in use:
1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2000)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.wf
Internet hosts:
1 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
900 (2002)
Transportation
Wallis and Futuna
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 8
by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6
foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Leava, Mata-Utu
Military
Wallis and Futuna
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 172
female: 170 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Wallis and Futuna
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@West Bank
Introduction
West Bank
Background:
The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of
Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a
series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999,
Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and
civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West
Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the
West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in
September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most
Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU,
UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the
conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties
leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The
proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed
indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not
followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader
Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA
president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed
to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace
process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all
its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in
the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from
four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel
controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A
November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the
Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint
PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance
Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council
(PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led
government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce
violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between
Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March
2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS
to present a political platform acceptable to the international
community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC
was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of
Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed
travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place
between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and
early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries.
ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007
signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the
formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by
HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza
Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover
of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip.
ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees
formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam
FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for
resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations
until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and
recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government
initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve
conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with
Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some
Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue.
During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland,
ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal
of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008.
Geography
West Bank
Location:
Middle East, west of Jordan
Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 35 15 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries:
total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to
hot summers, cool to mild winters
Terrain:
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren
in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Natural resources:
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97%
other: 64.13% (2001)
Irrigated land:
150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)
Natural hazards:
droughts
Environment - current issues:
adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
Geography - note:
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal
aquifers; there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites--including 100
small outpost communities in the West Bank and 29 sites in East
Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)
People
West Bank
Population:
2,407,681
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 469,754/female 445,999)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 719,267/female 684,790)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 36,606/female 51,265) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.2 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.225% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.29 years
male: 72.32 years
female: 76.38 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.31 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: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
Religions:
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
English (widely understood)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 96.7%
female: 88% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
West Bank
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank
Economy
West Bank
Economy - overview:
The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the
Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in
economic conditions since the second intifada began in September
2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure
policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in
response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and
trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002,
Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of
capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread
business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to
the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse
of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's
financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade
opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank
and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international
community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during
March 2006 - June 2007 has interrupted the provision of PA social
services and the payment of PA salaries. Since June the Fayyad
government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the
provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high
levels of international assistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.034 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.328 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-8% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 13%
services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
Labor force:
605,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 15%
services: 67% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
18.6% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
46% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.149 billion
expenditures: $2.31 billion
note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.73% (31 December 2006)
Stock of money:
$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$3.048 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.455 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,
soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the
settlements and industrial centers
Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Electricity - production: