Net migration rate: -7.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.87 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.13 years
male: 62.5 years
female: 74.05 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian
Ethnic divisions: Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.2%,
Byelorussian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.1% (1989)
Religions: Lutheran, Orthodox Christian
Languages: Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
Government
----------
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: EN
Type of government: republic
Capital: Tallinn
Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular -
maakond): Harju maakond (Tallinn), Hiiu maakond (Kardla), Ida-Viru
maakond (Johvi), Jarva maakond (Paide), Jogeva maakond (Jogeva),
Laane maakond (Haapsalu), Laane-Viru maakond (Rakvere), Parnu
maakond (Parnu), Polva maakond (Polva), Rapla maakond (Rapla), Saare
maakond (Kuessaare), Tartu maakond (Tartu), Valga maakond (Valga),
Viljandi maakond (Viljandi), Voru maakond (Voru)
note: county centers are in parentheses
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lennart MERI (since 21 October 1992) was
elected for a five-year term by Parliament; election last held 20
September 1992 (next to be held fall 1996); results - no candidate
received majority; Parliament elected Lennart MERI
head of government: Acting Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (since NA March
1995); the president nominated and Parliament authorized the
candidate for prime minister
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament (Riigikogu): elections last held 5 March 1995 (next to be
held NA 1999); results - KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K 14.17%, Pro Patria
and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and Right-Wingers 5.0%;
seats - (101 total) KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8, Our Home is
Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5
Judicial branch: National Court
Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party and Rural Union
(KMU), Tiit VAHI, chairman, made up of 4 parties: Coalition Party,
Country People's Party, Farmer's Assembly, and Pensioners' and
Families' League; Reform Party-Liberals (RE), Siim KALLAS, chairman;
Center Party (K), Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Union of Pro Patria or
Fatherland Alliance (Isamaa of Fatherland), Toivo JURGENSON,
chairman; National Independence Party (ERSP), Kelam TUNNE, chairman,
note - may have disappeared since the last election; Our Home is
Estonia made up of 2 parties: United Peoples Party and the Russian
People's Party of Estonia; United Peoples Party, Viktor ANDREJEV,
chairman; Russian People's Party of Estonia, Sergei KUZNETSOV,
chairman; Moderates (M) made up of 2 parties: Social Democratic
Party and Rural Center Party; Social Democratic Party, Eiki NESTOR,
chairman; Rural Center Party, Vambo KAAL, chairman; Right-Wingers,
Ulo NUGIS, chairman
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner),
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Toomas Hendrik ILVES
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 789-0471
consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence P. TAYLOR
embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [372] (6) 312-021
FAX: [372] (6) 312-025
Flag: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy
-------
Economic overview: Estonia continues to experience strong economic
growth after its economy bottomed out in 1993. Bolstered by a
widespread national desire to reintegrate into Western Europe,
Estonia has adhered to disciplined fiscal and financial policies and
has led the FSU countries in pursuing economic reform. Monthly
inflation has been held to under 5% since the beginning of 1992,
with monthly inflation in 1995 at 2%. Following four years of
decline, Estonia's GDP grew 5% in 1994 and 6% in 1995 - among the
highest rates in Europe, according to estimates of the IMF and
Estonia's own Economic Ministry. Despite these positive economic
indicators, unemployment - 8% in 1994 - is on the rise, and wages -
especially for teachers and law enforcement personnel - have not
kept pace with inflation. Small- and medium-scale privatization is
essentially complete, and large-scale privatization is progressing,
but slowly. Estonia has successfully reoriented it trade toward the
West, two-thirds of exports now going to Western markets. Estonia's
free trade policies were the cornerstone of its negotiations with
the European Union, and led to the signing of an association
agreement in June 1995. Estonia was the only Baltic state not to
have a transition period imposed by the EU prior to its
implementation of a free trade agreement.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (1995 estimate as
extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP real growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $7,600 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 37%
services: 53% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 29% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 750,000 (1992)
by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and
forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 8% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $620 million
expenditures: $582 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(January-October 1995)
Industries: oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors,
excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes,
apparel
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 3,420,000 kW
production: 11.3 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 6,528 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and dairy
products; fish
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central
and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; very limited
illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic consumption
Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: textile 14%, food products 11%, vehicles 11%, metals
11% (1993)
partners: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany
Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: machinery 18%, fuels 15%, vehicles 14%, textiles 10%
(1993)
partners: Finland, Russia, Germany, Sweden
External debt: $270 million (January 1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $147 million (1993)
note: Western commitments $285 million (including international
financial institutions)
Currency: 1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August
1992)
Exchange rates: krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 11.523 (December 1995),
11.465 (1995), 12.991 (1994), 13.223 (1993); note - krooni are tied
to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
--------------
Railways:
total: 1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include
dedicated industrial lines
broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)
Highways:
total: 14,771 km
paved: 8,124 km (including 62 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,647 km (1993)
Waterways: 500 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)
Ports: Haapsalu, Narva, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine:
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 353,140 GRT/467,086 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 33, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 6, short-sea passenger 4 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 22
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4
with unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 400,000
Telephone system: system is antiquated; improvements are being
made piecemeal, with emphasis on business needs and international
connections; there are still about 150,000 unfulfilled requests for
subscriber service
domestic: substantial investment has been made in cellular systems
which are operational throughout Estonia
international: international traffic is carried to the other former
Soviet republics by landline or microwave radio relay and to other
countries partly by leased connection to the Moscow international
gateway switch and partly by a new Tallinn-Helsinki fiber-optic,
submarine cable which gives Estonia access to international circuits
everywhere; access to the international packet-switched digital
network via Helsinki
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0
Radios: 710,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
note: provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first
and second programs
Televisions: 600,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
-------
Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force (not
officially sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense
League (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops),
Coast Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 357,835
males fit for military service: 280,757
males reach military age (18) annually: 10,525 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $35 million, 1.5%
of GDP (1995)
======================================================================
@Ethiopia
--------
Map
---
Location: 8 00 N, 38 00 E -- Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Flag
----
Description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow,
and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating
from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on
the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in
Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other
African countries upon independence that they became known as the
pan-African colors
Geography
---------
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 1,127,127 sq km
land area: 1,119,683 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,311 km
border countries: Djibouti 337 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 830 km,
