mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of
economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing
licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands
exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40
million per year, which goes to support the island's health,
education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish
taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish
winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the
UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. To encourage tourism,
the Falkland Islands Development Corporation has built three lodges
for visitors attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing.
The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British
Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around
the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial
reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no
exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina
and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty
conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential
oil reserves.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$NA
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$NA
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 1,100 (est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding
and fishing)
Unemployment rate: full employment; labor shortage
Budget:
revenues: $66.1 million
expenditures: $66.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY97/98 est.)
Industries: wool and fish processing; sale of stamps and coins
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 10 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 10 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy
products
Exports: $7.6 million (1995)
Exports--commodities: wool, hides, meat
Exports--partners: UK, Netherlands, Japan (1992)
Imports: $24.7 million (1995)
Imports--commodities: fuel, food and drink, building materials,
clothing
Imports--partners: UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (1992)
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $1.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Falkland pound (LF) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Falkland pound (LF) per US$1--0.6057 (January
1999), 0.5037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995),
0.6529 (1994); note--the Falkland pound is at par with the British
pound
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 1,180 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
with links through London to other countries
Radio broadcast stations: 1 (government operated)
Radios: 1,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces
Broadcasting Service) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 348 km
paved: 83 km
unpaved: 265 km
Ports and harbors: Stanley
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: British Forces Falkland Islands (includes
Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines), Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claimed by Argentina
======================================================================
@Faroe Islands
-------------
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea
and the north Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland
to Norway
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 7 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area--comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,117 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
windy
Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m
Natural resources: fish, whales
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 94% (1996)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands
People
Population: 41,059 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 4,819; female 4,629)
15-64 years: 62% (male 13,600; female 11,811)
65 years and over: 15% (male 2,786; female 3,414) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -2.03% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.08 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -23.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.56 years
male: 75.66 years
female: 81.58 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran
Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Literacy: NA
note: similar to Denmark proper
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Foroyar
Data code: FO
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
Government type: NA
Capital: Torshavn
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark;
self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark;
self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system: Danish
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Bente KLINTE, chief
administrative officer (since NA)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 9 May
1998)
cabinet: Landsstyri elected by the Faroese Parliament
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
party that wins the most seats is usually elected prime minister by
the Faroese Parliament; election last held 30 April 1998 (next to be
held NA 2002)
election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32
seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis
from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held by NA July 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--Republicans 23.8%,
People's Party 21.3%, Social Democrats 21.9%, Coalition Party (Union
Party, Labor Front, Home Rule Party) 15%; seats by party--Republicans
8, People's Party 8, Social Democrats 7, Coalition Party 6, other
parties 3
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
11 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); results--percent of vote
by party--NA; seats by party--Social Democrats 1, Conservatives 1
Judicial branch: none
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Joannes
KALLSBERG]
International organization participation: NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description: white with a red cross outlined in blue 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)
Economy
Economy--overview: After the severe economic troubles of the early
1990s, brought on by a drop in the vital fish catch, the Faroe
Islands have come back in the last few years, with unemployment down
to 5% in mid-1998. Nevertheless the total dependence on fishing
means the economy remains extremely vulnerable. The Faroese hope to
broaden their economic base by building new fish-processing plants.
Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the
immediate Faroese area, which may lay the basis for sustained
economic prosperity. The Faroese are supported by a substantial
annual subsidy from Denmark.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$700 million (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,000 (1996 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 16%
services: 64% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force: 20,345 (1995 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: largely engaged in fishing,
manufacturing, transportation, and commerce
Unemployment rate: 5% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $467 million
expenditures: $468 million, including capital expenditures of $11
million (1996 est.)
Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 170 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 52.94%
hydro: 47.06%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 170 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon,
other fish
Exports: $362 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: fish and fish products 92%, animal
feedstuffs, transport equipment (ships)
Exports--partners: Denmark 22.2%, UK 25.8%, Germany 9.7%, France
8.3%, Norway 6.2%, US 2.0%
Imports: $315.6 (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 17.0%,
consumer goods 33%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 26.9%, fuels
11.4%, fish and salt 6.7%
Imports--partners: Denmark 34.5%, Norway 15.9%, UK 8.4% Germany
7.8%, Sweden 5.8%, US 1.5%
Debt--external: $767 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $150 million (annual subsidy from
Denmark) (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.408 (January
1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1966), 5.602 (1995), 6.361
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 22,500 (3,500 cellular telephone subscribers) (1996)
Telephone system: good international communications; good
domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was to hve been completed in 1998
international: satellite earth stations--1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic
submarine cable linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 13), shortwave 0
Radios: 11,800 (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there are 29
low-power repeaters; satellite relays of MTV Europe, BBC World, and
Scansat TV3 Eurosport are also available) (1997)
Televisions: 11,600 (1996 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 458 km
paved: 450 km
unpaved: 8 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik,
Fuglafjorour
Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,853 GRT/13,481 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no organized native military forces; only a
small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Fiji
----
Geography
Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 175 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
rectilinear shelf claim added
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature
variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil
potential
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 10%
forests and woodland: 65%
other: 11% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to
January
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertication, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110
are inhabited
People
Population: 812,918 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 138,796; female 133,428)
15-64 years: 63% (male 257,130; female 256,834)
65 years and over: 4% (male 12,527; female 14,203) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.28% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.76 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.78 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: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.59 years
male: 64.19 years
female: 69.11 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian
Ethnic groups: Fijian 51%, Indian 44%, European, other Pacific
Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Religions: Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%),
Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority (1986)
Languages: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.6%
male: 93.8%
female: 89.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji
Data code: FJ
Government type: republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
Capital: Suva
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central,
Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)
Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); a new
constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and promulgated on 25
July 1990; amended 25 July 1997 to allow non-ethnic Fijians greater
say in government and to make multi-party government mandatory;
entered into force 28 July 1998; note-- the May 1999 election will be
the first test of the amended constitution and will introduce open
voting--not racially prescribed--for the first time at the national
level
Legal system: based on British system
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (acting president
since 15 December 1993, president since 12 January 1994); Vice
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo ULUIVUDA (since 18 January 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Sitiveni RABUKA (since 2 June
1992); Deputy Prime Minister Taufa VAKATALE (since 7 August 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament
note: there is also a Presidential Council that advises the
president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of
Chiefs which consists of the highest ranking members of the
traditional chiefly system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA elected president; percent
of Great Council of Chiefs vote--NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(34 seats; 24 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 9 for Indians and others,
and 1 for the island of Rotuma; members appointed by the president
to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (70
seats; 37 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 27 reserved for ethnic
Indians, and 6 for independents and others; members elected by
popular vote on a communal basis to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives--last held 18-25 February 1994
(next to be held 11 May 1999)
election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--SVT 31, NFP 20, FLP 7, FAP 5, GVP 4,
independents 2, ANC 1; note--results are for the last election before
the new constitution came into force
note: when the new constitution is applied to the upcoming May
elections, the composition of the legislative branch will change to
the following: Senate--32 seats (14 appointed by the Great Council of
Chiefs, nine appointed by the prime minister, eight appointed by the
leader of the opposition, and one appointed by the council of
Rotuma) and House of Representatives--71 seats (23 reserved for
ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for
other ethnic groups, one reserved for the Rotuman constituency
encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
president
Political parties and leaders: Fijian Political Party or SVT
Lewenivanua Vakarisito Party or VLV or Christian Fellowship Party
note: in early 1995, ethnic Fijian members of the All National
Congress or ANC merged with the Fijian Association or FA; the
remaining members of the ANC have renamed their party the General
Electors' Association
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNIKOM, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador "Ratu" Napolioni MASIREWA
chancery: Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry M.
DINGER
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half
of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field
quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of
sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
Economy
Economy--overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish
resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island
economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar
exports and a growing tourist industry are the major sources of
foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial
activity. Roughly 250,000 tourists visit each year. Political
uncertainty and drought, however, contribute to substantial
fluctuations in earnings from tourism and sugar and to the
emigration of skilled workers. Fiji's growth slowed in 1997 because
the sugar industry suffered from low world prices and rent disputes
between farmers and landowners. Drought in 1998 further damaged the
sugar industry. Overall growth in 1991-98 has averaged less than 2%
per year, with long-term problems of low investment and uncertain
property rights. The central bank predicts growth of 2% to 3% in
1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$5.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 22%
services: 59% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 235,000
Labor force--by occupation: subsistence agriculture 67%, wage
earners 18%, salary earners 15% (1987)
Unemployment rate: 6% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $540.65 million
expenditures: $742.65 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, clothing,
lumber, small cottage industries
Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (1995)
Electricity--production: 545 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 21.1%
hydro: 78.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 545 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca),
rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Exports: $655 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities: sugar 32%, clothing, gold, processed fish,
lumber
Exports--partners: Australia 27%, UK 14%, NZ 12%, US 8%, Japan
(1996)
Imports: $838 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
products, food, chemicals
Imports--partners: Australia 44%, NZ 15%, US 9%, Japan 5%,
Singapore 5% (1996)
Debt--external: $217 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $40.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1--1.9556 (January
1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063 (1995),
1.4641 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 60,017 (1987 est.)