hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars
representing the Southern Cross constellation
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been
dependent on development aid, private family remittances from
overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to
devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor
force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream,
coconut oil, and copra. Outside of a large automotive wire harness
factory, the manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural
products. Tourism is an expanding sector; more than 70,0000 tourists
visited the islands in 1996. The Samoan Government has called for
deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment,
and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility
of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$470 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.4% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,100 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 25%
services: 35% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 82,500 (1991 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%,
industry 5% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $52 million
expenditures: $99 million, including capital expenditures of $37
million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1996 est.)
Electricity--production: 65 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.54%
hydro: 38.46%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 65 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams
Exports: $14.6 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer
Exports--partners: Australia 82%, New Zealand 6%, Slovakia,
Germany, American Samoa (1996)
Imports: $99.7 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: intermediate goods, food, capital goods
Imports--partners: Australia 33%, New Zealand 25%, Japan 15%, Fiji
8%, US 8% (1996)
Debt--external: $167 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $42.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene
Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1--2.9011 (January 1999), 2.9429
(1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)
Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa
Airports: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular
armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required
to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty
of Friendship
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@San Marino
----------
Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 60 sq km
land: 60 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
Terrain: rugged mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 749 m
Natural resources: building stone
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution
Geography--note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe
after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines
People
Population: 25,061 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 2,008; female 2,036)
15-64 years: 67% (male 8,501; female 8,294)
65 years and over: 17% (male 1,774; female 2,448) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.64% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.41 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.22 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.47 years
male: 77.59 years
female: 85.35 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese
Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95% (1976 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
local short form: San Marino
Data code: SM
Government type: republic
Capital: San Marino
Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli,
singular--castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova,
Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino,
Serravalle
Independence: 301 (by tradition)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic,
3 September
Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some
of the functions of a constitution
Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law
influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Pietro BERTI and
Captain Regent Paolo BOLLINI (for the period 1 October 1998-31 March
1999)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986)
cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
for a five-year term
elections: cochiefs of state (captain regents) elected by the Great
and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
September 1998 (next to be held NA March 1999); secretary of state
for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
Council for a five-year term; election last held NA June 1998 (next
to be held NA June 2003)
election results: Pietro BERTI and Paolo BOLLINI elected captain
regents; percent of legislative vote--NA; Gabriele GATTI reelected
secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of
legislative vote--NA
note: the popularly elected parliament (Great and General Council)
selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
Great and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which
has ten other members, all selected by the Great and General
Council; assisting the captains regent are three secretaries of
state--Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance--and several
additional secretaries; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs
has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Great and General Council or
Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--PDCS 40.8%, PSS 23.3%,
PPDS 18.6%, AP 9.8%, RC 3.3%, Reformist Socialists 4.2%; seats by
party--PDCS 25, PSS 14, PPDS 11, AP 6, RC 2, RS 2
Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDCS
MACINA, secretary general]; Reformist Socialists or RS (formerly San
International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OPCW,
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: San Marino does not have an
embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC, and New York
honorary consulate(s): Detroit
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is
accredited to San Marino
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and
light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the
center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on
three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll
bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)
Economy
Economy--overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP.
In 1995 more than 3.3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key
industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics.
Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita
level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of
Italy, which supplies much of its food.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$500 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$20,000 (1997 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): 5.3% (1995)
Labor force: 15,600 (1995)
Labor force--by occupation: services 55%, industry 43%,
agriculture 2% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 3.6% (April 1996)
Budget:
revenues: $320 million
expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $26
million (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine
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
note: electricity supplied by Italy
Agriculture--products: wheat, grapes, maize, olives; cattle, pigs,
horses, beef, cheese, hides
Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy
Exports--commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts,
wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, and ceramics
Imports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy
Imports--commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi; note--also mints
its own coins
Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1--1,668.7 (January
1998),1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9
(1995), 1,612.4 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 15,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
Italian system
international: microwave radio relay and cable connections to
Italian network; no satellite earth stations
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 15,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (San Marino residents also
receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)
Televisions: 9,000 (1994 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km; note--there is a 1.5 km cable railway connecting
the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore
Highways:
total: 220 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military branches: Voluntary Military Force, Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3.7 million (1995)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Sao Tome and Principe
---------------------
Geography
Location: Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,
straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 1,000 sq km
land: 1,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 209 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 36%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and
exhaustion
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change
People
Population: 154,878 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 37,322; female 36,423)
15-64 years: 48% (male 36,067; female 38,730)
65 years and over: 4% (male 2,876; female 3,460) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.14% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 43.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.08 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 52.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.71 years
male: 63.18 years
female: 66.28 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean
Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan
slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract
laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children
of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day
Adventist
Languages: Portuguese (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe
local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Data code: TP
Government type: republic
Capital: Sao Tome
Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990
Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Guilherma Posser da COSTA (since
30 December 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in
2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved
by the president
election results: Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's
second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote--Miguel
TROVOADA 52.74%, Manuel Pinto da COSTA 47.26%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party--MLSTP-PSD 56%, PCD
14.5%%, ADI 29%; seats by party--MLSTP-PSD 31, ADI 16, PCD 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic Convergence
Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or
other small parties
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Sao Tome and Principe does
not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to
the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located
at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is
accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes
periodic visits to the islands
Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
(double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy--overview: This small poor island economy has become
increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence over 20 years
ago. However, cocoa production has substantially declined because of
drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for
export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao
Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer
goods, and a significant amount of food. Over the years, it has been
unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on
concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Considerable potential
exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has
taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government
also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies, but
economic growth has remained sluggish. Sao Tome is also optimistic
that significant petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its
territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea.
Corruption scandals continue to weaken the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$164 million (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 23%
industry: 19%
services: 58% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: population mainly engaged in
subsistence agriculture and fishing
note: there are shortages of skilled workers
Unemployment rate: 50% in the formal business sector (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $58 million
expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54
million (1993 est.)
Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish
processing; timber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 15 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 46.67%
hydro: 53.33%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 15 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,
cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Exports: $5.3 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: cocoa 90%, copra, coffee, palm oil (1997)
Exports--partners: Netherlands 51%, Germany 6%, Portugal 6% (1997)
Imports: $19.2 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food
products, petroleum products
Imports--partners: Portugal 26%, France 18%, Angola, Belgium,
Japan (1997)
Debt--external: $267 million (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $57.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1--6,873.5 (October 1998),
4,552.5 (1997), 2,203.2 (1996), 1,420.3 (1995), 732.6 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: minimal system
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 33,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 320 km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome
Merchant marine:
total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,610 GRT/9,446
DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Security Police
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 31,724 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 16,766 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $500,000 (1994)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.5% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Saudi Arabia
------------
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red
Sea, north of Yemen
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 4,415 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
Coastline: 2,640 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 56%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,350 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms