country comparison to the world: 174
$743.6 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
Portugal 40.3%, Netherlands 11.8%, Spain 6.7%, UK 6.5%, Cote
d'Ivoire 4.6%, Brazil 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$258 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
$281 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)
country comparison to the world: 172
Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235
(2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)
Communications ::Cape Verde
Telephones - main lines in use:
72,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 155
Telephones - mobile cellular:
277,700 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 169
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from
1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT);
fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing
Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in
1998; broadband services launched in 2004
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2
fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to
South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
(2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
.cv
Internet hosts:
24 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 214
Internet users:
102,800 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 153
Transportation ::Cape Verde
Airports:
10 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 156
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,350 km
country comparison to the world: 178
paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 8
country comparison to the world: 125
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5
foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Porto Grande
Military ::Cape Verde
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard
(includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service;
14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 103,650
females age 16-49: 103,553 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 84,967
females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 5,471
female: 5,349 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.7% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 152
Transnational Issues ::Cape Verde
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined
for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to
Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug
money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that
criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and
other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial
Intelligence Unit (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Cayman Islands (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Cayman Islands
Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during
the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by Jamaica after
1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation
of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the
Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
Geography ::Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little
Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest
of Jamaica
Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 264 sq km
country comparison to the world: 210
land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
relatively dry winters (November to April)
Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be
met by rainwater catchments
Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America
People ::Cayman Islands
Population:
49,035
country comparison to the world: 207
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.6% (male 4,824/female 4,783)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 16,994/female 17,884)
65 years and over: 9.3% (male 2,139/female 2,411) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.1 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 38.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.394% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Birth rate:
12.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Death rate:
4.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Net migration rate:
16.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 3
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2009
est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 169
male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.44 years
country comparison to the world: 16
male: 77.8 years
female: 83.14 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
groups 20%
Religions:
Church of God 26%, United Church 11.8% (Presbyterian and
Congregational), Roman Catholic 11%, Baptist 8.7%, Seventh Day
Adventist 8.2%, Anglican 5.7%, Pentecostal 5.3%, other Christian
2.7%, non-denominational 5.8%, other 3.8%, none 9.8%, unspecified
1.1% (1999 census)
Languages:
English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 150
Government ::Cayman Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
Bay, West End, Western
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July
Constitution:
The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009
Legal system:
British common law and local statutes
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)
cabinet: The Cabinet (six members appointed by the governor on the
advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of
the Legislative Assembly)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor as premier
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 elected by popular
vote and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May
2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UDP 9, PPM 5, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary Court
Political parties and leaders:
United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive
Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trust
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
(associate), UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half
of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple,
representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing
Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion,
symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars
(representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy
lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the
motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
Economy ::Cayman Islands
Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the
Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers,
and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism
is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of
foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the
luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America.
Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half
from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must
be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per
capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.939 billion (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
$1.922 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,800 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
23,450 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 200
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.6%
services: 86% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 54
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 74
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 107
$183.5 million (31 December 2007)
$188.4 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
546 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Electricity - consumption:
507.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
Oil - imports:
3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Exports:
$2.52 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 216
Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Imports:
$866.9 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 173
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods
Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)
country comparison to the world: 191
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Communications ::Cayman Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 172
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,800 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 202
Telephone system:
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of
competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1
submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and
parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
4 with cable system (2004)
Internet country code:
.ky
Internet hosts:
21,428 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 102
Internet users:
23,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 186
Transportation ::Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 196
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 785 km
country comparison to the world: 186
paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 109
country comparison to the world: 49
by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum
tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle
carrier 7
foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan
13, Norway 1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military ::Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,790 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,735
females age 16-49: 10,145 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 334
female: 345 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to
the US and Europe (2008)
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@Central African Republic (Africa)
Introduction ::Central African Republic
Background:
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix
PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March
2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois
BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the
government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the
main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal,
legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of
2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The
government still does not fully control the countryside, where
pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad,
Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central
African Republic as well.
Geography ::Central African Republic
Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 622,984 sq km
country comparison to the world: 44
land: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
northeast and southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 96.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
144.4 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)
per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
common
Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's
reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
People ::Central African Republic
Population:
4,511,488
country comparison to the world: 120
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female 917,739)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.491% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Birth rate:
32.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Death rate:
17.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 80.62 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 21
male: 87.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 73.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.47 years
country comparison to the world: 215
male: 44.4 years
female: 44.54 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority
Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
tribal languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 64.8%
female: 33.5% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 174
Government ::Central African Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bangui
geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga
Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27
December 2004
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since
22 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers