and controls practically all foreign trade. The government has
undertaken several reforms in recent years designed to stem excess
liquidity, raise labor incentives, and increase the availability of
food, consumer goods, and services from depressed levels. The
liberalized agricultural markets introduced in October 1994, where
state and private farms are authorized to sell any above-quota
production at unrestricted prices, have broadened legal consumption
alternatives and reduced black market prices. The government's
efforts to reduce subsidies to loss-making enterprises and shrink
the money supply caused the black market exchange rate to move from
a peak of 120 pesos to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 25-30
pesos to the dollar at yearend 1995. The number of self-employed
workers licensed by the government increased more slowly in 1995,
from 160,000 at yearend 1994 to 190,000 in July 1995 and to about
210,000 in January 1996. Discussions continue within the leadership
over the relative affluence of self-employed workers and the growing
inequality of income in what has historically been a strictly
egalitarian society. The government released new economic data in
1995 which showed a 35% decline in GDP during 1989-1993, a drop
precipitated by the withdrawal of massive Soviet aid and prolonged
by Cuba's own economic inefficiencies. The decline in GDP apparently
was halted in 1994, and government officials claim that GDP
increased by 2.5% in 1995. Export earnings rose by 20% in 1995 to
$1.6 billion, largely on the strength of higher world prices for key
commodities and increased production of nickel through joint
ventures with a Canadian firm. Higher export revenues and new
credits from European firms and Mexico enabled Havana to increase
its imports for the first time in six years. Imports rose 21% to
almost $2.4 billion, or 30% of the 1989 level. Officials have
sharply criticized provisions of legislation under consideration in
the US Congress, which aims to curtail third-country investment in
expropriated US properties in Cuba and deny official assistance to
Havana.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,300 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 30%
services: 63% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 4.71 million economically active population (1989);
3,527,000 employed in state civilian sector (1989)
by occupation: services and government 30%, industry 22%,
agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and
communications 7% (June 1990)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: sugar, petroleum, food, tobacco, textiles, chemicals,
paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement,
fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 3,990,000 kW
production: 12 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,022 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes
and other tubers, beans; livestock
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: sugar, nickel, shellfish, tobacco, medical products,
citrus, coffee
partners: Canada 15%, China 15%, Russia 15% (1995 est.)
Imports: $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals
partners: Spain 15%, Mexico 15%, Russia 10%, (1995 est.)
External debt: $9.1 billion (convertible currency,1995); another
$20 billion owed to Russia (1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1 - 1.0000
(non-convertible, official rate, linked to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
--------------
Railways:
total: 4,677 km
standard gauge: 4,677 km 1.435-m gauge (132 km electrified)
note: a large amount of track is in private use by sugar plantations
Highways:
total: 26,500 km
paved: 14,575 km
unpaved: 11,925 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 240 km
Ports: Cienfuegos, La Habana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas,
Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba
Merchant marine:
total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 220,870 GRT/310,169 DWT
ships by type: cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 4,
oil tanker 9, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 9
note: Cuba owns an additional 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
462,517 DWT operating under the registries of Panama, Cyprus, Malta,
Belize, and Mauritius (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 156
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 7
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 14
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 9
with paved runways under 914 m: 87
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 31 (1995 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 430,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: among the world's least developed telephone
systems
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 150, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.14 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 58
Televisions: 2.5 million (1993 est.)
Defense
-------
Branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) includes ground forces,
Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Territorial Troops Militia (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT);
Interior Ministry Border Guards (TGF)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 3,053,431
females age 15-49: 3,009,852
males fit for military service: 1,898,644
females fit for military service: 1,866,313
males reach military age (17) annually: 65,182
females reach military age (17) annually: 61,960 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, roughly 4%
of GDP (1995 est.)
Defense note: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and
supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
======================================================================
@Cyprus
------
Map
---
Location: 35 00 N, 33 00 E -- Middle East, island in the
Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Flag
----
Description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island
(the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above
two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the
branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the
Greek and Turkish communities
Geography
---------
Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total area: 9,250 sq km (note - 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish area)
land area: 9,240 sq km
comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 648 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: 1974 hostilities divided the island into
two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the
Cypriot Government (59% of the island's land area) and a
Turkish-Cypriot area (37% of the island), that are separated by a UN
buffer zone (4% of the island); there are two UK sovereign base
areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of the island
Climate: temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool,
wet winters
Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south;
scattered but significant plains along southern coast
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Olympus 1,952 m
Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Land use:
arable land: 40%
permanent crops: 7%
meadows and pastures: 10%
forest and woodland: 18%
other: 25%
Irrigated land: 350 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir
catchments, seasonal disparity in rainfall, and most potable
resources concentrated in the Turkish Cypriot area); water pollution
from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of
wildlife habitats from urbanization
natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change
People
------
Population: 744,609 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 97,400; female 92,110)
15-64 years: 64% (male 240,716; female 238,039)
65 years and over: 11% (male 33,340; female 43,004) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.11% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 15.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 7.66 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.26 years
male: 74.11 years
female: 78.52 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot
Ethnic divisions:
total: Greek 78% (99.5% of the Greeks live in the Greek area; 0.5%
of the Greeks live in the Turkish area), Turkish 18% (1.3% of the
Turks live in the Greek area; 98.7% of the Turks live in the Turkish
area), other 4% (99.2% of the other ethnic groups live in the Greek
area; 0.8% of the other ethnic groups live in the Turkish area)
Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian
Apostolic, and other 4%
Languages: Greek, Turkish, English
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1987 est.)
total population: 94%
male: 98%
female: 91%
Government
----------
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish area refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic" or
the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Data code: CY
Type of government: republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began after the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified following the Turkish invasion of
the island in July 1974, which gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto
control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only
internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish
Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the
formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), which
has been recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly call for the
resolution of intercommunal differences and creation of a new
federal system of government
Capital: Nicosia
note: the Turkish area's capital is Lefkosa (Nicosia)
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia,
Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish area
administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of
Famagusta, and small parts of Nicosia and Larnaca
Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK)
note: Turkish area proclaimed self-rule on NA February 1975 from
Republic of Cyprus
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October
note: Turkish area celebrates 15 November as Independence Day
Constitution: 16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for
a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better
relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own
constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish area
passed by referendum on 5 May 1985
Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Glafcos CLERIDES
(since 28 February 1993) was elected for a five-year term by
universal suffrage; election last held 14 February 1993 (next to be
held NA February 1998); results - Glafcos CLERIDES 50.3%, Yeoryios
VASSILIOU 49.7%
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed jointly by the president
and vice president
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of the Turkish area
since 13 February 1975 (president is elected for a five-year term by
universal suffrage); Hakki ATUN has been "prime minister" of the
Turkish area since 1 January 1994; there is a Council of Ministers
(cabinet) in the Turkish area; elections last held 15 and 22 April
