of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Environment--current issues: none
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon;
closed to the public
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Data code: KQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US;
administered from Washington, DC by the US Navy; however, it is
awash the majority of the time, so it is not usable and is
uninhabited
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy--overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Kiribati
--------
Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean,
straddling the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
Australia; note--on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the
International Date Line from the middle of the country to include
its easternmost islands and make it the same day throughout the
country
Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 717 sq km
land: 717 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes three island groups--Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
Area--comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive
reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: 51%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually
November to March; occasional tornadoes
Environment--current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south
Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices
such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean
Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean--the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and
Nauru
People
Population: 85,501 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.13 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.88 years
male: 61.02 years
female: 64.98 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced kir-ih-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands
Data code: KR
Government type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils--one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President (Beretitenti) Teburoro TITO (since 1
October 1994); Vice President (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti) Tewareka
TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note--the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the House of Assembly, includes the president, vice president,
attorney general, and up to eight other ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
note--the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from
among their members and then those candidates compete in a general
election; election last held 27 November 1998 (next to be held by NA
November 2002); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of
vote--Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA
1.9%, Taberannang TIMEON 0%
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio
member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11,
independents 14
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president; 26 Magistrates' courts, judges at all
levels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party [Teatao
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an
embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is
accredited to Kiribati
Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate
bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue
with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
Economy
Economy--overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls,
Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate
deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in
1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and
exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic
development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak
infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The
financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the
expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid,
largely from the UK and Japan, is a critical supplement to GDP,
equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers
abroad account for more than $5 million each year.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$62 million (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.9% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$800 (1996 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 7%
services: 79% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (1996 est.)
Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
farmers (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $33.3 million
expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (1996 est.)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1992 est.)
Electricity--production: 7 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 7 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes,
vegetables; fish
Exports: $6.7 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities: copra 62%, seaweed, fish
Exports--partners: US, Australia, NZ (1996)
Imports: $37.4 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment,
miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports--partners: Australia 46%, Fiji, Japan, NZ, US (1996)
Debt--external: $7.2 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $15.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.5853 (January
1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995),
1.3667 (1994)
Fiscal year: NA
Communications
Telephones: 1,400 (1984 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative
Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 15,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 0 (1988)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 670 km (1996 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton
Merchant marine:
total: 1 passenger-cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291
GRT/1,295 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 21 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force
(carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties;
small police posts are on all islands)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense
assistance is provided by Australia and NZ
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Korea, North
------------
Introduction
Background: At the end of World War II, the US and the Soviet
Union agreed that US troops would accept the surrender of Japanese
forces south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union would do so
in the north. In 1948, the UN proposed nationwide elections; after
P'yongyang's refusal to allow UN inspectors in the north, elections
were held in the south and the Republic of Korea was established.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established the
following month in the north. Communist North Korean forces invaded
South Korea in 1950. US and other UN forces intervened to defend the
South and Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. After a
bitter three-year war, an armistice was signed in 1953, establishing
a military demarcation line near the 38th parallel. The North's
heavy investment in military forces has produced an army of 1
million troops equipped with thousands of tanks and artillery
pieces. Despite growing economic hardships, North Korea continues to
devote a significant portion of its scarce resources to the military.
Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries:
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Coastline: 2,495 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned
Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite,
magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 61%
other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe
flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
Environment--current issues: localized air pollution attributable
to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate
supplies of potable water
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of
the Sea
Geography--note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea,
and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible,
and sparsely populated
People
Population: 21,386,109 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 2,800,748; female 2,666,207)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,143,969; female 7,447,147)
65 years and over: 6% (male 412,161; female 915,877) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.45% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 21.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.45 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.07 years
male: 67.41 years
female: 72.86 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
community and a few ethnic Japanese
Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and
syncretic Chondogyo
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom
Languages: Korean
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Korean
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: DPRK
Data code: KN
Government type: Communist state; one-man dictatorship
Capital: P'yongyang
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang
Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo
(South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong
City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South
P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do
(Yanggang Province)
Independence: 9 September 1948, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (DPRK) Foundation Day
note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and
celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day
National holiday: Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)
Constitution: adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992 and September 1998
Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Chong-il; note--in September 1998, KIM Chong-il
was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority";
KIM Young-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly
Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and
receiving diplomatic credentials
head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998)
cabinet: renamed DPRK Cabinet (naegak) on 5 September 1998; was
previously called the State Administrative Council; Cabinet members,
except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by
the Supreme People's Assembly
elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly
election results: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or
Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--the
KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without
opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
Judicial branch: Central Court, judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly
Political parties and leaders: major party--Korean Workers' Party
chairwoman]
International organization participation: ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICRM,
IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--North Korea has a
Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by YI Hyong-chol
Diplomatic representation from the US: none
Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red
(triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the
hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed
star
Economy
Economy--overview: North Korea is the world's most centrally
planned economy. Agricultural land is collectivized, state-owned
industry produces nearly all manufactured goods, and heavy and
military industries have long been developed at the expense of light
and consumer industries. Open-air markets since 1995 have gained
increasing importance in the distribution of food and consumer goods
but private production remains extremely limited. Total economic
output has fallen steadily since 1991--perhaps by as much as
one-half--when the country's economic ties to the Soviet Union and
Eastern Bloc collapsed. The slide has also been fueled by serious
energy shortages, aging industrial facilities, and a lack of
maintenance and new investment. The leadership has tried to maintain
a high level of military spending but the armed forces have
nonetheless been affected by the general economic decline. Although
North Korea has long depended on imports to meet food needs, serious
fertilizer shortages in recent years have combined with structural
constraints--such as a shortage of arable land and a short growing
season--to reduce staple grain output to more than 1 million tons
below what the country needs to meet even minimal demand. Widespread
famine and disease have cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of
North Koreans in 1994-98. The US, China, the international
community, and nongovernmental organizations have sent aid but the
problems remain extremely serious.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$21.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 60%
services: 15% (1995 est.)
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: 9.615 million
Labor force--by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $19.3 billion
expenditures: $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1992 est.)
Industries: military products; machine building, electric power,
chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
processing
Industrial production growth rate: -7% to -9% (1992 est.)
Electricity--production: 34 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 35.29%
hydro: 64.71%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 34 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses;
cattle, pigs, pork, eggs
Exports: $743 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: minerals, metallurgical products,
agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments)
Exports--partners: Japan 28%, South Korea 21%, China 5%, Germany
4%, Russia 1% (1995)
Imports: $1.83 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and
equipment, consumer goods
Imports--partners: China 33%, Japan 17%, Russia 5%, South Korea
4%, Germany 3% (1995)
Debt--external: $12 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?an estimated $200 million to
$300 million in humanitarian aid from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU
in 1997
Currency: 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon
Exchange rates: official: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1--2.15
(May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January
1990), 2.3 (December 1989); market: North Korean won (Wn) per
US$1--200
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.4 million (1998 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: system is being expanded with installation of fiber-optic
cable nationwide; access traditionally reserved for official and
business subscribers; public access is expected to increase
international: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region); other international
connections through Moscow and Beijing