of 9 February 1920 gave the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,
and fox.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
Labor force:
NA
Budget:
revenues: $25.07 million
expenditures: $NA (2004 est.)
Exports:
$197.6 million
Imports:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86 (2007),
6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)
Communications ::Svalbard
Telephones - main lines in use:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
NA
Internet country code:
.sj
Transportation ::Svalbard
Airports:
4 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 187
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Ports and terminals:
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Military ::Svalbard
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Military - note:
Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9
February 1920
Transnational Issues ::Svalbard
Disputes - international:
despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime
limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond
Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone
page last updated on September 24, 2009
======================================================================
@Swaziland (Africa)
Introduction ::Swaziland
Background:
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.
Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III,
the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political
reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these
promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006,
but political parties remain banned. The African United Democratic
Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political
party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between
the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently
surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
Geography ::Swaziland
Location:
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
26 30 S, 31 30 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 17,364 sq km
country comparison to the world: 158
land: 17,204 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Natural resources:
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Land use:
arable land: 10.25%
permanent crops: 0.81%
other: 88.94% (2005)
Irrigated land:
500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4.5 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.04 cu km/yr (2%/1%/97%)
per capita: 1,010 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
drought
Environment - current issues:
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
degradation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
People ::Swaziland
Population:
1,123,913
country comparison to the world: 156
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: 39.4% (male 223,420/female 219,420)
15-64 years: 56.9% (male 308,251/female 331,623)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 15,261/female 25,938) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.459% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225
Birth rate:
26.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Death rate:
30.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.63 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 27
male: 71.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 31.99 years
country comparison to the world: 224
male: 31.69 years
female: 32.3 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.24 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
26.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
190,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
10,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi
Ethnic groups:
African 97%, European 3%
Religions:
Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral
worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican,
Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
Languages:
English (official, government business conducted in English),
siSwati (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
7% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 23
Government ::Swaziland
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland
local long form: Umbuso weSwatini
local short form: eSwatini
Government type:
monarchy
Capital:
name: Mbabane
geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Independence:
6 September 1968 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Constitution:
signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006
Legal system:
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi
traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DLAMINI (since
16 October 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats;
10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by
the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65
seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular
vote; serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 19 September 2008 (next to
be held in 2013)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Judicial branch:
High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by
the monarch
Political parties and leaders:
the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under
the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the
following are considered political associations; African United
Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo
National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or
NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement
or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions; Swaziland and Solidarity
Network or SSN
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maurice S. PARKER
embassy: 2350 Mbabane Place, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone: [268] 404-2445
FAX: [268] 404-2059
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
Economy ::Swaziland
Economy - overview:
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar industry
increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a
17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in
recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active.
Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with
Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from
which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which
it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the
South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary policy to South
Africa. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union,
which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue this year, and
worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement
domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough to merit an
IMF program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size
of the civil service and control costs at public enterprises. The
government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign
investment. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's
need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises
and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil
depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the
future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food
aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the
adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.826 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$5.673 billion (2007 est.)
$5.481 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.84 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
3.5% (2007 est.)
2.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,400 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
$4,400 (2007 est.)
$4,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.2%
industry: 46%
services: 42.8% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
457,900 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 154
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
40% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Population below poverty line:
69% (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.4 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 22
Investment (gross fixed):
18.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Budget:
revenues: $1.055 billion
expenditures: $1.083 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
8.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
11% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 33
11% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.83% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 58
13.17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$211.8 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
$244.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$441.5 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 110
$529.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$51.55 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 126
$204.1 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
$203.1 million (31 December 2007)
$199.9 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum,
peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Industries:
coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textiles and apparel
Industrial production growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Electricity - production:
441 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - consumption:
1.266 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008)
Electricity - imports:
770 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008
est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Oil - imports:
4,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Current account balance:
-$33 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$4 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.756 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$1.95 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Imports:
$1.855 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
$1.926 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$752 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
$774.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$554 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$524 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.4 (2007), 6.85
(2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::Swaziland
Telephones - main lines in use:
44,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 167
Telephones - mobile cellular:
457,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 157
Telephone system:
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined
fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 45 telephones
per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped,
open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)
Internet country code:
.sz
Internet hosts:
2,609 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 144
Internet users:
48,200 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 171
Transportation ::Swaziland
Airports:
14 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 148
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Railways:
total: 301 km
country comparison to the world: 122
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 3,594 km
country comparison to the world: 160
paved: 1,078 km
unpaved: 2,516 km (2002)
Military ::Swaziland
Military branches:
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air
wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service;
no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 266,311 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 124,132
females age 16-49: 118,570 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 15,985
female: 15,754 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 21
Transnational Issues ::Swaziland
Disputes - international:
in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of
Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Sweden (Europe)
Introduction ::Sweden
Background:
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the
introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
Geography ::Sweden
Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 15 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 450,295 sq km
country comparison to the world: 55
land: 410,335 sq km
water: 39,960 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 2,233 km
border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km
Coastline:
3,218 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy
summers; subarctic in north
Terrain:
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
-2.4 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,
arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 5.93%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 94.06% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,150 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
179 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.68 cu km/yr (37%/54%/9%)
per capita: 296 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Environment - current issues:
acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
the Baltic Sea
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas
People ::Sweden
Population:
9,059,651 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 733,597/female 692,194)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 3,003,358/female 2,927,038)
65 years and over: 18.8% (male 753,293/female 950,171) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.5 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 42.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.158% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Birth rate:
10.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Death rate:
10.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Net migration rate:
1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Urbanization:
urban population: 85% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 222
male: 2.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.86 years
country comparison to the world: 10
male: 78.59 years
female: 83.26 years (2009 est.)