total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
Republican Guard, National Police
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,117,868 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,143,355 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 102,762 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $20 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in
northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the
vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in
the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad,
Niger, and Nigeria
======================================================================
@Nigeria
-------
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between
Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 923,770 sq km
land: 910,770 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
1,497 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 30 nm
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal,
limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 33%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 44%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: soil degradation; rapid
deforestation; desertification; recent droughts in north severely
affecting marginal agricultural activities
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 113,828,587 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 25,613,974; female 25,397,166)
15-64 years: 52% (male 30,272,539; female 29,197,611)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,678,732; female 1,668,565) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.92% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 41.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 69.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.3 years
male: 52.55 years
female: 54.06 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio,
Tiv
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.1%
male: 67.3%
female: 47.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
Data code: NI
Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian
rule
Capital: Abuja
note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from
Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending
completion of facilities in Abuja
Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi,
Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna,
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun,
Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe
note: the government has announced the creation of six additional
states named Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nassarawa, and Zamfara
as part of the process of transition to a civilian government
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)
Constitution: 1979 constitution still partially in force
Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and
tribal law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and
Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since
9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until
29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be
inaugurated
head of government: Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council and
Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR (since
9 June 1998) will remain chief of state and head of government until
29 May 1999 when President-elect Olusegun OBASANJO will be
inaugurated
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: the president is elected by popular vote for no more than
two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next
election to be held NA 2003)
election results: Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) won the election with NA%
of the vote, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) NA%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of
Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal
Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve
seven-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members
elected by popular vote to serve seven-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA
2006); House of Representatives--last held 20-24 February 1999 (next
to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PDP 61, APP 24, AD 20, other 4; House of Representives--percent
of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PDP 206, APP 74, AD 68, others 12
note: the National Assembly was suspended by the military government
following the military takeover on 17 November 1993; the new
civilian government which was elected on 20 February 1999 is
expected to be inaugurated on 29 May 1999
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the
Provisional Ruling Council; Federal Court of Appeal, judges are
appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory
Judicial Committee
Political parties and leaders: political parties, suppressed by
the military government, were allowed to form in July 1998; three
parties were registered by the Provisional Ruling Council for
participation in local, state and national elections; All People's
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C
(suspended), CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wakili Hassan ADAMU
chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William H. TWADDELL
embassy: 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos
mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist
side), white, and green
Economy
Economy--overview: The oil-rich Nigerian economy continues to be
hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic
management. Nigeria's unpopular military rulers have failed to make
significant progress in diversifying the economy away from
overdependence on the capital intensive oil sector which provides
30% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 80% of
budgetary revenues. The government's resistance to initiating
greater transparency and accountability in managing the country's
multibillion dollar oil earnings continues to limit economic growth
and prevent an agreement with the IMF and bilateral creditors on a
staff-monitored program and debt relief. The largely subsistence
agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population
growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now must
import food. Growth in 1999 may become negative because of continued
low oil prices and persistent inefficiencies in the system.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$106.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$960 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 42%
services: 25% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.1% (1992-93 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 31.4% (1992-93)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 42.844 million
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry, commerce,
and services 19%, government 15%
Unemployment rate: 28% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.9 billion (1998 est.)
expenditures: $13.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
billion (1998 est.)
Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts,
cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other
construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,
fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)
Electricity--production: 13.78 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.94%
hydro: 39.06%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 13.74 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 50 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice,
sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep,
goats, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $9.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa,
rubber
Exports--partners: US 35%, Spain 11%, Italy 6%, France 6% (1997
est.)
Imports: $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery, chemicals, transportation
equipment, manufactured goods, food and animals
Imports--partners: US 14%, UK 11%, Germany 10%, France 8%,
Netherlands 5% (1997 est.)
Debt--external: $32 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $39.2 million (1995)
Currency: 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Exchange rates: nairas (N) per US$1--21.886 (December 1998),
21.886 (1998), 21.886 (1997), 21.895 (1995), 21.996 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 405,100 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: average system limited by poor maintenance;
major expansion in progress
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
radio relay, cellular network, and a domestic communications
satellite system with 20 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean); 1 coaxial submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 82, FM 32, shortwave 10 (1998 est.)
Radios: 17.2 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-controlled)
Televisions: 6.1 million (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,557 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
note: years of neglect of both the rolling stock and the
right-of-way have seriously reduced the capacity and utility of the
system; a project to restore Nigeria's railways is now underway
Highways:
total: 51,000 km
paved: 26,000 km (including 2,044 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,000 km (1998 est.)
note: many of the roads reported as paved may be graveled; because
of poor maintenance and years of heavy freight traffic (in part the
result of the failure of the railroad system), much of the road
system is barely useable
Waterways: 8,575 km consisting of the Niger and Benue rivers and
smaller rivers and creeks
Pipelines: crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km;
natural gas 500 km
Ports and harbors: Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele,
Warri
Merchant marine:
total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 371,499 GRT/631,425 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 20,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 72 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 18 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 25,967,281 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 14,890,337 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 1,201,738 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $236 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.7% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: delimitation of international boundaries
in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border
incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by
Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Cameroon over land
and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula is currently
before the International Court of Justice; maritime boundary dispute
with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed jurisdiction over
oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea
Illicit drugs: facilitates movement of heroin en route from
Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America;
increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended
for European, East Asian, and North American markets
======================================================================
@Niue
----
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Tonga
Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 64 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 50% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment--current issues: traditional methods of burning brush
and trees to clear land for agriculture have threatened soil
supplies which are not naturally very abundant
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
Sea
Geography--note: one of world's largest coral islands
People
Population: 2,103 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.5% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and
Tongans)
Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church) 75%--a Protestant church
closely related to the London Missionary Society, Latter-Day Saints
10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Seventh-Day Adventist)
Languages: Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan,
English
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
Data code: NE
Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New
Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
retains responsibility for external affairs
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Alofi
Administrative divisions: none; note--there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are
elected and serve three-year terms
Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing
parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of
Waitangi established British sovereignty)
Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
Warren SEARELL (since NA August 1993)
head of government: Premier Frank Fakaotimanava LUI (since 12 March
1993)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 23
February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: Frank Fakaotimanava LUI elected premier; percent
of Legislative Assembly vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six
elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)
elections: last held 23 February 1996 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NPP 9,
independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders: Niue People's Action Party or NPP
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate),
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing
territory in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing
territory in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow
five-pointed stars--a large one on a blue disk in the center and a
smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy is heavily dependent on aid and
remittances from New Zealand as Niue has no indigenous export
products. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the
shortfall is made up by grants from New Zealand which are used to
pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures
by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural
sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash
crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small
factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut
cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an
important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered
a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New
Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.4 million (1993 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1993 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): 5% (1992)
Labor force: 450 (1992 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: most work on family plantations; paid
work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue
Development Board
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $5.5 million
expenditures: $6.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1985 est.)
Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 3 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 3 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes,
taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef
cattle
Exports: $117,500 (f.o.b., 1989)
Exports--commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, passion
fruit products, pawpaw, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps,
handicrafts
Exports--partners: NZ 89%, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia
Imports: $4.1 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Imports--commodities: food, live animals, manufactured goods,
machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports--partners: NZ 59%, Fiji 20%, Japan 13%, Samoa, Australia,
US
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $8.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.8560
(January 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235
(1995), 1.6844 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 276 (1992 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
island
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1987 est.)
Radios: 1,000
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 312 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 234 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 234 km
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Police Force
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Norfolk Island
--------------
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Australia
Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 32 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 75% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km