(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
center
domestic: NA
international: access to important cable link between US and Canada
and NZ and Australia; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 12,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 597 km; note--belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar
Corporation
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Highways:
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and
200-metric-ton barges
Ports and harbors: Labasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva
Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,721 GRT/13,145 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 24 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF;
includes ground and naval forces)
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 218,853 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 120,555 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 9,326 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $34 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Finland
-------
Introduction
Background: Long ruled by foreign powers, including Sweden and
the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire, Finland finally declared
independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland fought the USSR
twice and then the Germans toward the end of the war. In the
following half-century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation
from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial
economy. Per capita income has risen to the West European level;
Finland is a member of the European Union and is the only Nordic
state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of
Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 337,030 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km
water: 31,560 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Coastline: 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 6 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland--3 nm)
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively
mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with
lakes and low hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 76%
other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 640 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: air pollution from manufacturing and
power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from
industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens
wildlife populations
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is
northernmost national capital on European continent; population
concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
People
Population: 5,158,372 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 483,700; female 464,431)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,743,340; female 1,706,873)
65 years and over: 15% (male 289,405; female 470,623) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.77 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.67 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.4 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.32 years
male: 73.81 years
female: 80.98 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups: Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Lapp 0.11%, Gypsy 0.12%, Tatar
0.02%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%,
other 1%
Languages: Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official),
small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form: Suomi
Data code: FI
Government type: republic
Capital: Helsinki
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (laanit, singular--laani);
Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Lanni, Lansi-Suomen Laani,
Lappi, Oulun Laani
Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution: 17 July 1919
Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme
Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA
January 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed
from the majority party by the president after parliamentary
elections
election results: Martti AHTISAARI elected president; percent of
vote--Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200
seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--Social Democratic Party
22.9%, Center Party 22.5%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party
21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, Swedish People's Party
5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, Finnish Christian League 4.2%; seats by
party--Social Democratic Party 51, Center Party 48, National
Coalition (Conservative) Party 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20,
Swedish People's Party 11, Green Union 11, Finnish Christian League
10, other 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judges
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and
Political pressure groups and leaders: Finnish Communist
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric EDELMAN
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
Flag description: white with a blue cross 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: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely
free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK,
France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is
manufacturing--principally the wood, metals, engineering,
telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important,
with the export of goods representing about 30% of GDP. Except for
timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.
Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to
maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. The economy has come back from the recession of
1990-92, which had been caused by economic overheating, depressed
foreign markets, and the dismantling of the barter system between
Finland and the former Soviet Union. Rapidly increasing integration
with Western Europe--Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the
euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999--will dominate the
economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 1999
probably will slow, perhaps to 3%, a barrier to any substantial drop
in unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$103.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5.1% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$20,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 32%
services: 63% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.533 million
Labor force--by occupation: public services 30.4%, industry 20.9%,
commerce 15%, finance, insurance, and business services 10.2%,
agriculture and forestry 8.6%, transport and communications 7.7%,
construction 7.2%
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $33 billion
expenditures: $40 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper
refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1995)
Electricity--production: 67.469 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.73%
hydro: 17.35%
nuclear: 27.9%
other: 0.02% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 71.169 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 5.4 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy
cattle; fish
Exports: $43 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals;
timber, paper, and pulp
Exports--partners: Germany 11%, UK 10%, Sweden 10%, US 7%, Russia
7%, France 4%, Japan (1997)
Imports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum
products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery,
textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
Imports--partners: Germany 15%, Sweden 12%, UK 8%, Russia 8%, US
7%, Japan 5% (1997)
Debt--external: $30 billion (December 1993)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $388 million (1995)
Currency: 1 markka (FMk) or Finmark = 100 pennia
Exchange rates: markkaa (FMk) per US$1--5.12 (January 1999),
5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997), 4.5936 (1996), 4.3667 (1995), 5.2235
(1994);
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 5.93472 Markkaa per euro; the euro will replace the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.5 million (1995 est.)
Telephone system: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular
net care for domestic needs
international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations--access to
Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station,
1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note--Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 105, shortwave 0
Radios: 4.98 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 120 (in addition, there are 431
low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.92 million (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 5,859 km
broad gauge: 5,859 km 1.524-m gauge (2,073 km electrified; 480 km
double- or more-track) (1996)
Highways:
total: 77,796 km
paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)
unpaved: 28,007 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 6,675 km total (including Saimaa Canal); 3,700 km
suitable for steamers
Pipelines: natural gas 580 km
Ports and harbors: Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa,
Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Merchant marine:
total: 101 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,192,559
GRT/1,161,594 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 23, chemical tanker 6, oil tanker 11,
passenger 1, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea
passenger 12 (1998 est.)
Airports: 157 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 68
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 89
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 83 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard
(includes Sea Guard)
Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,274,654 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,050,944 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 34,336 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.8 billion (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for Latin American
cocaine for the West European market
======================================================================
@France
------
Introduction
Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II,
France lost many men, much wealth, its extensive empire, and its
rank as a dominant nation-state. France has struggled since
1958--arguably with success--to construct a presidential democracy
resistant to the severe instabilities inherent in the parliamentary
democracy of early 20th century France. In recent years, its
reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to
the economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro
in January 1999.
Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 2 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France, but excludes the overseas
administrative divisions
Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 2,892.4 km
border countries: Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km
Coastline: 3,427 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild
winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean
Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and
west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps
in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc,
potash
Land use:
arable land: 33%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 16,300 sq km (1995 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches
Environment--current issues: some forest damage from acid rain;
air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: largest West European nation; occasional strong,
cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
People
Population: 58,978,172 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 5,638,462; female 5,375,911)
15-64 years: 65% (male 19,302,121; female 19,235,235)
65 years and over: 16% (male 3,825,232; female 5,601,211) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.27% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.38 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.63 years
male: 74.76 years
female: 82.71 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North
African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
(North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%
Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France
Data code: FR
Government type: republic
Capital: Paris
Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular--region);
Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne,
Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon)
Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa
Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin
Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of
president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC
Maastricht Treaty in 1992; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review
of administrative but not legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May
2002); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority
and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot--Jacques CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of
the Senate or Senat (321 seats--296 for metropolitan France, 13 for
overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals
abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to
serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held
September 2001); National Assembly--last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held NA May 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--RPR 99, Centrist Union 52, Republicans and independents 47, PS
78, PCF 16, other 29; National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists
8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various right 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation,
judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High
Council of the Judiciary; Constitutional Council or Conseil
Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three
members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and
three appointed by the president of the Senate; Council of State or
Conseil d'Etat
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR