singular--baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al
Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal,
Umm Salal
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir,
although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is
significant in personal matters
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by
the monarch 22 October 1996); note--Amir HAMAD also holds the
positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch
(since 20 January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis
al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed by the monarch)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this
consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when
there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had
their terms extended every four years since
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Saad Muhammad al-KUBAYSI
chancery: Suite 200, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
consulate(s) general: Houston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth MCKUNE
embassy: 149 Ahmed Bin Ali St., Fariq Bin Omran (opposite the
television station), Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
note: work week is Saturday-Wednesday
Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine
white points) on the hoist side
Economy
Economy--overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts
for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 70% of export earnings, and 66% of
government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels
should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil
has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading West
European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural
gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total,
third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are
becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the
development of off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the
economy. Lower world oil prices brought GDP down in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$12 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$17,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 49%
services: 50% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (1996)
Labor force: 233,000 (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $3.4 billion
expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (FY98/99 budget est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement
Industrial production growth rate: -4% (1995)
Electricity--production: 5.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 5.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy
products, beef; fish
Exports: $5.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel
Exports--partners: Japan 49%, Singapore 12%, South Korea 12%,
Thailand 4%, US 3% (1997)
Imports: $4.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods,
food, chemicals
Imports--partners: UK 25%, France 13%, Japan 10%, US 9%, Italy 6%
(1997)
Debt--external: $11 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1--3.6400 riyals (fixed
rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 160,717 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 201,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there are three
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 205,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 713,014 GRT/1,112,829
DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 5, oil
tanker 5 (1998 est.)
Airports: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 301,451 (1999 est.)
note: includes non-nationals
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 158,114 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 6,125 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $940 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 9.6% (FY98/99)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the
Hawar Islands and maritime boundary dispute with Bahrain currently
before the International Court of Justice (ICJ); in 1996, agreed
with Saudi Arabia to demarcate border per 1992 accord; that process
is ongoing
======================================================================
@Reunion
-------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references: World
Area:
total: 2,510 sq km
land: 2,500 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 201 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool
and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along
coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 35%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to
April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active
volcano
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 717,723 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 118,401; female 112,878)
15-64 years: 62% (male 218,952; female 225,292)
65 years and over: 6% (male 17,506; female 24,694) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.75% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.16 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.73 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 78.93 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani,
Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist (1995)
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 76%
female: 80% (1982 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local long form: none
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
Data code: RE
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and
47 cantons
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)
head of government: President of the General Council Christophe
PAYET (since 4 April 1994) and President of the Regional Council
Margarite SUDRE (since 25 June 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members
are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and
unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council--last held NA March 1994 (next to be held
NA 2000); Regional Council--last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held
NA 1999)
election results: General Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats
by party--PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional
Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UPF 17, Free-Dom
Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held 14 April 1996 (next to be held NA);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 1, PCR 2;
Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA2002);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PCR 3, PS 1, and
RPR-UDF 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR
International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department
of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy has traditionally been based on
agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a
century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The
government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to
relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of
the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
off than other segments of the population, often approaching
European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and
unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
France.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$3.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,800 (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): NA%
Labor force: 261,000 (1995)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services
73% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 35% (1994)
Budget:
revenues: $856.7 million
expenditures: $2.2437 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1993)
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
extraction
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 1.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.55%
hydro: 45.45%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 1.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical
fruits, vegetables, corn
Exports: $171.78 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Exports--commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume
essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993)
Exports--partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994)
Imports: $2.35 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages,
tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and
petroleum products
Imports--partners: France 67%, Bahrain 4%, Italy 3% (1994)
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?substantial annual subsidies
from France
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 219,000 (1995)
Telephone system: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network
international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France,
Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth
station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios: 158,000 (1994)
Television broadcast stations: 22 (in addition, there are 18
low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 116,181 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,784 km
paved: 2,187 km
unpaved: 597 km (1987 est.)
Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine:
total: 1 chemical tanker (l,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264
GRT/44,885 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Gendarmerie)
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 185,800 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 95,068 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 5,902 (1999 est.)
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Romania
-------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362
km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and
fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain
of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated
from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber,
natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use:
arable land: 41%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 29%
other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest;
geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environment--current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water
pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents;
contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol
Geography--note: controls most easily traversable land route
between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
People
Population: 22,334,312 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 2,117,289; female 2,027,940)
15-64 years: 68% (male 7,563,695; female 7,663,491)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,234,760; female 1,727,137) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.23% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.09 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 11.55 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.87 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.12 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.83 years
male: 67.05 years
female: 74.81 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%,
Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%
Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3%
are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 95% (1992 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania
Data code: RO
Government type: republic
Capital: Bucharest
Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular--judet)
and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau,
Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj,
Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December
1947)
National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)
Constitution: 8 December 1991
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist
legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth
Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Radu VASILE (since 17 April 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 3 November 1996, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 17 November 1996 (next to be held NA
November/December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote--Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion
ILIESCU 45.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of
the Senate or Senat (143 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor
(343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA
2000); Chamber of Deputies--last held 3 November 1996 (next to be
held NA 2000)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--CDR 30.7%, PDSR
23.1%, USD 13.2%, UDMR 6.8%, PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.2%, others 17.5%;
seats by party--CDR 53, PDSR 41, USD 23, UDMR 11, PRM 8, PUNR 7;
Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--CDR 30.2%, PDSR 21.5%,
USD 12.9%, UDMR 6.6% PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.4%, others 19.9%; seats by
party--CDR 122, PDSR 91, USD 53, UDMR 25, PRM 19, PUNR 18, ethnic
minorities 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, judges are appointed
by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of
Magistrates
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or PD [Petre
DIACONESCU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
note: to increase their voting strength several of the
above-mentioned parties united under umbrella organizations: PNTCD,
PNL, and PNL-CD form the bulk of the Democratic Convention or CDR
other small parties failed to gain representation in the most recent
election
Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and
professional associations
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC,
CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MONUA, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York