singular--distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas,
singular--regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga,
Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria,
Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do
Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Dependent areas: Macau (scheduled to revert to China on 20
December 1999)
Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October
1910)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June
1989, 5 November 1992, and 3 September 1997
Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal
reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera
GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January
2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of
vote--Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Social
Democrat) 46.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or
Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held by 1 October
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU
8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party--PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica,
judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD
Popular Party or PP (formerly known as Center Democratic Party or
SERGIO]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists; includes
International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MINURCA, MINURSO, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP,
UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN
GUIMARAES
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), New
Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island), and San Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald S. MCGOWAN
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon
mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side,
two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms
centered on the dividing line
Economy
Economy--overview: Portugal, in 1998, continued to see strong
economic growth, falling interest rates, and low unemployment. The
country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and
joined with 10 other European countries in launching the euro on 1
January 1999. Portugal's inflation rate for 1998, 2.8%, was low but
higher than most of its European partners. The country continues to
run a trade deficit and a balance of payments deficit. The
government is working to modernize capital plant and increase the
country's competitiveness in the increasingly integrated world
markets. Growth is expected to slow to 3% in 1999 because of a
slowdown in public investment and sluggish demand for exports.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$144.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$14,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 36%
services: 60% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.75 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services 56%, manufacturing 22%,
agriculture, forestry, fisheries 12%, construction 9%, mining 1%
(1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5% (August 1998)
Budget:
revenues: $48 billion
expenditures: $52 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.4
billion (1996 est.)
Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork;
metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 32.839 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 55%
hydro: 45%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998 est.)
Electricity--consumption: 31.92 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 4.2 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep,
cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports: $25 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals,
cork and paper products, hides
Exports--partners: EU 81% (Germany 20%, Spain 15%, France 14%, UK
12% Netherlands 5%, Benelux 5%, Italy 4%), US 5% (1997)
Imports: $34.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products
Imports--partners: EU 76% (Spain 24%, Germany 15%, France 11%,
Italy 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%), US 3%, Japan 2% (1997)
Debt--external: $13.1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $271 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1--172.78 (January
1999), 180.10 (1998), 175.31 (1997), 154.24 (1996), 151.11 (1995),
165.99 (1994)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common
currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some
member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed
rate of 200.482 escudos per euro; the euro will replace the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3.7 million (1996 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: generally adequate integrated network of coaxial cables,
open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth
stations
international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
tropospheric scatter to Azores; note--an earth station for Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Radio broadcast stations: AM 57, FM 66 (repeaters 22), shortwave 0
Radios: 2.2 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 36 (in addition, there are 62
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2,970,892 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,072 km
broad gauge: 2,769 km 1.668-m gauge (528 km electrified; 426 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 303 km 1.000-m gauge (1996)
Highways:
total: 68,732 km
paved: 59,110 km (including 687 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,622 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national
economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton cargo
capacity
Pipelines: crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km; natural gas
700 km
note: the secondary lines for the natural gas pipeline that will be
300 km long have not yet been built
Ports and harbors: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta
(Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da
Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Merchant marine:
total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 894,640 GRT/1,366,955
DWT
ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 72, chemical tanker 14, container 7,
liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 4, vehicle carrier 2
note: Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira for
Portuguese-owned ships; ships on the Madeira Register (MAR) will
have taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience (1998
est.)
Airports: 66 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force,
National Republican Guard
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,542,188 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,042,730 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 73,405 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.458 billion (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: as former colonial power, Portugal plays
a key role in the issue of Indonesia's sovereignty over Timor Timur
(East Timor Province), which has not been recognized by the UN
Illicit drugs: important gateway country for Latin American
cocaine entering the European market; transshipment point for
hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin
======================================================================
@Puerto Rico
-----------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
water: 145 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than three times the size of
Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
variation
Terrain: mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north;
mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
coastal areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore
and offshore oil
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 26%
forests and woodland: 16%
other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes
Environment--current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing
water shortages
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: important location along the Mona Passage?a key
shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
People
Population: 3,887,652 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 482,111; female 459,940)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,220,682; female 1,323,787)
65 years and over: 11% (male 173,133; female 227,999) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.59% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 15.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.15 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.06 years
male: 70.95 years
female: 79.41 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups: Hispanic
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other
15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Data code: RQ
Dependency status: commonwealth associated with the US
Government type: commonwealth
Capital: San Juan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the
US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by
the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios,
singular--municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada,
Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo,
Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy,
Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo,
Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica,
Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros,
Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las
Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo,
Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas,
Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande,
Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa
Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega
Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3
July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
Legal system: based on Spanish civil code
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 ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held
7 November 2000)
election results: Pedro ROSSELLO reelected governor; percent of
vote--51.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of
the Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (54
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7
November 2000); House of Representatives--last held 5 November 1996
(next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--PNP 19, PPD 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives--percent of vote
by party--NA; seats by party--PNP 37, PPD 16, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next
to be held 7 November 2000); results--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by the
governor with the consent of the Senate); Superior Courts (justices
appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate); Municipal
Courts (justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the
Senate)
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Party of
Political pressure groups and leaders: Armed Forces for National
Liberation or FALN; Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution;
Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of
Popular Resistance
International organization participation: Caricom (observer),
ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau),
IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth
associated with the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth
associated with the US)
Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and
bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on
the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the
center; design based on the US flag
Economy
Economy--overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic
economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has
surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and
income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax
incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the
1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to
dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of
income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an
important source of income for the island, with estimated arrivals
of nearly 4 million tourists in 1993. Construction and tourism were
the leading sectors in economic growth in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$34.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.1% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$9,000 (1998 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): 5.7% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (1996)
Labor force--by occupation: government 19%, manufacturing 13%,
trade 17%, construction 5%, other 32%, unemployed 14% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 13% (FY96/97 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY 1999/2000
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products;
tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)
Electricity--production: 18.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 98.36%
hydro: 1.64%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 18.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains,
bananas; livestock products, chickens
Exports: $30.3 billion (f.o.b. 1998)
Exports--commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel,
canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Exports--partners: US 88% (1997 est.)
Imports: $21.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
Imports--commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment,
clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
Imports--partners: US 62% (1997 est.)
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 1.389 million (1996 est.)
Telephone system: modern system, integrated with that of the US
by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system with about 1 million lines (1990
est.); cellular telephone service
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat; submarine cable
to US
Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 63, shortwave 0
note: there were 118 radio stations in 1995
Radios: 2.6 million (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (in addition, there are three
stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997)
Televisions: 973,000 (1994 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for
hauling sugarcane; no passenger service
Highways:
total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce,
San Juan
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 30 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Qatar
-----
Geography
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and
Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand
and gravel
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 94% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 80 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography--note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near
major petroleum deposits
People
Population: 723,542 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 99,232; female 95,421)
15-64 years: 71% (male 367,213; female 145,925)
65 years and over: 2% (male 11,047; female 4,704) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.62% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.75 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 3.57 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 23.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.52 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.35 male(s)/female
total population: 1.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.23 years
male: 71.7 years
female: 76.89 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.42 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%,
other 14%
Religions: Muslim 95%
Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second
language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 79.2%
female: 79.9% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
Data code: QA
Government type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Doha