Radios: 4.7 million
Television broadcast stations: 38
Televisions: 2 million
Transportation
Railways:
broad gauge: NA km
total: 5,000 km
standard gauge: 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge
dual gauge: 240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (1996
est.)
Highways:
total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only
Pipelines: crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km
Ports and harbors: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung),
Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong
(formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan
Merchant marine:
total: 110 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 691,802 GRT/992,789 DWT
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 91, combination bulk 1, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1,
short-sea passenger 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 49 (1994 est.) (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1994 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air
Force), Civil Security Forces
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 5,768,038 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,483,188 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 177,888 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $5 billion to $7 billion
(1997 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 25% to 33% (1997 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: 33-km section of boundary with China in
the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with
South Korea
======================================================================
@Korea, South
------------
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. Thereafter,
South Korea achieved amazing economic growth, with per capita output
rising to 13 times the level in the North. Since late 1997, however,
the nation has suffered widespread financial and organizational
difficulties. Continuing tensions between North and South have
raised concerns of provocative military actions by the North.
Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N, 127 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km
Coastline: 2,413 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 65%
other: 13% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,350 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Environment--current issues: air pollution in large cities; water
pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
driftnet fishing
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification
People
Population: 46,884,800 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 5,504,333; female 4,874,974)
15-64 years: 71% (male 16,949,807; female 16,432,951)
65 years and over: 7% (male 1,192,688; female 1,930,047) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 15.95 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.3 years
male: 70.75 years
female: 78.32 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean
Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Religions: Christianity 49%, Buddhism 47%, Confucianism 3%,
pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the
Heavenly Way), and other 1%
Languages: Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
school
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99.3%
female: 96.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: none
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han-guk" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: ROK
Data code: KS
Government type: republic
Capital: Seoul
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural)
and 6 special cities* (gwangyoksi, singular and plural); Cheju-do,
Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo,
Inch'on-gwangyoksi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-gwangyoksi*, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-gwangyoksi*,
Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-gwangyoksi*, Taejon-gwangyoksi*
Independence: 15 August 1945, date of liberation from Japanese
colonial rule
National holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)
Constitution: 25 February 1988
Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President KIM Dae-jung (since 25 February 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister KIM Chong-p'il (since 3 March
1998)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year
term; election last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by 18
December 2002); prime minister appointed by the president; deputy
prime ministers appointed by the president on the prime minister's
recommendation
election results: KIM Dae-jung elected president; percent of
vote--KIM Dae-jung (NCNP) 40.3%, YI Hoe-chang (GNP) 38.7%, YI In-che
(NPP) 19.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NKP
139, NCNP 79, ULD 50, DP 15, independents 16; note--the distribution
of seats as of February 1999 was GNP 137, NCNP 105, ULD 53,
independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the
president subject to the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Grand National Party or GNP [CHO
president]
note: subsequent to the legislative election of April 1996 the
following parties disbanded--New Korea Party or NKP and Democratic
Party or DP; New People's Party or NPP merged with the NCNP in
August 1998
Political pressure groups and leaders: Korean National Council of
Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation
of Student Associations; National Federation of Farmers'
Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean
Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean
Industries; Korean Traders Association; Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions
International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS,
CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador YI Hong-ku
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
Francisco, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen W. BOSWORTH
embassy: 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-0001
Flag description: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol
in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I
Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
Economy
Economy--overview: As one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South
Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth. Three decades ago
its GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer
countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita is seven
times India's, 13 times North Korea's, and already near the lesser
economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s
was achieved by a system of close government business ties,
including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed certain
longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
undisciplined financial sector. By the end of 1998 it had recovered
financial stability, rebuilding foreign exchange reserves to record
levels by running a current account surplus of $40 billion. As of
December 1998, the first tentative signs of a rebound in the economy
emerged, and most forecasters expect GDP growth to turn positive at
least in the second half of 1999. Seoul has also made a positive
start on a program to get the country's largest business groups to
swap subsidiaries to promote specialization, and the administration
has directed many of the mid-sized conglomerates into debt-workout
programs with creditor banks. Challenges for the future include
cutting redundant staff, which reaches 20%-30% at most firms and
maintaining the impetus for structural reform.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$584.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -6.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$12,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 43%
services: 51% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (1998)
Labor force: 20 million
Labor force--by occupation: services and other 52%, mining and
manufacturing 27%, agriculture, fishing, forestry 21% (1991)
Unemployment rate: 7.9% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $100.4 billion
expenditures: $100.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: electronics, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel, textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 194.163 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.18%
hydro: 2.65%
nuclear: 36.17%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 194.163 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables,
fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish
Exports: $133 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: electronic and electrical equipment,
machinery, steel, automobiles, ships; textiles, clothing, footwear;
fish
Exports--partners: US 17%, EU 13%, Japan 12% (1995)
Imports: $94 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic
equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic
chemicals, grains
Imports--partners: US 22%, Japan 21%, EU 13% (1995)
Debt--external: $154 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chun (theoretical)
Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1--1,174.00 (January
1999), 1,401.44 (1998), 951.29 (1997), 804.45 (1996), 771.27 (1995),
803.45 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 16.6 million (1993)
Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: fiber-optic submarine cable to China; satellite earth
stations--3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 79, FM 46, shortwave 0
Radios: 42 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 121 (in addition, there are 850
relay stations and eight-channel American Forces Korea Network)
(1997)
Televisions: 9.3 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 6,240 km
standard gauge: 6,240 km 1.435-m gauge (525 km electrified) (1998
est.)
Highways:
total: 63,500 km
paved: 46,800 km (including 1,720 km of expressways)
unpaved: 16,700 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft
Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km; note--additionally, there is
a parallel petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) pipeline being
completed
Ports and harbors: Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o,
P'ohang, Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu
Merchant marine:
total: 442 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,212,089
GRT/8,161,845 DWT
ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 133, chemical tanker 36, combination
bulk 5, container 52, liquefied gas tanker 13, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 56, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo
22, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 9 (1998 est.)
Airports: 103 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 68
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 35
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 200 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National
Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 13,954,916 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,890,144 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 400,468 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $9.9 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.2% (FY98/99)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Demarcation Line with North Korea;
Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) claimed by Japan
======================================================================
@Kuwait
------
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq
and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 464 km
border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline: 499 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 8%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 92% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to
April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads
and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year,
but are most common between March and August
Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated
desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water
pollution; desertification
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping
Geography--note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
People
Population: 1,991,115 (July 1999 est.)
note: includes 1,220,935 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 343,461; female 285,129)
15-64 years: 66% (male 850,689; female 468,618)
65 years and over: 2% (male 26,593; female 16,625) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.88% (1999 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of
expatriates
Birth rate: 20.45 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 2.31 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 20.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.6 male(s)/female
total population: 1.58 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.15 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.3 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%,
Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu,
Parsi, and other 15%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.6%
male: 82.2%
female: 74.9% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt
Data code: KU
Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuwait
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat,
singular--muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al
Jahra', Hawalli
Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)
Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in
personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or
more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male
descendants at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31
December 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah
al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime
Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992);
Second Deputy Prime Minister SALIM al-Sabah al-Salim Al Sabah (since
7 October 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis
al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 1996 (next to be held approximately
October 2000)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 50;
note--all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the
National Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: several political groups
act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a
activists, and secular leftists and nationalists
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James A. LAROCCO
embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City
mailing address: P.O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait; Unit 69000,
APO AE 09880-9000
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
Economy
Economy--overview: Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy
with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels--10% of
world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of
export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait lacks water
and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of
agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on
food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or
imported. The economy improved moderately in 1994-97, but in 1998
suffered from the large decline in world oil prices. The Kuwaiti
cabinet approved a reform package in January 1999, including
reducing subsidies and increasing taxes on large consumer goods.
Nevertheless, Kuwait anticipates continuing budget deficits for the
next few years. Kuwait is attracting foreign oil companies to
develop fields in the northern part of the country.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$43.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)