GDP per capita: $24,000 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 55%
services: 43% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 794,400 (1993 est.)
by occupation: industry and commerce 56%, services 38%, agriculture
6% (1990 est.)
note: 80% of labor force is foreign (est.)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1988)
Budget:
revenues: $4.6 billion
expenditures: $4.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction
materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate: -1.1% (1994 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 4,760,000 kW
production: 16.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,796 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy
products; fish
Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and
money-laundering center
Exports: $25.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: crude oil 66%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
partners: Japan 45%, India 6%, Oman 6%, South Korea 5%, Iran 5%
(1994)
Imports: $21.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
food
partners: Japan 11%, UK 8%, Germany 8%, US 8%, Italy 7% (1994)
External debt: $11.6 billion (1994 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
Exchange rates: Emirian dirhams (Dh) per US$1 - 3.6710 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
--------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 3,000 km
paved: 3,000 km
unpaved: 0 km (1993 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas
liquids, 870 km
Ports: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal
'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al
Qaywayn
Merchant marine:
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,068,980 GRT/1,876,504
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 2, container 7,
liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 22,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 36
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 9
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 10
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 677,793 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: modern system consisting of microwave radio
relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar,
Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 545,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 12
Televisions: 170,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
-------
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal
Police Force)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 1,102,080
males fit for military service: 599,439
males reach military age (18) annually: 21,250 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion,
4.3% of GDP (1994)
======================================================================
@United Kingdom
--------------
Map
---
Location: 54 00 N, 2 00 W -- Western Europe, islands including the
northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Flag
----
Description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint
of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the
diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors
(especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of
other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and
others
Geography
---------
Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth
of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the
North Sea, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 244,820 sq km
land area: 241,590 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Land boundaries:
total: 360 km
border country: Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
accordance with agreed upon boundaries
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Northern Ireland question with Ireland;
Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British
Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving
Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a
boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in
Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)
Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over
the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
overcast
Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling
plains in east and southeast
lowest point: Fenland -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone,
iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica
Land use:
arable land: 29%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 48%
forest and woodland: 9%
other: 14%
Irrigated land: 1,570 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants
contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural
wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal
of sewage at sea
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification
Geographic note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35
km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125
km from tidal waters
People
------
Population: 58,489,975 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 5,853,545; female 5,565,153)
15-64 years: 65% (male 19,050,420; female 18,797,406)
65 years and over: 15% (male 3,753,361; female 5,470,090) (July 1996
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.22% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 13.12 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 11.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.41 years
male: 73.78 years
female: 79.17 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
adjective: British
Ethnic divisions: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh
1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions: Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1
million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000,
Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)
note: the UK does not include a question on religion in its census
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales),
Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling (1978 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
----------
Name of country:
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland
conventional short form: United Kingdom
abbreviation: UK
Data code: UK
Type of government: constitutional monarchy
Capital: London
Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26
districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas
England: 39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford,
Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall,
Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex,
Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire,
Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent,
Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton,
Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire,
Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and
Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*,
Wiltshire
Northern Ireland: 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena,
Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh,
Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne,
Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and
Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
Scotland: 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries
and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*,
Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*
Wales: 8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan,
Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan
Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean
Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands,
Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special
Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man,
Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the
South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
Saturday in June)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice
Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern
continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a
hereditary monarch; Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen,
born 14 November 1948)
head of government: Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November
1990) is the leader of the party which holds the majority in the
House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
House of Lords: consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths are
hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving
and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish
peers
House of Commons: elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held
by NA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%,
Liberal Democratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total)
Conservative 336, Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24
Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party,
John MAJOR; Labor Party, Anthony (Tony) Blair; Liberal Democrats
(LD), Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND;
Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), David TRIMBLE; Democratic
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Social
Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn
Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS; Alliance Party (Northern
Ireland), John ALDERDICE
Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress;
Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5,
G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE,
PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR,
UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-1340
FAX: [1] (202) 898-4255
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr.
embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000
FAX: [44] (71) 409-1637
consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the
diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors
(especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of
other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and
others
Economy
-------
Economic overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading
powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four
largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic;
over the past 13 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public
ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.
Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by
European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only
about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and
oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP,
one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services,
particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by
far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to
decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force. The
economy registered 3.9% GDP growth in 1994, the best rate for six
years, but slipped back to 2.7% in 1995. Exports and manufacturing
output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is
gradually falling. Inflation is at a tolerable 3%. A major economic
policy question for the UK in the 1990s is the terms on which it
participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1384 trillion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $19,500 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 27.7%
services: 70.6% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (November 1995)
Labor force: 28.048 million
by occupation: services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%,
government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)
Unemployment rate: 8% (December 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $388.9 billion
expenditures: $447.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95 est.)
Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric
power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment,
shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and
communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper
and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other
consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 65,360,000 kW
production: 303 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,123 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
sheep, poultry; fish
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering
the European market; producer of synthetic drugs; transshipment
point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center
Exports: $200.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals,
semifinished goods, transport equipment
partners: EU countries 56.4% (Germany 12.7%, France 9.9%,
Netherlands 7.0%), US 13.1%
Imports: $221.9 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods
partners: EU countries 54.9% (Germany 14.6%, France 10.0%,
Netherlands 6.7%), US 12.2%
External debt: $16.2 billion (June 1992)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $2.908 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 British pound (L) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January
1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992),
0.5652 (1991)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Transportation
--------------
Railways:
total: 17,561 km
broad gauge: 434 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all
1.600-m gauge track, of which 357 km is in common carrier use, is in
Northern Ireland
standard gauge: 16,892 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified;
12,591 km double or multiple track); note - 16,532 km of 1.435-m
routes are in common carrier service; the remaining 360 km are
operated by a total of 40 tourist or other private companies
narrow gauge: 235 km 0.260-m, 0.311-m, 0.381-m, 0.600-m, 0.610-m,
0.686-m, 0.760-m, 0.762-m, 0.800-m, 0.825-m, 0.914-m and 1.067-m
gauges; note - these short, narrow-gage lines are operated by a
total of 25 tourist and other private firms (1995)
Highways:
total: 386,243 km (1993 est.)
paved: NA km (including 3,237 km of expressways in Great Britain)
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: 3,200 km under British Waterways Board
Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum
products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km
Ports: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth, Hull,
Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Medway, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne
Merchant marine:
total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,191,969
GRT/3,861,239 DWT
ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 24,
liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 56, passenger 8, passenger-cargo
1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 14, specialized
tanker 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 388
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 9
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 29
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 103
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 59
with paved runways under 914 m: 166
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 22 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 10 (1995 est.)
Communications
--------------
Telephones: 29.5 million (1987 est.)
Telephone system: technologically advanced domestic and
international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations
- 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large
international switching centers
Radio broadcast stations: AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0
Radios: 70 million
Television broadcast stations: 207 (repeaters 3,210)
Televisions: 20 million
Defense
-------
Branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air
Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 14,515,077
males fit for military service: 12,102,431 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $35.1 billion,
3.1% of GDP (FY95/96)
======================================================================
@United States
-------------
Map
---
Location: 38 00 N, 97 00 W -- North America, bordering both the
North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and
Mexico
Flag
----
Description: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and
bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the
upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto
Rico
Geography
---------
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 W
Map references: North America
Area:
total area: 9,372,610 sq km
land area: 9,166,600 sq km
comparative area: about one-half the size of Russia; about
three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South
America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than
China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Land boundaries:
total: 12,248 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
part of Cuba
Coastline: 19,924 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada
(Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal
Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and
only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate
the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial
claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does
not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall
Islands claims Wake Island
Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and
arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains
Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates,
uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver,
tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 26%
forest and woodland: 29%
other: 25%
Irrigated land: 181,020 sq km (1989 est.)