production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and
copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 70.59%
hydro: 29.41%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea,
rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil,
coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns
Exports--partners: Australia, Japan, Germany, UK, South Korea,
China
Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports--partners: Australia, Singapore, Japan, US, New Zealand,
Malaysia
Debt--external: $3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid--recipient: $376.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1--0.47 (December 1998), 0.6975
(1997), 0.7588 (1996), 0.7835 (1995), 0.9950 (1994); note--the
government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 63,212 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: services are adequate and being improved;
facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite
earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio
communication service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 298,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 10,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,400 GRT/50,869 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, combination
ore/oil 5, container 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 492 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 473
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 400 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes
Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,238,683 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 687,978 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $41.5 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Paracel Islands
---------------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in
the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam
to the northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Data code: PF
Economy
Economy--overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the
islands for tourism.
Transportation
Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island
and Duncan Island being expanded
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan
and Vietnam
======================================================================
@Paraguay
--------
Geography
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay;
Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near
the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese,
limestone
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 55%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to
June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment--current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million
hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85); water
pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks
for many urban residents
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear
Test Ban
Geography--note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and
Brazil
People
Population: 5,434,095 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 1,086,107; female 1,049,833)
15-64 years: 56% (male 1,528,127; female 1,517,213)
65 years and over: 5% (male 116,761; female 136,054) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 31.87 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.23 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 36.35 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.43 years
male: 70.47 years
female: 74.49 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, white
plus Amerindian 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant
denominations
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay
Data code: PA
Government type: republic
Capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay,
Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central,
Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu,
Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French
codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of
Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March
1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March
1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998
(next to be held NA May 2003)
election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of
vote--55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999
note: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi, formerly president of the
Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS
Grau, who resigned following the assassination of Vice President
Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA will be decided in an
election to be held in late 1999
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of
the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators--last held 10 May 1998 (next to be
held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies--last held 10 May 1998 (next
to be held NA May 2003)
election results: Chamber of Senators--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--Colorado Party 24, PLRA/PEN 20, other 1; Chamber of
Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Colorado Party
45, PLRA/PEN 35
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justicia), judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of
Magistrates (Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: National Republican
Maria LJUBETIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Unitary Workers Central or
CUT; Roman Catholic Church; National Workers Central or CNT;
Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maura A. HARTY
embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top),
white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual
flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse
(hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow
five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words
REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist
side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion
below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and
Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two
circles)
Economy
Economy--overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large
informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of
imported consumer goods (electronics, whiskeys, perfumes,
cigarettes, and office equipment) to neighboring countries as well
as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street
vendors. The formal sector is largely oriented toward services. A
large percentage of the population derive their living from
agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal
economy has grown an average of about 3% over the past six years,
but GDP declined in 1998. However, population has increased at about
the same rate over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly
stagnant. The new government of Raul CUBAS Grau was pursuing an
economic reform agenda, albeit with limited success because of
in-fighting in the ruling party and resistance from the opposition.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$19.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -0.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 30%
services: 43% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 21.8% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 46.6% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.6% (1998)
Labor force: 1.8 million (1995 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 8.2% (urban) (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.25 billion
expenditures: $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
million (1995 est.)
Industries: meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing,
textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (1995)
Electricity--production: 45.03 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.07%
hydro: 99.93%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 4.768 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 40.262 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat,
tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs,
milk; timber
Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils,
meat products, coffee, tung oil
Exports--partners: Brazil 48%, Netherlands 22%, Argentina 9%, US
4%, Uruguay 3%, Chile 2% (1997)
Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, foodstuffs,
raw materials, fuels
Imports--partners: Brazil 29%, US 22%, Argentina 14%, Hong Kong 9%
(1995)
Debt--external: $1.3 billion (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $180.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: guaranies (G) per US$--2,866.3 (January 1999),
2,755.7 (1998), 2,191.0 (1997), 2,062.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995),
1,911.5 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 88,730 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: meager telephone service; principal switching
center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 775,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (1997)
Televisions: 370,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 971 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Highways:
total: 29,500 km
paved: 2,803 km
unpaved: 26,697 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,100 km
Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,287 GRT/32,510 DWT
ships by type: cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 4,
roll-on/roll-off 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 941 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 931
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 29
914 to 1,523 m: 349
under 914 m: 552 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines),
Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,311,382 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 947,347 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 55,065 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $125 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international
drug trade; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for
Europe and the US
======================================================================
@Peru
----
Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific
Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km
water: 5,220 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 6,940 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in
center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish,
iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides,
mild volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of the
slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;
desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and
coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
navigable lake, with Bolivia
People
Population: 26,624,582 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 4,786,048; female 4,637,280)
15-64 years: 60% (male 8,045,747; female 7,939,760)
65 years and over: 5% (male 557,252; female 658,495) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.93% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.09 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 38.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.38 years
male: 68.08 years
female: 72.78 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.23 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian
Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and
white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 94.5%
female: 83% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru
local long form: Republica del Peru
local short form: Peru
Data code: PE
Government type: republic
Capital: Lima
Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia
constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,
Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La
Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco,
Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: the 1979 constitution mandated the creation of regions
(regiones, singular--region) to function eventually as autonomous
economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been
constituted from 23 of the 24 departments--Amazonas (from Loreto),
Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from
Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca
(from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La
Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho,
Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental
del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from
San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has
been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of
Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate
funding from the central government and organizational and political
difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities;
the 1993 constitution retains the regions but limits their
authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of
departmental and municipal governments
Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution: 31 December 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28
July 1990); note--the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since
28 July 1990); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
note: Prime Minister Victor JOYWAY (since 4 January 1999) does not
exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: President FUJIMORI reelected; percent of
vote--Alberto FUJIMORI 64.42%, Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR 21.80%,
Mercedes CABANILLAS 4.11%, other 9.67%
Legislative branch: unicameral Democratic Constituent Congress or
Congresso Constituyente Democratico (120 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--C90/NM 52.1%, UPP 14%,
other parties 33.9%; seats by party--C90/NM 67, UPP 17, APRA 8, FIM
6, CODE-Pais Posible 5, AP 4, PPC 3, Renovation 3, IU 2, OBRAS 2,
other parties 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justicia), judges are appointed by the National Council of the
Judiciary
Political parties and leaders: Change 90-New Majority or C90/NM
Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups
RAMIREZ Durand (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary
(top leader at-large)]