1995 (next to be held NA April 2000); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH
62.5%, Dervis EROGLU 37.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral
Greek area: House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon): elections
last held 19 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results - DISY
35.8%, AKEL (Communist) 30.6%, DIKO 19.5%, EDEK 10.9%; others 3.2%;
seats - (56 total) DISY 20, AKEL (Communist) 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 7
Turkish area: Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi):
elections last held 12 December 1993 (next to be held NA); results -
UBP 29.9%, DP 29.2%, CTP 24.2% TKP 13.3%, others 3.4%; seats - (50
total) UBP (conservative) 15, DP 16, CTP 13, TKP 5, UDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
Supreme Council of Judicature
note: there is also a Supreme Court in the Turkish area
Political parties and leaders:
Greek area: Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL, Communist
Party), Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS; Democratic Rally (DISY), Ioannis
MATSIS; Democratic Party (DIKO), Spyros KYPRIANOU; United Democratic
Union of the Center (EDEK), Vassos LYSSARIDIS; Socialist Democratic
Renewal Movement (ADISOK), Mikhalis PAPAPETROU; Liberal Party,
Nikolaos ROLANDIS; Free Democrats, Yeoryios VASSILIOU; New Horizons,
Nikolaos KOUTSOU, secretary general
Turkish area: National Unity Party (UBP), Dervis EROGLU; Communal
Liberation Party (TKP), Mustafa AKINCI; Republican Turkish Party
(CTP), Mehmet ALI TALAT; New Cyprus Party (YKP), Alpay DURDURAN;
Free Democratic Party (HDP), Ismet KOTAK; Nationalist Justice Party
(MAP), Zorlu TORE; Unity and Sovereignty Party (BEP), Arif Salih
KIRDAG; Democratic Party (DP), Serdar DENKTASH; National Birth Party
(UDP), Enver EMIN; the HDP, MAP, and VP merged under the label
National Struggle Unity Party (MMBP) to compete in the 12 December
1993 legislative election
Other political or pressure groups: United Democratic Youth
Organization (EDON, Communist controlled); Union of Cyprus Farmers
(EKA, Communist controlled); Cyprus Farmers Union (PEK, pro-West);
Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation (PEO, Communist controlled);
Confederation of Cypriot Workers (SEK, pro-West); Federation of
Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions (Turk-Sen); Confederation of
Revolutionary Labor Unions (Dev-Is)
International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE,
EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas J. JACOVIDES
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772
consulate(s) general: New York
note: Representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORMAN,
office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone [1] (202)
887-6198
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard A. BOUCHER
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 4536, FPO AE 09836
telephone: [357] (2) 476100
FAX: [357] (2) 465944
Flag: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the
name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two
green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
and Turkish communities
note: the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the
top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a
white field
Economy
-------
Economic overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small and
prosperous, but highly susceptible to external shocks. Industry
contributes 25% to GDP and employs 26% of the labor force, while the
service sector contributes 70% to GDP and employs 62% of the labor
force. After surging 9.7% in 1992, economic growth slowed to 1.6% in
1993 - its lowest level in two decades - because of the decline in
tourist arrivals associated with the recession in Western Europe,
Cyprus' main trading partner, and the loss in export competitiveness
due to a sharp rise in unit labor costs. However, real GDP picked up
in 1994 and 1995, as inflation fell from 4.7% to about 3%. Economic
prospects appear favorable for 1996: real GDP is likely to grow
between 3% and 4%, and inflation is likely to rise slightly to
3.5%-4.5%. The Turkish Cypriot economy has less than one-third the
per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by
Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing, and
foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. The economy remains
heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which
together employ about half of the work force. Moreover, the small,
vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal
tender. Economic growth sharply dropped during 1994 because of the
severe economic crisis affecting the mainland, and inflation soared
to 215%. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides
direct and indirect aid to nearly every sector; financial support
has risen and now equals in value about one-third of Turkish Cypriot
GDP.
GDP:
Greek area: purchasing power parity - $7.8 billion (1995 est.)
Turkish area: purchasing power parity - $520 million (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
Greek area: 5% (1995 est.)
Turkish area: 0.5% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita:
Greek area: $13,000 (1995 est.)
Turkish area: $3,900 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
Greek area - agriculture: 5.6%
Greek area - industry: 24.9%
Greek area - services: 69.5% (1994)
Turkish area - agriculture: 11.4%
Turkish area - industry: 22.9%
Turkish area - services: 65.7% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Greek area: 3% (1995 est.)
Turkish area: 215% (1994)
Labor force:
Greek area: 294,100
by occupation: services 61.5%, industry 26%, agriculture 12.5% (1994)
Turkish area: 75,320
by occupation: services 52.9%, industry 23.6%, agriculture 23.5%
(1994)
Unemployment rate:
Greek area: 2.7% (1994)
Turkish area: 1.6% (1994)
Budget:
revenues: Greek area - $2.3 billion, Turkish area - $246 million
expenditures: Greek area - $3.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $500 million, Turkish area - $350 million, including
capital expenditures of $75 million (1996 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products,
tourism, wood products
Industrial production growth rate:
Greek area: 3.7% (1994)
Turkish area: 2.6% (1992)
Electricity:
capacity: 550,000 kW
production: 2.3 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 2,903 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: potatoes, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, citrus,
vegetables
Illicit drugs: transit point for heroin via air routes and
container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey,
also some cocaine transits en route to Russia
Exports:
Greek area: $968 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and
shoes
partners: UK 16%, Lebanon 9%, Greece 8%, Russia 12%
Turkish area: $59 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: citrus, potatoes, textiles
partners: UK 48%, Turkey 22%
Imports:
Greek area: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed
grains, machinery
partners: UK 12%, Japan 9%, Italy 10%, Germany 9%, US 8%
Turkish area: $330 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery
partners: Turkey 48%, UK 19%
External debt:
Greek area: $1.4 billion (1994)
Economic aid:
Greek area - recipient: ODA, $NA
Turkish area: during 1977-93, received substantial grants and loans
from Turkey
Currency: 1 Cypriot pound (LC) = 100 cents; 1 Turkish lira (TL) =
100 kurus
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US1$ - 0.4628 (January 1996),
0.4522 (1995), 0.4915 (1994), 0.4970 (1993), 0.4502 (1992), 0.4633
(1991); Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 60,502.1 (January 1996),
45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992),
4,171.8 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
--------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
Greek area - total: 10,448 km
Greek area - paved: 5,694 km
Greek area - unpaved: 4,754 km
Turkish area - total: 6,116 km
Turkish area - paved: 5,278 km
Turkish area - unpaved: 838 km
Ports: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos Bay
Merchant marine:
total: 1,524 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,949,242
GRT/40,236,638 DWT
ships by type: bulk 490, cargo 562, chemical tanker 27, combination
bulk 53, combination ore/oil 22, container 115, liquefied gas tanker
3, multifunction large-load carrier 4, oil tanker 129, passenger 6,
passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 62, roll-on/roll-off cargo 28,
short-sea passenger 17, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 2
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 48
countries among which are Greece 706, Germany 171, Russia 44,
Netherlands 31, Belgium 30, Japan 29, Cuba 21, UK 17, Spain 14, and
Hong Kong 13 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 15
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 3
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1995 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 331,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: excellent in both the Greek and Turkish areas
domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic
submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations:
Greek area: AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 0
Turkish area: AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios:
Greek area: 270,000 (1993 est.)
Turkish area: 42,170 (1985 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
Greek area: 1 (repeaters 34)
Turkish area: 1
Televisions:
Greek area: 107,000 (1992 est.)
Turkish area: 75,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
-------
Branches:
Greek area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and
naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
Turkish area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 190,372
males fit for military service: 130,880
males reach military age (18) annually: 5,749 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $493 million,
5.6% of GDP (1995)
======================================================================
@Czech Republic
--------------
Map
---
Location: 49 45 N, 15 30 E -- Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Flag
----
Description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost
identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Geography
---------
Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 78,703 sq km
land area: 78,645 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 1,880 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
Slovakia 214 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600
sq km of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918;
Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in
connection with their expulsion after World War II versus the Czech
Republic claims that restitution does not precede February 1948 when
the Communists seized power; unresolved property issues with
Slovakia over redistribution of property of the former Czechoslovak
federal government
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills,
and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
consists of very hilly country
lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest
Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks;
acid rain damaging forests
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not
ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geographic note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of
oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
the Danube in central Europe
People
------
Population: 10,321,120 (July 1996 est.)