chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994)
and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of
vote--Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Republican 12, Democratic 3
note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives;
election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November
2000); results--Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent
of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Democratic 1
Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by
the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for
eight-year terms by the governor)
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party (controls the
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate),
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red
border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed,
vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with
sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red
letters; US flag is the national flag
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy depends mainly on US military
spending and on tourist revenue. Over the past 20 years, the tourist
industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new
hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists
visit Guam each year. The industry suffered a setback in 1998
because of the continuing Japanese recession; the Japanese normally
make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods
are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian
economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$19,000 (1996 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): 4% (1992 est.)
Labor force: 65,660 (1995)
Labor force--by occupation: federal and territorial government
31%, private 69% (trade 21%, services 33%, construction 12%, other
3%) (1995)
Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $524.3 million
expenditures: $361.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)
Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment
services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food
processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 800 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork,
poultry, beef
Exports: $86.1 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Exports--commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum
products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports--partners: US 25%
Imports: $202.4 million (c.i.f., 1992)
Imports--commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food,
manufactured goods
Imports--partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?although Guam receives no
foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the
general revenues of the US Federal Treasury into which Guamanians
pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law
of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury,
receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal
employees stationed in Guam
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September
Communications
Telephones: 74,317 (March 1997)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
submarine cables to US and Japan
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 206,000 (1994)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)
Televisions: 97,000 (1994 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there is another 685 km of roads classified non-public,
including roads located on federal government installations
Ports and harbors: Apra Harbor
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Guatemala
---------
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
El Salvador and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline: 400 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau (Peten)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 5% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional
violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other
tropical storms
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertication, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: no natural harbors on west coast
People
Population: 12,335,580 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 2,688,402; female 2,578,934)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,312,360; female 3,314,102)
65 years and over: 3% (male 207,014; female 234,768) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.68% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 35.57 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.93 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: 46.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.45 years
male: 63.78 years
female: 69.24 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish--in local Spanish
called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 44%
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan
Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 Amerindian
languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 55.6%
male: 62.5%
female: 48.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala
Data code: GT
Government type: republic
Capital: Guatemala
Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango,
Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango,
Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu,
Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez,
Totonicapan, Zacapa
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986
note: suspended 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June
1993 following ouster of president
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14
January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14
January 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14
January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14
January 1996); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 12 November 1995; runoff held 7 January 1996
(next to be held NA November 1999)
election results: Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen elected president;
percent of vote--Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge
PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or
Congreso de la Republica (80 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 12 November 1995 (next to be held in
November 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PAN
43, FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1
note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that
reduced its number from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for
a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80
members to serve until replaced in the November 1995 general
election; the plan was approved in a general referendum in January
1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justicia); additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided
over by the president of the Supreme Court, judges are elected for a
five-year term by Congress
Political parties and leaders: National Centrist Union or UCN
ARRIAGA Martinez]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union or URNG
Political pressure groups and leaders: Coordinating Committee of
Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM; Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Alliance Against Impunity or
AAI
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William STIXRUD
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. PLANTY
embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist
side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the
white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the
national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE
SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)
all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed
swords and framed by a wreath
Economy
Economy--overview: The agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth
of GDP and two-thirds of exports and employs more than half of the
labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products.
Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Since
assuming office in January 1996, President ARZU has worked to
implement a program of economic liberalization and political
modernization. The signing of the peace accords in December 1996,
which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to
foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively
little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Nevertheless,
growth will be somewhat smaller due to the storm. Remaining
challenges include increasing government revenues, and negotiating a
program with the IMF.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$45.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,800 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 24%
industry: 21%
services: 55% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%: 46.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (1998)
Labor force: 3.32 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 58%, services 14%,
manufacturing 14%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 2.6%,
utilities 0.3%, mining 0.1% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1996)
Electricity--production: 3.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 29.03%
hydro: 70.97%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 3.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans,
cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, petroleum
Exports--partners: US 37%, El Salvador 13%, Honduras 7%, Costa
Rica 5%, Germany 5%
Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery,
grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
Imports--partners: US 44%, Mexico 10%, Venezuela 4.6%, Japan,
Germany
Debt--external: $3.38 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $211.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: quetzales (Q) per US$1--6.7284 (January 1999),
6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997), 6.0495 (1996), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 210,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: fairly modern network centered in the city of
Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 15
Radios: 400,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (in addition, there are 17
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 475,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 884 km (102 km privately owned)
narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)
Highways:
total: 13,100 km
paved: 3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,484 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km
navigable during high-water season
Pipelines: crude oil 275 km
Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal,
San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 478 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 466
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 124
under 914 m: 332 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,915,169 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,903,382 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 134,964 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $124 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.7% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: border with Belize in dispute
Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine shipments; minor
producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for the international
drug trade; active eradication program of cannabis crop effectively
eliminated in 1996
======================================================================
@Guernsey
--------
Geography
Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel,
northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 194 sq km
land: 194 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 50 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50%
of days are overcast
Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Natural resources: cropland
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People
Population: 65,386 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 6,012; female 5,875)
15-64 years: 66% (male 21,287; female 22,165)
65 years and over: 16% (male 4,069; female 5,978) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.27% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.16 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.72 years
male: 75.78 years
female: 81.77 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
Congregational, Methodist
Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in
country districts
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
Data code: GK
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice
Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is
administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor Sir John COWARD (since NA
1994) and Bailiff Sir Graham Martyn DOREY (since NA February 1992)
cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of
the States
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor
appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (60
seats--33 elected by popular vote; members serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--all independents
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown
dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown
dependency)
Flag description: white with the red cross of Saint George
(patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag
Economy
Economy--overview: Financial services?banking, fund management,
insurance, etc.--account for about 55% of total income in this tiny
Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture,
mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and
death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving
economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the
game under which Guernsey operates.
GDP: $NA
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: $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): 7% (1988)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 3%-4% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $277.9 million
expenditures: $248.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: NA kWh
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity--consumption: NA kWh
Electricity--exports: NA kWh
Electricity--imports: NA kWh
Agriculture--products: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet
peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Exports: $NA
Exports--commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers,
eggplant, other vegetables
Exports--partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports: $NA
Imports--commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports--partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Guernsey (LG) pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6057 (January
1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995),
0.6529 (1994); note--the Guernsey pound is at par with the British
pound
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 41,850 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)