Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable government
guidance of investment and foreign trade and partial government
ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GNP
has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export
growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for
industrialization. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GDP, down from
35% in 1952. Taiwan currently ranks as number 13 among major trading
countries. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being
replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries.
Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the
Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets
has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $224 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$10,600 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$30.3 billion
expenditures:
$30.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
Exports:
$85 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
electrical machinery 19.7%, electronic products 19.6%, textiles 10.9%,
footwear 3.3%, foodstuffs 1.0%, plywood and wood products 0.9% (1993
est.)
partners:
US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EC countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1993 est.)
Imports:
$77.1 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
machinery and equipment 15.7%, electronic products 15.6%, chemicals
9.8%, iron and steel 8.5%, crude oil 3.9%, foodstuffs 2.1% (1993 est.)
partners:
Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EC countries 17.6% (1993 est.)
External debt:
$620 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 3.6% (1993 est.); accounts for more than 40% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
18,382,000 kW
production:
98.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
4,718 kWh (1992)
Industries:
electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood,
sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Agriculture:
accounts for 4% of GNP and 16% of labor force (includes part-time
farmers); heavily subsidized sector; major crops - vegetables, rice,
fruit, tea; livestock - hogs, poultry, beef, milk; not self-sufficient
in wheat, soybeans, corn; fish catch increasing, reached 1.4 million
metric tons in 1988
Illicit drugs:
an important heroin transit point; also a major drug money laundering
center
Economic aid:
recipient:
US, including Ex-Im (FY46-82), $4.6 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $500 million
Currency:
1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992), 25.748 (1991),
27.108 (1990), 26.407 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
@Taiwan, Communications
Railroads:
about 4,600 km total track with 1,075 km common carrier lines and
3,525 km industrial lines; common carrier lines consist of the
1.067-meter gauge 708 km West Line and the 367 km East Line; a 98.25
km South Link Line connection was completed in late 1991; common
carrier lines owned by the government and operated by the Railway
Administration under Ministry of Communications; industrial lines
owned and operated by government enterprises
Highways:
total:
20,041 km
paved:
bituminous, concrete pavement 17,095 km
unpaved:
crushed stone, gravel 2,371 km; graded earth 575 km
Pipelines:
petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
Ports:
Kao-hsiung, Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Su-ao, T'ai-tung
Merchant marine:
212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,910,453 GRT/9,098,315 DWT,
bulk 54, cargo 38, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 2, combination
ore/oil 2, container 85, oil tanker 17, passenger-cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
Airports:
total:
40
usable:
38
with permanent-surface runways:
36
with runways over 3,659 m:
3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
16
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
7
Telecommunications:
best developed system in Asia outside of Japan; 7,800,000 telephones;
extensive microwave radio relay links on east and west coasts;
broadcast stations - 91 AM, 23 FM, 15 TV (13 repeaters); 8,620,000
radios; 6,386,000 TVs (5,680,000 color, 706,000 monochrome); satellite
earth stations - 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT;
submarine cable links to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western
Europe
@Taiwan, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense
Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Military Police Command
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 6,205,707; fit for military service 4,806,456; reach
military age (19) annually 192,083 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $12.1 billion, 5% of GNP (FY93/94 est.)
@Tajikistan, Geography
Location:
Central Asia, between Uzbekistan and China
Map references:
Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States,
Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
143,100 sq km
land area:
142,700 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries:
total 3,651 km, Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km,
Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on
northern boundary in Isfara Valley area; Afghanistan's and other
foreign support to Tajik rebels based in northern Afghanistan
Climate:
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar
in Pamir Mountains
Terrain:
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in
north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Natural resources:
significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury,
brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten
Land use:
arable land:
6%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
23%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
71%
Irrigated land:
6,940 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues:
inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity;
industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; Tajikistan is part of the
basin of the shrinking Aral Sea which suffers from severe
overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated
pollution
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
NA
Note:
landlocked
@Tajikistan, People
Population:
5,995,469 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.67% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
34.79 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.71 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
62 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
68.76 years
male:
65.88 years
female:
71.79 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.62 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Tajik(s)
adjective:
Tajik
Ethnic divisions:
Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of
emigration), other 6.6%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Languages:
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy:
age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
99%
Labor force:
1.95 million (1992)
by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 43%, government and services 24%, industry
14%, trade and communications 11%, construction 8% (1990)
@Tajikistan, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form:
Tajikistan
local long form:
Respublika i Tojikiston
local short form:
none
former:
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph:
TI
Type:
republic
Capital:
Dushanbe
Administrative divisions:
2 oblasts (viloyotho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast*
(viloyati avtonomii); Viloyati Avtonomii Badakhshoni Kuni* (Khorugh -
formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly
Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobad (Khujand - formerly Leninabad)
note:
the administrative center names are in parentheses
Independence:
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
National Day, 9 September (1991)
Constitution:
a referendum on new constitution planned for June 1994
Legal system:
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Head of State and Assembly Chairman Emomili RAKHMONOV (since NA
November 1992); election last held 27 October 1991 (next to be held NA
September 1994); results - Rakhman NABIYEV, Communist Party 60%;
Davlat KHUDONAZAROV, Democratic Party, Islamic Rebirth Party and
Rastokhoz Party 30%
head of government:
Prime Minister Abdujalil SAMADOV (since 27 December 993)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
note:
the presidency was abolished in November 1992, when RAKHMANOV became
head of state; a referendum on presidential or parliamentary system is
planned for June 1994
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Supreme Soviet:
elections last held 25 February 1990 (next to be held NA September
1994); results - Communist Party 99%, other 1%; seats - (230 total)
Communist Party 227, other 3
Judicial branch:
Prosecutor General
Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party (Tajik Socialist Party - TSP), Shodi SHABDOLOV,
chairman; Tajik Democratic Party (TDP), Shodmon YUSUF; Islamic Revival
Party (IRP), Mohammed Sharif HIMOTZODA, Davat OUSMAN; Rastokhez
Movement, Tohir ABDUJABBAR; Lali Badakhshan Society, Atobek AMIRBEK
note:
all the above-listed parties but the Communist Party were banned in
June 1993
Other political or pressure groups:
Tajikistan Opposition Movement based in northern Afghanistan
Member of:
CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDA, IDB, IMF, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), IOC, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, WHO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
NA
chancery:
NA
telephone:
NA
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Stanley T. ESCUDERO
embassy:
Hotel October, 105A Rudaki Prospect, Dushanbe
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[7] (3772) 21-03-56 and 21-03-60
Flag:
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and
green; a crown surmounted by seven five-pointed stars is located in
the center of the white stripe
@Tajikistan, Economy
Overview:
Tajikistan had the lowest per capita GDP in the former USSR, the
highest rate of population growth, and the lowest standard of living.
Its economy at the start of 1994 is producing at roughly the 1989
level and faces urgent reconstruction tasks from the 1992 civil war.
Tajikistan's economy was severely disrupted by the breakup of the
Soviet economy, which provided guaranteed trade relations and heavy
subsidies and in which specialized tasks were assigned to each
republic. Its economy is highly agricultural (43% of the work force);
it has specialized in growing cotton for export and must import a
large share of its food. Its industry (14% of the work force) produces
aluminum, hydropower, machinery, and household appliances. Nearly all
petroleum products must be imported. Constant political turmoil and
continued dominance of former Communist officials have slowed the
process of economic reform and brought near economic collapse while
limiting foreign assistance. Tajikistan is in the midst of a prolonged
monetary crisis in which it is attempting to continue to use the
Russian ruble as its currency while its neighbors have switched to new
independent currencies; Russia is unwilling to advance sufficient
rubles without attaching stringent reform conditions.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.9 billion (1993 estimate from
the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and
published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as
extrapolated to 1993 using official Tajik statistics, which are very
uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)
National product real growth rate:
-21% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,180 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
38% per month (1993 average)
Unemployment rate:
1.1% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large
numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$263 million to outside the FSU countries (1993)
commodities:
cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles
partners:
Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
Imports:
$371 million from outside the FSU countries (1993)
commodities:
fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles,
foodstuffs
partners:
Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate -20% (1993 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
