chief of mission: Ambassador Diego Ramiro GUELAR
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO
address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue
(top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a
radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May
Economy
Economy--overview: Argentina benefits from rich natural resources,
a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural
sector, and a diversified industrial base. However, when President
Carlos MENEM took office in 1989, the country had piled up huge
external debts, inflation had reached 200% per month, and output was
plummeting. To combat the economic crisis, the government embarked
on a path of trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization.
In 1991, it implemented radical monetary reforms which pegged the
peso to the US dollar and limited the growth in the monetary base by
law to the growth in reserves. Inflation fell sharply in subsequent
years. The Mexican peso crisis produced capital flight, the loss of
banking system deposits, and a severe, but short-lived, recession in
1995; a series of reforms to bolster the domestic banking system
followed. Real GDP growth recovered strongly, reaching almost 9% in
1997. In 1998, increasing investor anxiety over Brazil, its largest
trading partner, produced the highest domestic interest rates in
more than three years and slowed growth to 4.3%. Despite the
relatively high level of growth in recent years, double-digit
unemployment rates have persisted, largely because of rigidities in
Argentina's labor laws.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$374 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 37%
services: 56% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25.5% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 14 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 31%,
services 57% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (October 1998)
Budget:
revenues: $56 billion
expenditures: $60 billion, including capital expenditures of $4
billion (1998 est.)
Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1998)
Electricity--production: 64.669 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 45%
hydro: 44.3%
nuclear: 10.7%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 67.509 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 330 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 3.17 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes,
corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock
Exports: $26 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: cereals, feed, motor vehicles, crude
petroleum, steel manufactures
Exports--partners: Brazil 31%, US 8%, Chile 7.0%, China 3%,
Uruguay 3% (1997 est.)
Imports: $32 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts, organic
chemicals, telecommunications equipment, plastics
Imports--partners: Brazil 23%, US 20%, Italy 6%, Germany 5%,
France 5% (1997)
Debt--external: $133 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $2.833 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: peso is pegged to the US dollar at an exchange
rate of 1 peso = $1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 4.6 million (1990)
Telephone system: 12,000 public telephones; extensive modern
system but many families do not have telephones; despite extensive
use of microwave radio relay, the telephone system frequently
grounds out during rainstorms, even in Buenos Aires
domestic: microwave radio relay and a domestic satellite system with
40 earth stations serve the trunk network
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 260 (including 10 inactive
stations), FM NA (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed),
shortwave 6 (1998 est.)
Radios: 22.3 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 42 (in addition, there are 444
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 7.165 million (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 37,830 km
broad gauge: 23,992 km 1.676-m gauge (167 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,765 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 11,073 km 1.000-m gauge (26 km electrified)
Highways:
total: 208,350 km
paved: 47,550 km (including 567 km of expressways)
unpaved: 160,800 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 11,000 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km;
natural gas 9,918 km
Ports and harbors: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro
Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata,
Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia
Merchant marine:
total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 233,856 GRT/363,335 DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, container 1, oil tanker 13, railcar carrier
1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea
passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1,374 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 141
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 58
914 to 1,523 m: 45
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1,233
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 621
under 914 m: 541 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic
(includes Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Argentine Air
Force, National Gendarmerie, National Aeronautical Police Force
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 9,169,681 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,435,551 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 343,038 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.6 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: short section of the southwestern
boundary with Chile is indefinite--process to resolve boundary issues
is underway; claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas); claims UK-administered South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica
Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for
cocaine headed for Europe and the US; increasing money-laundering
center
======================================================================
@Armenia
-------
Introduction
Background: Armenia was one of the 15 successor republics to the
USSR in December 1991. Its leaders remain preoccupied by the long
conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Although
a cease-fire has been in effect since May 1994, the sides have not
made substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. In January
1998, differences between President TER-PETROSSIAN and members of
his cabinet over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process came to a head.
With the prime minister, defense minister, and security minister
arrayed against him, an isolated TER-PETROSSIAN resigned the
presidency on 3 February 1998. Prime Minister Robert KOCHARIAN was
elected president in March 1998. Concerns about Armenia's economic
performance have continued since 1997 with a slowdown in growth and
the serious impact of the 1998 financial crisis in Russia.
Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 29,800 sq km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,254 km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Terrain: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land;
fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum,
zinc, alumina
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 15%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,870 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Environment--current issues: soil pollution from toxic chemicals
such as DDT; energy blockade, the result of conflict with
Azerbaijan, has led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
Metsamor nuclear power plant without adequate (IAEA-recommended)
safety and backup systems
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography--note: landlocked
People
Population: 3,409,234 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 442,117; female 425,561)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,100,334; female 1,148,595)
65 years and over: 9% (male 122,170; female 170,457) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.38% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 13.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.03 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 41.12 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.56 years
male: 62.21 years
female: 71.13 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian
Ethnic groups: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other (mostly
Yezidi Kurds) 2% (1989)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
Armenia
Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%
Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1989 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Data code: AM
Government type: republic
Capital: Yerevan
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (marzer, singular--marz)
and 1 city* (k'aghak'ner, singular--k'aghak'); Aragatsotn, Ararat,
Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,
Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan*
Independence: 28 May 1918-2 December 1920 (First Armenian
Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Referendum Day, 21 September
Constitution: adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Armen DARBINYAN (since 10 April
1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special election last held 30 March 1998 (next election to be held
March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of
vote--Robert KOCHARIAN 59%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 41%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or
Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held in the spring of
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6,
Republic Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic
Party 2, independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF
1, other 4, vacant 2; note--seats by party change frequently
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement or ANM
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest),
CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben R. SHUGARIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LEMMON
embassy: 18 General Bagramian Avenue, Yerevan
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-7020
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
blue, and gold
Economy
Economy--overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system,
Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine
tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in
exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the
USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale
agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the
Soviet area. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more
investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has
been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral
deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with
Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of
Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic
system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic
decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian
Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program
that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-98. Armenia also
managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and
medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia
suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy
supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. The Russian
financial crisis generated concerns about Armenia's economic
performance in 1998. Although inflation dropped to 10% and GDP grew
about 6%, the industrial sector remained moribund. Much of Armenia's
population remains heavily dependent on remittances from relatives
abroad, and remittances from Russia fell off sharply in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$9.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 35%
industry: 30%
services: 35% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.6 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation: manufacturing, mining, and
construction 25%, agriculture 38%, services 37%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $322 million
expenditures: $424 million, including capital expenditures of $80
million (1998 est.)
Industries: much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine
tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted
wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals,
trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 7.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 46.05%
hydro: 26.32%
nuclear: 27.63%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 7.6 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables;
livestock
Exports: $230 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: gold and jewelry, aluminum, transport
equipment, electrical equipment, scrap metal
Exports--partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia
Imports: $840 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: grain, other foods, fuel, other energy
Imports--partners: Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Georgia, US, EU
Debt--external: $820 million (of which $75 million to Russia)
(1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $245.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma
Exchange rates: dram per US$1--535.62 (January 1999), 504.92
(1998), 490.85 (1997), 414.04 (1996), 405.91 (1995), 288.65 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 730,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: the Ministry of Communications oversees the
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications; the national operator is
Armentel; the Greek Telecoms Company owns 90% of Armentel and will
provide a $60 million eight-year loan; Armenia has about 4,000
Internet users on one satellite channel
domestic: local--350,000 telephones are located in Yerevan; a
fiber-optic loop provides digital service to 80,000 of Yerevan's
customers; GSM cellular is available in Yerevan, as is paging;
intercity--the former Soviet system provides service to 380,000
numbers mostly governmental
international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe line
through Iran; additional international service is available by
microwave, land line, and satellite through the Moscow switch; 1
INTELSAT earth station
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, programs are
received by relay from Russia; 100% of the population receive
Armenian and Russian TV programs) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways:
total: 825 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial
lines
broad gauge: 825 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)
Highways:
total: 8,580 km
paved: 8,580 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NA km
Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force and Air Defense Aviation, Air
Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 922,124 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 732,495 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 32,052 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $72.1 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Armenia supports ethnic Armenians in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in the longstanding,
separatist conflict against the Azerbaijani Government; traditional
demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic
consumption; increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit
drugs--mostly opium and hashish--to Western Europe and the US via
Iran, Central Asia, and Russia
======================================================================
@Aruba
-----
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of
Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 12 30 N, 69 58 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 68.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 89% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 68,675 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 7,724; female 7,106)
15-64 years: 69% (male 22,723; female 24,747)
65 years and over: 9% (male 2,623; female 3,752) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.55% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 13.28 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.48 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.04 years
male: 73.33 years
female: 80.94 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban
Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim,
Confucian, Jewish
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese,
Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba
Data code: AA
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from
the Netherlands Antilles
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Oranjestad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; in
1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation
of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in
1996)
National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March
Constitution: 1 January 1986
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English
common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal