Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar
======================================================================
@Greece
------
Geography
Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea,
and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama
Land boundaries:
total: 1,210 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes
Environment--current issues: air pollution; water pollution
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and
southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country,
possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
People
Population: 10,707,135 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 878,349; female 818,311)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,619,982; female 3,587,591)
65 years and over: 17% (male 799,053; female 1,003,849) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.41% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.43 years
male: 75.87 years
female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages: Greek (official), English, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 98%
female: 93% (1991 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece
Data code: GR
Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by
referendum 8 December 1974
Capital: Athens
Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi,
singular--nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos),
Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki,
Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis,
Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa,
Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios,
Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi,
Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza,
Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala,
Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos
Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation
of the war of independence)
Constitution: 11 June 1975
Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into
civil, criminal, and administrative courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19
January 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March 2000);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president;
percent of Parliament vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon
(300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by
NA September 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%,
KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%,
Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party--PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11,
Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9; note--seating has
subsequently changed as a result of disciplinary actions by PASOK,
ND, and DIKKI; 1998 seating is PASOK 162, ND 105, KKE 11, Coalition
of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 8, independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for
life by the president after consultation with a judicial council;
Special Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president
after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU,
WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandre PHILON
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue
alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek
Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
Economy
Economy--overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the
public sector accounting for about half of GDP, although the
government plans to privatize some leading state enterprises.
Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and
foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid,
equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the
last few years, as the government has tightened policy with the goal
of qualifying Greece to join the EU's single currency (the euro) in
2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to just over
2% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that
inflation fell below 4% by the end of 1998--the lowest rate in 26
years. The outlook for 1999 is good with the budget deficit and
inflation both expected to decline further, while GDP growth stays
near 3% and the current account deficit remains below 2% of GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$143 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$13,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 23.5%
services: 68% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.28 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: services 59.2%, agriculture 19.8%,
industry 21% (1998)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles;
chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 40.028 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.16%
hydro: 10.75%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.09% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 41.388 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 1.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 2.66 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives,
tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Exports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels (1998)
Exports--partners: EU 56% (Germany 25%, Italy 11%, UK 8%, France
6%), US 16% (1997)
Imports: $27.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels,
chemicals (1998)
Imports--partners: EU 61% (Italy 16%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK
7%, Netherlands 5%) US 11% (1997)
Debt--external: $40.8 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)
Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta
Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1--278.78 (January 1999),
295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas;
microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire
network; submarine cables to off-shore islands
domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable
international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 64 (in addition, there are about
1,000 low-power repeaters and two stations in the US armed forces
network) (1997)
Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,548 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type
railway for steep grades)
Highways:
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals;
including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of
Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and
shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by
325 km; and three unconnected rivers
Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km
Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete),
Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs
(Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos
Merchant marine:
total: 810 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,798,431
GRT/44,056,618 DWT
ships by type: bulk 307, cargo 66, chemical tanker 19, combination
bulk 9, combination ore/oil 12, container 45, liquefied gas tanker
5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 229, passenger 15,
passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17,
short-sea passenger 76, specialized tanker 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 78 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 63
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air
Force, National Guard, Police
Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,707,628 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,071,670 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 79,376 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.04 billion (1998 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: complex maritime, air, and territorial
disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey;
dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in
September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving
their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions;
Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling
cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the
West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American
cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece
======================================================================
@Greenland
---------
Geography
Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean
and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area:
total: 2,175,600 sq km
land: 2,175,600 sq km (341,600 sq km ice-free, 1,834,000 sq km
ice-covered) (est.)
Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 44,087 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a
narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold,
platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 99% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds
of the island
Environment--current issues: protection of the arctic environment;
preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling;
note--Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference
(ICC)
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North
America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements
along coast
People
Population: 59,827 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 7,789; female 7,728)
15-64 years: 68% (male 22,248; female 18,678)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,562; female 1,822) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.84% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 15.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.1 years
male: 65.98 years
female: 74.24 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born
whites), Danish and others 13%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran
Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)
Literacy: NA
note: similar to Denmark proper
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Data code: GL
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Government type: NA
Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa
(Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark;
self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since
1979)
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 Gunnar MARTENS (since NA
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since NA
September 1997)
cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of
the strength of parties
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; prime minister is elected by the Parliament (usually
the leader of the majority party); election last held 11 March 1999
(next to be held NA 2003)
election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister;
percent of parliamentary vote--23 out of 31 votes
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 17 February 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--Siumut 35.2%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 22%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidates' League 12.3%;
seats by party--Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7,
Candidates' League 4, independent 1
note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on NA March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); percent of
vote by party--Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by party--Siumut 1,
Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish
political parties
Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret
Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition; Siumut
(Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more
distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)
Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete
Atassut Party (Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors
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: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and
red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center--the top
half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
Economy
Economy--overview: Greenland suffered negative economic growth in
the early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved. The
Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal
policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in the
public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has
registered a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last
remaining lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically
dependent on fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far
the largest income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting
hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
sector offering any near-term potential and even this is limited due
to a short season and high costs. The public sector, including
publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the
dominant role in Greenland's economy. About half the government
revenues come from grants from the Danish Government, an important
supplement of GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$945 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,100 (1997 est.)
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): 0.6% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 24,500 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $706 million
expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)
Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts, furs,
small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: forage crops, garden vegetables; sheep; fish
Exports: $363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: fish and fish products 95%
Exports--partners: Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%
Imports: $421 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 25%,
manufactured goods 18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum
products 6%
Imports--partners: Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan 3.3%, Norway
3.1%, US 2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%
Debt--external: $243 million (1995)
Economic aid--recipient: $427 million (annual subsidy from
Denmark) (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.401 (January
1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: adequate domestic and international service
provided by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in
1995
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station--1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some local
radio and TV stations
Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some
local low-power stations; in addition, there are three AFRTS (US Air
Force) stations which broadcast in the NTSC system (1997)
Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 150 km
paved: 60 km
unpaved: 90 km
Ports and harbors: Kangerluarsoruseq, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik,
Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Sisimiut
Merchant marine:
total: 1 passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,211 GRT/162 DWT
(1998 est.)
Airports: 13 (1998 est.)