coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 43%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and
volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Environment--current issues: deforestation results as more and
more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some
damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and
shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
People
Population: 109,082 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.8% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 37.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.78 years
male: 67.73 years
female: 72.22 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.56 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan
Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000
adherents)
Languages: Tongan, English
Literacy:
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5%
male: 98.4%
female: 98.7% (1996 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands
Data code: TN
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Nuku'alofa
Administrative divisions: three island groups; Ha'apai,
Tongatapu, Vava'u
Independence: 4 June 1970 (emancipation from UK protectorate)
National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system: based on English law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991)
and Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch and
the Cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea
(30 seats--12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine
for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by
popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 24-25 January 1996 (next to be held NA March
1999)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--7 proreform, 2
traditionalist
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
monarch; Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the
Supreme Court sits as the Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Tonga People's Party [Viliami
FUKOFUKA]
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tonga does not have an
embassy in the US; Ambassador Akosita FINEANGANOFO, resides in
London; address: Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, c/o Tonga High
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle
in the upper hoist-side corner
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which
contributes 32% to GDP. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans
are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of
total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its
food, mainly from New Zealand. The industrial sector accounts for
only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency
earnings. The country remains dependent on sizable external aid and
remittances to offset its trade deficit. The government is
emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the
encouragement of investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$232 million (FY97/98 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -1.5% (FY97/98 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,100 (FY97/98 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 32%
industry: 10%
services: 58% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 36,665 (1994)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.8% (FY93/94)
Budget:
revenues: $49 million
expenditures: $120 million, including capital expenditures of $75
million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: tourism, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (FY95/96)
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: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla
beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Exports: $11.9 million (f.o.b., FY97/98)
Exports--commodities: squash, fish, vanilla, root crops, coconut
oil
Exports--partners: Japan 43%, US 19%, Canada 14%, NZ 5%, Australia
5% (1996 est.)
Imports: $78.9 million (f.o.b., FY97/98)
Imports--commodities: food products, live animals, machinery and
transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals
Imports--partners: NZ 34%, Australia 16%, US 10%, UK 8%, Japan 6%
(1996 est.)
Debt--external: $62 million (1998)
Economic aid--recipient: $38.8 million (1995)
Currency: 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Exchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1--1.6171 (December 1998),
1.4921 (1998), 1.2635 (1997), 1.2323 (1996), 1.2709 (1995), 1.3202
(1994)
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 6,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 66,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 2,000 (1994 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 680 km
paved: 184 km
unpaved: 496 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,754 GRT/25,969 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas
tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Tonga Defense Services (includes, Royal Tongan
Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Maritime Force, Police); note--a new
Air Wing which will be subordinate to the Defense Ministry is being
developed
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Trinidad and Tobago
-------------------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5,130 sq km
land: 5,130 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other
tropical storms
Environment--current issues: water pollution from agricultural
chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of
beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 1,102,096 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 150,862; female 144,589)
15-64 years: 66% (male 377,894; female 346,375)
65 years and over: 7% (male 37,001; female 45,375) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.35% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -19.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.56 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.66 years
male: 68.19 years
female: 73.19 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups: black 40%, East Indian (a local term--primarily
immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese
1%, other 3.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 32.2%, Hindu 24.3%, Anglican 14.4%,
other Protestant 14%, Muslim 6%, none or unknown 9.1%
Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.8%
female: 97% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Data code: TD
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1
ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint
Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*,
Tobago**, Victoria
Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution: 1 August 1976
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 19
March 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Basdeo PANDAY (since 9 November
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
five-year term; election last held NA February 1997 (next to be held
NA 2002); prime minister appointed from among the members of
Parliament; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party in the House of Representatives is usually appointed
prime minister
election results: Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON elected
president; percent of electoral college vote--69%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(31 seats; members appointed by the president for a maximum term of
five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives--last held 6 November 1995 (next
to be held by December 2000)
election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote--PNM 52%,
UNC 42.2%, NAR 5.2%; seats by party--PNM 15, UNC 19, NAR 1,
independent 1; note--the UNC formed a coalition with the NAR
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly, with 15 members
serving four-year terms
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the
president on the advice of the prime minister); Supreme Court
(judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime
minister)
Political parties and leaders: People's National Movement or PNM
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC,
CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. ARNEAUD
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward E. SHUMAKER, III
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
the upper hoist side
Economy
Economy--overview: Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as
an excellent investment site for international businesses.
Successful economic reforms were implemented in 1995, and foreign
investment and trade are flourishing. Unemployment--a main cause of
the country's socioeconomic problems--is high, but has decreased to
its lowest point in six years. An investment boom in the energy
sector led to a surge in imports in 1997. The resulting trade
deficit is expected to return to a surplus once construction is
completed and the plants come on line. The petrochemical sector has
spurred growth in other related sectors, reinforcing the
government's commitment to economic diversification. Tourism is a
major foreign exchange earner, with 260,000 arrivals in 1995, 80%
from Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.85 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$8,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 44%
services: 53.8% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1997)
Labor force: 541,000 (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: construction and utilities 12.4%,
manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, agriculture 9.5%, services
64.1% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14% (June 1998)
Budget:
revenues: $1.59 billion
expenditures: $1.54 billion, including capital expenditures of
$165.8 million (1997)
Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,
cement, beverage, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1995)
Electricity--production: 4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee,
vegetables; poultry
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Exports--partners: US 39.7%, Caricom countries 24.5%, Latin
America 10.3%, EU 8.2% (1997)
Imports: $3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery, transportation equipment,
manufactured goods, food, live animals
Imports--partners: US 52.2%, Latin America 16.5%, EU 13.8%, Japan
3.6% (1997)
Debt--external: $2.8 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $121.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1--6.2761
(January 1999), 6.2840 (1998), 6.2517 (1997), 6.0051 (1996), 5.9478
(1995), 5.9249 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
Communications
Telephones: 170,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: excellent international service; good local
service
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 10, shortwave 0
Radios: 700,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando;
railway service was discontinued in 1968
Highways:
total: 8,320 km
paved: 4,252 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural
gas 904 km
Ports and harbors: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas,
Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora
Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,336 GRT/2,567 DWT
(1998 est.)
Airports: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (includes
Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago
Police Service
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 312,870 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 223,200 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $83 million (1994)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis
======================================================================
@Tromelin Island
---------------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3.7 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sandy
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (scattered bushes)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: climatologically important location for
forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tromelin Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Tromelin
Data code: TE
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy--overview: no economic activity
Communications
Communications--note: important meteorological station
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar and Mauritius
======================================================================
@Tunisia
-------
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km
water: 8,250 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Coastline: 1,148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
summers; desert in south
Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid
south merges into the Sahara
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc,
salt
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 44% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,850 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is
ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from
raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography--note: strategic location in central Mediterranean
People
Population: 9,513,603 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 1,513,296; female 1,417,166)
15-64 years: 63% (male 3,006,029; female 3,018,411)
65 years and over: 6% (male 283,026; female 275,675) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.39% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 19.72 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.05 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 31.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.35 years
male: 71.95 years
female: 74.86 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%