4,585,000 kW
production:
16.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
2,879 kWh (1992)
Industries:
aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable
oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Agriculture:
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep and goats
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS
consumption; limited government eradication programs; used as
transshipment points for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Western
Europe and North America
Economic aid:
recipient:
Russia reportedly provided substantial general assistance throughout
1993 and continues to provide assistance in 1994; Western aid and
credits promised through the end of 1993 were $700 million but
disbursements were only $104 million; large scale development loans
await IMF approval of a reform and stabilization plan
Currency:
1 ruble (R) = 100 kopeks; acquiring new Russian rubles as currency
under December 1993 agreement
Exchange rates:
NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Tajikistan, Communications
Railroads:
480 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
total:
29,900 km
paved:
21,400 km
unpaved:
earth 8,500 km (1990)
Pipelines:
natural gas 400 km (1992)
Ports:
none; landlocked
Airports:
total:
58
usable:
30
with permanent-surface runways:
12
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
4
with runways 1,060-2,439 m:
13
note:
a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip
Telecommunications:
poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached
by the national network; 303,000 telephone circuits (December 1991);
telephone density about 55 per 1000 persons(1951); linked by cable and
microwave to other CIS republics, and by leased connections to the
Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by INTELSAT to
international gateway switch in Ankara; satellite earth stations - 1
Orbita and 2 INTELSAT (one INTELSAT earth station provides TV
receive-only service from Turkey)
@Tajikistan, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army (being formed), National Guard, Security Forces (internal and
border troops)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,361,143; fit for military service 1,116,246; reach
military age (18) annually 57,681 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Tanzania, Geography
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean between Kenya and
Mozambique
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
945,090 sq km
land area:
886,040 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than twice the size of California
note:
includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Land boundaries:
total 3,402 km, Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km,
Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Coastline:
1,424 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
boundary dispute with Malawi in Lake Nyasa; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia
tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is
reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has
been settled
Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Natural resources:
hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use:
arable land:
5%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
40%
forest and woodland:
47%
other:
7%
Irrigated land:
1,530 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral
reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal
agriculture
natural hazards:
the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the
central plateau during the rainy season
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change
Note:
Mount Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa
@Tanzania, People
Population:
27,985,660 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.5% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
45.48 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
19.42 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
109.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
43.25 years
male:
41.52 years
female:
45.03 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.2 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Tanzanian(s)
adjective:
Tanzanian
Ethnic divisions:
mainland:
native African 99% (consisting of well over 100 tribes)
Asian, European, and Arab 1%
Zanzibar:
NA
Religions:
mainland:
Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Zanzibar:
Muslim 99% plus
Languages:
Swahili (official; widely understood and generally used for
communication between ethnic groups and is used in primary education),
English (official; primary language of commerce, administration, and
higher education)
note:
first language of most people is one of the local languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1978)
total population:
46%
male:
62%
female:
31%
Labor force:
732,200 wage earners
by occupation:
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1986 est.)
@Tanzania, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form:
Tanzania
former:
United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Digraph:
TZ
Type:
republic
Capital:
Dar es Salaam
note:
some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is
planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s
Administrative divisions:
25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma,
Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba
North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora,
Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West,
Ziwa Magharibi
Independence:
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UN
trusteeship under British administration); Zanzibar became independent
19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday:
Union Day, 26 April (1964)
Constitution:
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Ali Hassan MWINYI (since 5 November 1985); First Vice
President John MALECELA (since 9 November 1990); Second Vice President
and President of Zanzibar Salmin AMOUR (since 9 November 1990)
election last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held NA October 1995);
results - Ali Hassan MWINYI was elected without opposition
head of government:
Prime Minister John MALECELA (since 9 November 1990)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Bunge):
elections last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held NA October 1995);
results - CCM was the only party; seats - (241 total, 168 elected) CCM
168
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal, High Court
Political parties and leaders:
Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM or Revolutionary Party), Ali Hassan MWINYI;
Civic United Front (CUF), James MAPALALA; National Committee for
Constitutional Reform (NCCK), Mabere MARANDO; Union for Multiparty
Democracy (UMD), Abdullah FUNDIKIRA; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo
(CHADEMA), Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-6, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO,
ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles Musama NYIRABU
chancery:
2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 939-6125
FAX:
(202) 797-7408
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy:
36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam
mailing address:
P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone:
[255] (51) 66010 through 13
FAX:
[255] (51) 66701
Flag:
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower
hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
lower triangle is blue
@Tanzania, Economy