Nordic State, Northern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Greenland and Norway
Map references:
Arctic Region, Europe, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
103,000 sq km
land area:
100,250 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,988 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the
UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall
area)
Climate:
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters;
damp, cool summers
Terrain:
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
deeply indented by bays and fiords
Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
20%
forest and woodland:
1%
other:
78%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
treatment
natural hazards:
subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity
international agreements:
party to - Air Pollution, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Environmental
Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Note:
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European
country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
Europe
@Iceland, People
Population:
263,599 (July 1994 est.)
note:
population data estimates based on average growth rate may differ
slightly from official population data because of volatile migration
rates
Population growth rate:
0.9% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
16.41 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
78.83 years
male:
76.57 years
female:
81.21 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.11 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Icelander(s)
adjective:
Icelandic
Ethnic divisions:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none
1% (1988)
Languages:
Icelandic
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
total population:
100%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
127,900
by occupation:
commerce, transportation, and services 60.0%, manufacturing 12.5%,
fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.8%, agriculture
4.0% (1990)
@Iceland, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Iceland
conventional short form:
Iceland
local long form:
Lyoveldio Island
local short form:
Island
Digraph:
IC
Type:
republic
Capital:
Reykjavik
Administrative divisions:
23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns*
(kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*,
Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla,
Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla,
Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*,
Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*,
Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla,
Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla,
Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla,
Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
Independence:
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)
Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); election last
held on 29 June 1988 (next scheduled for June 1996); results - there
was no election in 1992 as President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR was
unopposed
head of government:
Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament (Althing):
elections last held on 20 April 1991 (next to be held by April 1995);
results - Independence Party 38.6%, Progressive Party 18.9%, Social
Democratic Party 15.5%, People's Alliance 14.4%, Womens List 8.3%,
Liberals 1.2%, other 3.1%; seats - (63 total) Independence 26,
Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 9, Womens List
5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Haestirettur)
Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party (conservative), David ODDSSON; Progressive Party,
Steingrimur HERMANNSSON; Social Democratic Party, Jon Baldvin
HANNIBALSSON; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar
GRIMSSON; Women's List
Member of:
Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NC, NEA,
NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Einar BENEDIKTSSON
chancery:
2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 265-6653 through 6655
FAX:
(202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general:
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Parker W. BORG
embassy:
Laufasvegur 21, Box 40, Reykjavik
mailing address:
US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, Reykjavik; FPO AE 09728-0340
telephone:
[354] (1) 629100
FAX:
[354] (1) 629139
Flag:
blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side
in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
@Iceland, Economy
Overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but
with an extensive welfare system, relatively low unemployment, and
comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily
dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export
earnings and employs 12% of the workforce. In the absence of other
natural resources - except energy - Iceland's economy is vulnerable to
changing world fish prices. Iceland's economy has been in recession
since 1988. The recession continued in 1993 due to a third year of
cutbacks in fishing quotas as well as falling world prices for the
country's main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and
ferrosilicon. Real GDP declined 3.3% in 1992 and rose slightly, by
0.4%, in 1993. The center-right government's economic goals include
reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign
borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing
policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned
industries. The recession has led to a wave of bankruptcies and
mergers throughout the economy, as well as the highest unemployment of
the post-World War II period. Inflation, previously a serious problem,
declined from double digit rates in the 1980s to only 3.7% in 1992-93.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $4.2 billion (1993)
National product real growth rate:
0.4% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$16,000 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (1993)
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$1.8 billion
expenditures:
$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $191 million (1992)
Exports:
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, ferrosilicon,
diatomite
partners:
EC 68% (UK 25%, FRG 12%), US 11%, Japan 8% (1992)
Imports:
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,
foodstuffs, textiles
partners:
EC 53% (Germany 14%, Denmark 10%, UK 9%), Norway 14%, US 9% (1992)
External debt:
$3.9 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.75% (1991 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
