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 years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
Tahitian wives
Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages: English (official), Pitcairnese, Tahitian, 18th
century English dialect
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Data code: PC
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Adamstown
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen
(second Saturday in June)
Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system: local island by-laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
(nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Robert John ALSTON (since NA
August 1994); Commissioner (nonresident) G. D. HARRAWAY (since NA;
is the liaison person between the governor and the Island Council)
head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island
Council Jay WARREN (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner and
commissioner appointed by the monarch; island magistrate elected by
popular vote for a three-year term; last known election held NA
December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1996)
election results: Jay WARREN reelected island magistrate; percent of
vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats--6 elected
by popular vote, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed
by the governor, and 1 seat for the Island Secretary; members serve
one-year terms)
elections: take place each December; last held NA December 1998
(next to be held NA December 1999)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--all independents
Judicial branch: Island Court, island magistrate presides over
the court and is elected every three years
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Economy
Economy--overview: The inhabitants exist on fishing and
subsistence farming. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide
variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane,
watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important
part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of
postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing
ships.
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: 14 able-bodied men (1993)
Labor force--by occupation: no business community in the usual
sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $729,884
expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95 est.)
Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts
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: wide variety of fruits and vegetables
Exports: $NA
Exports--commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios
Exports--partners: NA
Imports: $NA
Imports--commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials,
flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
Imports--partners: NA
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.8560
(January 1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235
(1995), 1.6844 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 24
Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 6.4 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 6.4 km
Ports and harbors: Bounty Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: none
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Poland
------
Geography
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 312,683 sq km
land: 304,510 sq km
water: 8,173 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,888 km
border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
444 km, Ukraine 428 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters
with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers
Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver,
lead, salt
Land use:
arable land: 47%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 29%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due
to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by
postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious
because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants,
and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water
pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem,
as is disposal of hazardous wastes
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat
terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
People
Population: 38,608,929 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 3,921,093; female 3,734,223)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,076,231; female 13,243,716)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,762,135; female 2,871,531) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.61 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.72 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.06 years
male: 68.93 years
female: 77.41 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%,
Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern
Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
Languages: Polish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1978 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska
Data code: PL
Government type: democratic state
Capital: Warsaw
Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (wojewodztwa,
singular--wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie,
Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie,
Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie,
Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie
Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791); Independence
Day, November 11 (1918)
Constitution: 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly
on 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997
Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and
holdover communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced
as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review
of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the
Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999;
court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in
Strasbourg
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jerzy BUZEK (since NA October
1997), Deputy Prime Ministers Leszek BALCEROWICZ (since 31 October
1997), Janusz TOMASZEWSKI (since 31 October 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19
November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by
the Sejm
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president in 1995;
percent of popular vote, second round--Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%,
Lech WALESA 48.3%; Jerzy BUZEK selected prime minister in 1997
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie
Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under
a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a
majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be
held by NA September 2001); Senate--last held 21 September 1997 (next
to be held by NA September 2001)
election results: Sejm--percent of vote by party--AWS 33.8%, SLD
27.1%, UW 13.4%, PSL 7.3%, ROP 5.6%, MN 0.4%, other 12.4%; seats by
party--AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, MN 2; Senate--percent
of vote by party--NA; seats by party--AWS 51, SLD 28, UW 8, ROP 5, PSL
3, independents 5; note--seats by party in the Sejm as of December
1997: AWS 200, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 26, ROP 4, MN 2, other 4
note: four seats are constitutionally assigned to ethnic German
parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the National Council of the
Judiciary for an indefinite period; Constitutional Tribunal, judges
are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms
Political parties and leaders:
post-Communist: Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of
KALINOWSKI]
post-Solidarity parties: Freedom Union or UW; note--Democratic Union
non-Communist, non-Solidarity: Movement for the Reconstruction of
Political pressure groups and leaders: powerful Roman Catholic
Church; Solidarity (trade union); All Poland Trade Union Alliance or
OPZZ (trade union)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA
(observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel FRIED
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-054, Warsaw P1
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
consulate(s) general: Krakow
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and
red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red
(top) and white
Economy
Economy--overview: Poland today stands out as one of the most
successful and open transition economies. The privatization of small
and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing
new firms marked the rapid development of a private sector now
responsible for 70% of economic activity. In contrast to the vibrant
expansion of private non-farm activity, the large agriculture
component remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor,
inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. The government's
determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects all
aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's worsening
current account deficit also is a priority. To date, the government
has resisted pressure for protectionist solutions and continues to
support regional free trade initiatives. The government export
strategy emphasizes a more aggressive export assistance program.
Warsaw continues to hold the budget deficit to less than 2% of GDP.
Further progress on public finance depends mainly on comprehensive
reform of the social welfare system and privatization of Poland's
remaining state sector. Restructuring and privatization of
"sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, and telecommunications) has
begun. Long-awaited privatizations in aviation and energy are
scheduled for 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$263 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,800 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 26.6%
services: 68.3% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 23.8% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22.1% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 17.4 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: industry and construction 29.9%,
agriculture 26%, services 44.1% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $36.5 billion
expenditures: $38.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining,
chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 7.9% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 134.731 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 97.09%
hydro: 2.91%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 132.291 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 7.925 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 5.485 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat;
poultry, eggs, pork, beef, milk, cheese
Exports: $27.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, chemicals 57%, machinery
and equipment 21%, food and live animals 12%, mineral fuels 7%,
other 3%
Exports--partners: Germany 32.9%, Russia 8.4%, Italy 5.9%, Ukraine
4.7%, Netherlands 4.7%, France 4.4%
Imports: $38.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, chemical 43%, machinery
and equipment 36%, mineral fuels 9%, food and live animals 8%, other
4%
Imports--partners: Germany 24.1%, Italy 9.9%, Russia 6.3%, UK
5.5%, US 4.5%, France 5.9%
Debt--external: $42 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $4.312 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy
Exchange rates: zlotych (Zl) per US$1--3.5409 (January 1999),
3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996), 2.4250 (1995); note--a
currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old zlotys with 1
new zloty; 22,723 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 8.2 million (1996)
Telephone system: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government
aims to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process
of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has
begun
domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
networks
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 75, shortwave 1 (1994 est.)
Radios: 9.9 million registered (1996)
Television broadcast stations: 150 (1997)
Televisions: 9.4 million registered (1996)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 24,313 km
broad gauge: 652 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 22,243 km 1.435-m gauge (11,648 km electrified;
8,978 km double track)
narrow gauge: 1,418 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m,
0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1996)
Highways:
total: 377,048 km
paved: 247,721 km (including 264 km of expressways)
unpaved: 129,327 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 3,812 km navigable rivers and canals (1996)
Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas
17,000 km (1996)
Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin,
Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wrocaw
Merchant marine:
total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,162,954 GRT/1,866,462
DWT
ships by type: bulk 53, cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 1, short-sea passenger 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 92 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 74
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 10,417,314 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,104,484 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 334,420 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.3 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of amphetamines for the
international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin
American illicit drugs to Western Europe
======================================================================
@Portugal
--------
Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
drier in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore,
uranium ore, marble
Land use:
arable land: 26%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 36%
other: 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment--current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by
industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in
coastal areas
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban,
Tropical Timber 94
Geography--note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic
locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
People
Population: 9,918,040 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 866,115; female 820,438)
15-64 years: 68% (male 3,283,345; female 3,428,427)
65 years and over: 15% (male 619,086; female 900,629) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.13% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.25 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.51 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.88 years
male: 72.51 years
female: 79.46 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black
African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization
number less than 100,000
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other
2%
Languages: Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 89%
female: 82% (1990 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal
Data code: PO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Lisbon