Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 1,905 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.71% (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: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian,
New Zealander, Polynesians
Religions: Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in
Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown
16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island
Data code: NF
Dependency status: territory of Australia; Canberra administers
Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the
Department of Environment, Sport and Territories
Government type: NA
Capital: Kingston
Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
National holiday: Pitcairners Arrival Day Anniversary, 8 June
(1856)
Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances
and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by
either Australian or Norfolk Island law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
and Australia are represented by Administrator A. J. MESSNER (since
4 August 1997)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister George
Charles Smith (since 30 April 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
acts as an advisor to the Administrator
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
election last held 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000)
election results: George Charles Smith elected chief minister;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats;
members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only
four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve
three-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 1997 (next to be held by May 2000)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of
Australia)
Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side),
white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree
centered in the slightly wider white band
Economy
Economy--overview: Tourism, the primary economic activity, has
steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of
prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands.
Revenues from tourism have helped the agricultural sector to become
self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$NA
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$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): NA%
Labor force: 1,395 (1991 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture
NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)
Industries: tourism
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: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed,
cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Exports: $1.5 million (f.o.b., FY91/92)
Exports--commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island
pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports--partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe
Imports: $17.9 million (c.i.f., FY91/92)
Imports--commodities: NA
Imports--partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ,
Asia, Europe
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($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: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1,087 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station; in
addition, there are two repeaters that bring in Australian programs
by satellite) (1998)
Televisions: 1,500 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km
Ports and harbors: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Northern Mariana Islands
------------------------
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area--comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds,
little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June,
rainy season July to October
Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and
fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 60%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons
(especially August to November)
Environment--current issues: contamination of groundwater on
Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection
of endangered species conflicts with development
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
People
Population: 69,398 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 8,459; female 8,197)
15-64 years: 74% (male 24,651; female 26,949)
65 years and over: 2% (male 550; female 592) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.99% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.19 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 20.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.36 years
male: 72.19 years
female: 78.72 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians,
Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although
traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
Data code: CQ
Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US;
federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department
of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally
elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Capital: Saipan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth in political union
with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at
the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian
Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and
the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
effective 1 January 1978
Legal system: based on US system, except for customs, wages,
immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are
US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
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 Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January
1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor in a three-way
race; percent of vote--Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate
(9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA
November 1999); House of Representatives--last held NA November 1997
(next to be held NA November 1999)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Republicans 8, Democrats 1; House of Representatives--percent
of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Republicans 13, Democrats 5
note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in
Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident
representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party--Republican
1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;
Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders: Republican Party [Benigno R.
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate),
Interpol (subbureau), SPC
Flag description: blue, with a white, five-pointed star
superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
wreath
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy benefits substantially from
financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined
as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement
for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for
capital development, government operations, and special programs.
Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The
commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96.
For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided
for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing
chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs
about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The
agricultural sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle
ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes,
and melons. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with
employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $1
billion to the US in 1998 under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$524 million (1996 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$9,300 (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): 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699
unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)
Labor force--by occupation: managerial 20.5%, technical, sales
16.4%, services 19.3%, farming 3.1%, precision production 13.8%,
operators, fabricators 26.9%
Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)
Budget:
revenues: $221 million
expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7
million (1996)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: NA kWh
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity--consumption: NA kWh
Electricity--exports: NA kWh
Electricity--imports: NA kWh
Agriculture--products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: $1 billion (1998)
Exports--commodities: garments
Exports--partners: US
Imports: $NA
Imports--commodities: food, construction equipment and materials,
petroleum products
Imports--partners: US, Japan
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $21.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September
Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (on Saipan and one station
planned for Rota; in addition, two cable stations on Saipan provide
varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 362 km (1991 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Norway
------
Introduction
Background: Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905.
As a separate realm, Norway stayed free of World War I but suffered
German occupation in World War II. Discovery of oil and gas in
adjacent waters in the late 1960s gave a strong boost to Norway's
economic fortunes. Norway is planning for the time when its oil and
gas reserves are depleted and is focusing on containing spending on
its extensive welfare system. It has decided at this time not to
join the European Union and the new euro currency regime.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,515 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands
2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor
indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic
Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains
broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites,
nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging
forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air
pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands
off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea
lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and
longest coastlines in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a
land boundary with Russia
People
Population: 4,438,547 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 447,607; female 423,844)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,462,906; female 1,415,992)
65 years and over: 15% (male 286,339; female 401,859) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.12 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.36 years
male: 75.55 years
female: 81.35 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami)
20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other
Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official)
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1976 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular--fylke);
Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More
og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold,
Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms,
Vest-Agder, Vestfold
Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and
common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to
legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent
Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15
October 1997)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
the Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with
the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting
which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165
seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--Labor 35%, Center Party
7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left
6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by
party--Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian
People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other
parties 1
note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
or Lagting
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed
by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND];
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP,
UNPREDEP, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom Erik VRAALSON
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David B. HERMELIN
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707