Somalia 1,626 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: southern half of the boundary with Somalia
is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with
Somalia over the Ogaden
Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
Rift Valley
lowest point: Denakil -125 m
highest point: Ras Dashen Terara 4,620 m
Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 41%
forest and woodland: 24%
other: 22%
Irrigated land: 1,620 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification; famine
natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible
to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified
- Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea
was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993
People
------
Population: 57,171,662 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 13,116,158; female 13,080,276)
15-64 years: 51% (male 14,782,995; female 14,624,779)
65 years and over: 3% (male 728,808; female 838,646) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.72% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 46.05 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 17.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan, Kenya and
Somalia for refuge from war and famine in earlier years, is expected
to continue in 1996; entry into Ethiopia of Sudanese and Somalis
fleeing the fighting in their own countries is also continuing in
1996
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 122.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.85 years
male: 45.71 years
female: 48.02 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective: Ethiopian
Ethnic divisions: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%,
Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist
12%, other 5%
Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga,
Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 35.5%
male: 45.5%
female: 25.3%
Government
----------
Name of country:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
conventional short form: Ethiopia
local long form: none
local short form: Ityop'iya
abbreviation: FDRE
Data code: ET
Type of government: federal republic
note: on 28 May 1991 the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic
Front (EPRDF) toppled the authoritarian government of MENGISTU
Haile-Mariam and took control in Addis Ababa; a new constitution was
promulgated in December 1994 and national and regional popular
elections were held in May and June 1995
Capital: Addis Ababa
Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically-based administrative
regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1
federal capital*: Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benshangul/Gumaz;
Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities and
Peoples; Tigray
Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the
oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
National holiday: National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of Mengistu
regime)
Constitution: new constitution promulgated in December 1994
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since NA August 1995)
elected by the Council of People's Representatives following the
elections of legislators in May and June 1995
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
1995) designated by the party in power, EPRDF, following the
elections of legislators in May and June 1995
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the Council of People's Representatives
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature
Federal Council: upper chamber, having NA members, represents the
ethnic interests of the regional governments and is elected by the
regional assemblies
Council of People's Representatives: lower chamber, having 550
members, elected by popular vote
note: both bodies have five-year terms of office; regional and
national popular elections were held in May and June 1995; results -
EPRDF swept nearly all seats
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national
legislature
Political parties and leaders: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary
Democratic Front (EPRDF), MELES Zenawi
Other political or pressure groups: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF);
All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's
Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have
formed since MENGISTU'S resignation, including several Islamic
militant groups
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2281, 2282
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7950
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Irvin HICKS
embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone: [251] (1) 550666
FAX: [251] (1) 552191
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red
with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the
angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three
bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the
colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries
upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
Economy
-------
Economic overview: Ethiopia continues to face difficult economic
problems as one of the poorest and least developed countries in
Africa. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for
about half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment;
coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The agricultural sector
suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor cultivation
practices, and deterioration of internal security conditions. The
manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the
agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less than
10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is considering
selling off a portion of state-owned plants and is implementing
reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the economy. A major
medium-term problem is the improvement of roads, water supply, and
other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected during years of
civil strife.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 48%
industry: 15%
services: 37% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY93/94)
Labor force: 18 million
by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and
services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.2 billion
expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $707
million (FY93/94)
Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals,
metals processing, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 460,000 kW
production: 1.3 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane,
potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats
Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as
cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat
(chat) for local use and regional export
Exports: $296 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: coffee, leather products, gold
partners: Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy
Imports: $972 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, fuel
partners: US, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan
External debt: $3.7 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $1.036 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1 - 6.3200 (December 1995),
6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.0000 (fixed rate 1992-93); fixed at
2.070 before 1992; note - official rate pegged to the US$
Fiscal year: 8 July - 7 July
Transportation
--------------
Railways:
total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railroad)
narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 24,127 km
paved: 3,289 km
unpaved: 20,838 km (1993 est.)
Ports: none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea
may use the ports of Assab and Massawa
Merchant marine:
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 62,627 GRT/88,908 DWT
ships by type: cargo 8, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995
est.)
Airports:
total: 58
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 6
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 5
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 29 (1995 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 100,000 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: open wire and microwave radio relay system
adequate for government use
domestic: open wire and microwave radio relay
international: open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio
relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 9.9 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
-------
Branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Police
note: following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopia's naval
facilities remained in Eritrea's possession; current reorganization
plans do not include a navy
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 12,912,144
males fit for military service: 6,707,180
males reach military age (18) annually: 583,724 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $140 million,
4.1% of GDP (FY93/94)
======================================================================
@Europa Island
-------------
(possession of France)
Map
---
Location: 22 20 S, 40 22 E -- Southern Africa, island in the
Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern
Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Flag
----
Description: the flag of France is used
Geography
---------
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 22 20 S, 40 22 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 28 sq km
land area: 28 sq km
comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 22.2 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 24 m
Natural resources: negligible
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA% (heavily wooded)
other: NA%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: wildlife sanctuary
People
------