blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of
Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background
at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
rivers, and above it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an
inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the
Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist
side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
Economy
Economy--overview: Today, Slovenia exhibits one of the highest per
capita GDPs of the transition economies of the region, fairly
moderate inflation, and a comfortable level of international
reserves. Slovenia received an invitation in 1997 to begin accession
negotiations with the EU--a reflection of its sound economic footing.
Slovenia must press on with privatization, enterprise restructuring,
institution reform, and liberalization of financial markets, thereby
creating conditions conducive to foreign investment and the
maintenance of a stable tolar. Critical to the future success of the
economy is the development of export sales in increasingly
competitive international markets.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$20.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 35%
services: 60% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 24.5% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 857,400
Labor force--by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $8.48 billion
expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $455
million (1996 est.)
Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products,
aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting,
electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)
Electricity--production: 12.075 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.58%
hydro: 29.31%
nuclear: 36.11%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 11.295 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 2.03 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 1.25 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn,
grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Exports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods 45%, machinery and
transport equipment 30%, chemicals 10%, food 3% (1997)
Exports--partners: Germany 29%, Italy 15%, Croatia 10%, France,
Austria, US (1997)
Imports: $9.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 31%,
manufactured goods 31%, chemicals 11%, fuels and lubricants, food
(1997)
Imports--partners: Germany 21%, Italy 17%, France 10%, Austria 8%,
Croatia 5%, Hungary, US (1997)
Debt--external: $4.4 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)
Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins
Exchange rates: tolars (SlT) per US$1--162.50 (January 1999),
166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997), 135.36 (1996), 118.52 (1995), 128.81
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 691,240 (1997 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: 70% digital; full digitalization scheduled by 2000
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 0
note: there are more than 20 regional and local radio broadcast
stations
Radios: 596,100 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 23 (consisting of 20 network
stations and three private stations; there are also about 400
low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 454,400 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 489 km) (1998)
Highways:
total: 14,830 km
paved: 12,309 km (including 251 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,521 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: NA
Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km
Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran
Airports: 14 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 530,182 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 421,864 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 15,294 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $272 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.8% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: significant progress has been made with
Croatia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct
access to the sea in the Adriatic; Italy and Slovenia made progress
in resolving bilateral issues
Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe and for precursor chemicals
======================================================================
@Solomon Islands
---------------
Introduction
Background: In 1893, Britain made the southern Solomon Islands a
protectorate. Other islands were added to the group, including some
ceded to Britain by Germany. The Solomon Islands were occupied by
the Japanese during World War II. Following the war, internal
self-government was established in 1976, and independence from the
UK came two years later. Current issues include government deficits,
deforestation, and malaria control.
Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
east of Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
water: 910 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates,
lead, zinc, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 88%
other: 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive;
geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic
activity
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of
the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 455,429 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 103,844; female 99,972)
15-64 years: 52% (male 120,518; female 117,298)
65 years and over: 3% (male 6,808; female 6,989) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.18% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 35.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.11 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.09 years
male: 69.55 years
female: 74.75 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other
Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and
Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been
abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: English common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU (since 27
August 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Sir Baddeley DEVESI (since 27
August 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats;
members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--GNUR
21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: characterized by fluid coalitions;
TAUSINGA] (leader of opposition); People's Alliance Party or PAP
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the
country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the
ambassador to the US)
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the
ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from
the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
lower triangle is green
Economy
Economy--overview: The bulk of the population depend on
agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their
livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be
imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such
as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Economic troubles in Southeast Asia
led to a steep downturn in the timber industry, and economic output
declined by about 10% in 1998. The government instituted public
service pay cuts and other retrenchments.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.15 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -10% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,600 (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): 11.8% (1996)
Labor force: 26,842
Labor force--by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry,
and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%,
construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $147 million
expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 30 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice,
potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $184 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
Exports--partners: Japan 50%, Spain 16%, UK, Thailand 5% (1996)
Imports: $151 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
food and live animals, fuel
Imports--partners: Australia 42%, Japan 10%, Singapore 9%, NZ 8%,
US 5% (1996)
Debt--external: $145 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $46.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1--4.9334
(January 1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.5664 (1997), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914
(1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km
unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation
roads) (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor,
Yandina
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 33 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands
National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon
Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Somalia
-------
Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the
Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 637,660 sq km
land: 627,340 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,366 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February--northeast
monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
to October--southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in
north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of
iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 69%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over
eastern plains in summer
Environment--current issues: famine; use of contaminated water
contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; desertification
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography--note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along
southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and
Suez Canal
People
Population: 7,140,643 (July 1999 est.)
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the
US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated between
censuses by factoring in growth rates and by taking account of
refugee movements and losses due to famine; lower estimates of
Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million to 6.5
million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the
number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,588,025; female 1,584,770)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,898,794; female 1,865,487)
65 years and over: 3% (male 92,419; female 111,148) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.13% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 47.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 18.62 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.23 years
male: 44.66 years
female: 47.85 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.25 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 24%
male: 36%
female: 14% (1990 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
Capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural--NA,
singular--gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud,
Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag,
Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland,
which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September
1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the
United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General
Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political
situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random
banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha
Shacbiga
note: not functioning
Judicial branch: (not functioning); note--following the breakdown
of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law
with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan
factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an
embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy
in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P.
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star
in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian
Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Government--note: While chaos and clan fighting continue in most
of Somalia, some orderly government has been established in the
northern part. In May 1991, the elders of clans in former British
Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland,
which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable
existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan
and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian and
American military assistance programs. The economy has been growing
and in February 1996 the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of
the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been
assumed by the EU and by a non-governmental Italian organization.
Economy
Economy--overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed
countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy
has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most
important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and
about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are
dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large
portion of the population. After livestock, bananas are the
principal export; sugar, sorghum, corn, and fish are products for
the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the
processing of agricultural products, accounts for 10% of GDP; most
facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife.
Moreover, as of early 1999, ongoing civil disturbances in Mogadishu
and outlying areas are interfering with any substantial economic
advance.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$600 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 10%
services: 31% (1995 est.)
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: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993
est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism)
71%, industry and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining,
textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 258 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 258 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, mangoes,
sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Exports: $123 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)