1,063,000 kW
production:
5.165 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
19,940 kWh (1992)
Industries:
fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production,
geothermal power
Agriculture:
accounts for about 15% of GDP; fishing is most important economic
activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings; principal crops
- potatoes, turnips; livestock - cattle, sheep; self-sufficient in
crops; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million
Currency:
1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 72.971 (January 1994), 67.603
(1993), 57.546 (1992), 58.996 (1991), 58.284 (1990), 57.042 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Iceland, Communications
Highways:
total:
12,537 km
paved:
2,690 km
unpaved:
gravel, earth 9,847 km
Ports:
Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur,
Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar
Merchant marine:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 33,212 GRT/47,359 DWT, cargo 2,
chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 2
Airports:
total:
90
usable:
84
with permanent-surface runways:
9
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
12
Telecommunications:
adequate domestic service; coaxial and fiber-optical cables and
microwave radio relay for trunk network; 140,000 telephones; broadcast
stations - 5 AM, 147 (transmitters and repeaters) FM, 202
(transmitters and repeaters) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station carries all international traffic; a second
INTELSAT earth station is scheduled to be operational in 1993
@Iceland, Defense Forces
Branches:
Police, Coast Guard
note:
no armed forces, Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned
Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 70,074; fit for military service 62,197
Defense expenditures:
none
@India, Geography
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Bangladesh and Pakistan
Map references:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
3,287,590 km2
land area:
2,973,190 km2
comparative area:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total 14,103 km, Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km,
China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline:
7,000 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
boundaries with Bangladesh and China; status of Kashmir with Pakistan;
water-sharing problems with downstream riparians, Bangladesh over the
Ganges and Pakistan over the Indus
Climate:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
petroleum, limestone
Land use:
arable land:
55%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
4%
forest and woodland:
23%
other:
17%
Irrigated land:
430,390 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; huge
and rapidly growing population is overstraining natural resources
natural hazards:
droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; subject to
earthquakes (a quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale occurred near
Hyderabad killing several thousand people and causing extensive damage
in late September 1993)
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber,
Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade
routes
@India, People
Population:
919,903,056 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.82% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
28.45 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
10.29 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
78.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
58.58 years
male:
58.09 years
female:
59.09 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.48 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Indian(s)
adjective:
Indian
Ethnic divisions:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3%
Religions:
Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains
0.5%, other 0.4%
Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for
national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national
language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official),
Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu
(official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada
(official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official),
Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official),
Hindustani a popular variant of Hindu/Urdu, is spoken widely
throughout northern India
note:
24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous other
languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Literacy:
age 7 and over can read and write (1991 est.)
total population:
52.11%
male:
63.86%
female:
39.42%
Labor force:
314.751 million (1990)
by occupation:
agriculture 65% (1993 est.)
@India, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of India
conventional short form:
India
Digraph:
IN
Type:
federal republic
Capital:
New Delhi
Administrative divisions:
25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra
and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland,
Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura,
Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950
Legal system:
based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 25 July 1992); Vice President
Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN (since 21 August 1992)
head of government:
Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha RAO (since 21 June 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of
the prime minister
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament (Sansad)
Council of States (Rajya Sabha):
body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 appointed by
the president, the remainder chosen by the elected members of the
state and territorial assemblies
People's Assembly (Lok Sabha):
elections last held 21 May, 12 and 15 June 1991 (next to be held by
November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (545
total, 543 elected, 2 appointed) Congress (I) Party 245, Bharatiya
Janata Party 119, Janata Dal Party 39, Janata Dal (Ajit Singh) 20,
CPI/M 35, CPI 14, Telugu Desam 13, AIADMK 11, Samajwadi Janata Party
5, Shiv Sena 4, RSP 4, BSP 1, Congress (S) Party 1, other 23, vacant 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Congress (I) Party, P. V. Narasimha RAO, president; Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), L.K. ADVANI; Janata Dal Party, Chandra SHEKHAR; Janata
Dal (Ajit Singh), Ajit SINGH; Communist Party of India/Marxist
(CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Communist Party of India (CPI),
Indrajit GUPTA; Telugu Desam (a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), N.
T. Rama RAO; All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK; a
regional party in Tamil Nadu), Jayaram JAYALALITHA; Samajwadi Party
(SP, formerly Samajwadi Janata Party), Mulayam Singh YADAV
(President), Om Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY;
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Bahujana Samaj
Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM; Congress (S) Party, leader NA; Communist
Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA; Dravida
Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI;
Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the
Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and
Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH
Other political or pressure groups:
various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional
autonomy; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
including Adam Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh
Member of:
AG (observer), AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-19, AfDB,
G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUSAL, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Siddhartha Shankar RAY
chancery:
2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 939-7000
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Frank WISNER
embassy:
Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[91] (11) 600651
FAX:
[91] (11) 687-2028
consulate(s) general:
Bombay, Calcutta, Madras
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a
blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to
the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white
band
@India, Economy
Overview:
India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming, modern
agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
multitude of support services. Faster economic growth in the 1980s
permitted a significant increase in real per capita private
consumption. A large share of the population, perhaps as much as 40%,
remains too poor to afford an adequate diet. Financial strains in 1990
and 1991 prompted government austerity measures that slowed industrial
growth but permitted India to meet its international payment
obligations without rescheduling its debt. Policy reforms since 1991
have extended earlier economic liberalization and greatly reduced
government controls on production, trade, and investment. US and other
foreign firms are increasing their investment in India. In January
1994, international financial reserves were comfortably high.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.17 trillion (FY94 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.8% (FY94 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,300 (FY94 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$29.6 billion
expenditures:
$45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.2 billion (FY93)
Exports:
$21.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities:
gems and jewelry, clothing, engineering goods, chemicals, leather
manufactures, cotton yarn, and fabric
partners:
US 18.9%, Germany 7.8%, Italy 7.8%, (FY93)
Imports:
$22 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, gems, fertilizer, chemicals,
machinery
partners:
US 9.8%, Belgium 8.4%, Germany 7.6% (FY93)
External debt:
$90.1 billion (March 1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate 2% (1993 est.); accounts for about 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
82,000,000 kW
production:
310 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
340 kWh (1992)
Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment,
cement, mining, petroleum, machinery
Agriculture:
accounts for about 40% of GDP and employs 65% of labor force;
principal crops - rice, wheat, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane,
potatoes; livestock - cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top
10 fishing nations
Illicit drugs:
licit producer of opium poppy for the pharmaceutical trade, but some
opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit
country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries;
illicit producer of hashish; minor production of illicit opium
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $31.7
billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $315 million; USSR (1970-89),
$11.6 billion; Eastern Europe (1970-89), $105 million
Currency:
1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paise
Exchange rates:
Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1 - 31.370 (January 1994), 30.493 (1993),
25.918 (1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
@India, Communications
Railroads:
61,850 km total (1986); 33,553 km 1.676-meter broad gauge, 24,051 km
1.000-meter gauge, 4,246 km narrow gauge (0.762 meter and 0.610
meter); 12,617 km is double track; 6,500 km is electrified
Highways:
total:
1.97 million km
paved:
960,000 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone, earth 1.01 million km (1989)
Inland waterways:
16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vessels
Pipelines:
crude oil 3,497 km; petroleum products 1,703 km; natural gas 902 km
(1989)
Ports:
Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Kandla, Madras, New Mangalore, Port Blair
(Andaman Islands)
Merchant marine:
297 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,236,902 GRT/10,369,948 DWT,
bulk 111, cargo 81, chemical tanker 9, combination bulk 2, combination
ore/oil 7, container 7, liquefied gas 6, oil tanker 66,
passenger-cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1
Airports:
total:
337
usable:
288
with permanent-surface runways:
208
with runways over 3,659 m:
2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
59
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
92
Telecommunications:
domestic telephone system is poor providing only one telephone for
about 200 persons on average; long distance telephoning has been
improved by a domestic satellite system which also carries TV;
international service is provided by 3 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth
stations and by submarine cables to Malaysia and the United Arab
Emirates; broadcast stations - 96 AM, 4 FM, 274 TV (government
controlled)
@India, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Security or Paramilitary Forces (including
Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, and Coast Guard)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 247,948,906; fit for military service 145,881,705;
reach military age (17) annually 9,408,586 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $6.0 billion, 2.4% of GDP (FY93/94)
@Indian Ocean, Geography