population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Type: independent republic
Capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore,
Moheli; note--there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni,
Moroni, and Mutsamudu
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Said
Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)
Political parties: Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said
Mohamed Djohar, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC),
Mohamed Taki
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996);
results--Said Mohamed Djohar (Udzima) 55%; Mohamed Taki Abdulkarim
(UNDC) 45%;
Federal Assembly--last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March
1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(42 total) Udzima 42
Member of: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank,
IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery
(temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street,
2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010;
US--Ambassador Howard K. WALKER, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar);
Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni);
telephone 73-12-03
Flag: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the
crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four
white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent;
the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four
stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago--Mwali, Njazidja,
Nzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed
by the Comoros)
- Economy
Overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
several islands that have poor transportation links, a young and rapidly
increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level
of the labor force contributes to a low level of economic activity, high
unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign technical assistance.
Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the leading sector of the
economy. It contributes about 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor
force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in
food production, and rice, the main staple, accounts for 90% of imports.
During the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate
of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was less than 4% in 1986. Despite major
investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth
has stagnated since 1983.
GDP: $207 million, per capita $475; real growth rate 0.1% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.3% (1986)
Unemployment rate: over 16% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $75.2 million; expenditures $77.9 million,
including capital expenditures of $4.8 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $12 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra;
partners--US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2%
Imports: $52 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities--rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products,
consumer goods;
partners--Europe 62% (France 22%, other 40%), Africa 5%, Pakistan,
China
External debt: $238 million (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.4% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced,
55 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: perfume distillation
Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in
subsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for
export--vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, and copra; principal food
crops--coconuts, bananas, cassava; world's leading producer of essence of
ylang-ylang (for perfumes) and second-largest producer of vanilla; large net
food importer
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $9 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $371 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$18 million
Currency: Comoran franc (plural--francs); 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990),
319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985);
note--linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: 750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed
stone or gravel
Ports: Mutsamudu, Moroni
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft
Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio
communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar
and Reunion; over 1,800 telephones; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Presidential Guard, Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 97,504; 58,274 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 3% of GDP (1981)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Congo
- Geography
Total area: 342,000 km2; land area: 341,500 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: 5,504 km total; Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km,
Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km
Coastline: 169 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Disputes: long section with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite
(no division of the river or its islands has been made)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June
to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating
climate astride the Equator
Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium,
copper, phosphates, natural gas
Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 29% meadows and
pastures; 62% forest and woodland; 7% other
Environment: deforestation; about 70% of the population lives in
Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them
- People
Population: 2,242,274 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 110 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 55 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Congolese (sing., pl.); adjective--Congolese or Congo
Ethnic divisions: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75 tribes,
almost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in the south,
Sangha (20%) and M'Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the center; about
8,500 Europeans, mostly French
Religion: 50% Christian, 48% animist, 2% Muslim
Language: French (official); many African languages with Lingala and
Kikongo most widely used
Literacy: 62.9%
Labor force: 79,100 wage earners; 75% agriculture, 25% commerce, industry,
and government; 51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically
active (1985)
Organized labor: 20% of labor force (1979 est.)
- Government
Long-form name: People's Republic of the Congo
Type: people's republic
Capital: Brazzaville
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular--region);
Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha;
note--there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville
Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly Congo/Brazzaville)
Constitution: 8 July 1979
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
National holiday: National Day, 15 August (1960)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly
(Assemblee Nationale Populaire)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979);
Prime Minister Alphonse POATY-SOUCHLATY (since 6 August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: only party--Congolese Labor Party
(PCT), President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, leader
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 26-31 July 1989 (next to be held July 1993);
results--President Sassou-Nguesso unanimously reelected leader of the
PCT by the Party Congress, which automatically makes him president;
People's National Assembly--last held 24 September 1989 (next
to be held 1993); results--PCT is the only party;
seats--(153 total) single list of candidates nominated by the PCT
Communists: unknown number of Communists and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Congolese Socialist Youth
(UJSC), Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC), Revolutionary Union of Congolese
Women (URFC), General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Conference of East and Central African
States, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC,
UEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Benjamin BOUNKOULOU; Chancery at
4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 726-5500;
US--Ambassador-designate James Daniel PHILLIPS; Embassy at Avenue
Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville,
or Box C, APO New York 09662-0006); telephone 83-20-70 or 83-26-24
Flag: red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the
emblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like
the hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm
branches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
- Economy
Overview: Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the
economy, providing about two-thirds of government revenues and
exports. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo
to finance large-scale development projects with growth averaging 5%
annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The world decline in
oil prices, however, has forced the government to launch an austerity
program to cope with declining receipts and mounting foreign debts.
GDP: $2.2 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate - 3% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $382 million; expenditures $575 million,
including capital expenditures of $118 million (1988)
Exports: $912 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa,
sugar, diamonds;
partners--US, France, other EC
Imports: $494.4 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities--foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures,
capital equipment;
partners--France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil
External debt: $4.5 billion (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate - 5.9% (1987)
Electricity: 133,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced,
130 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: crude oil, cement, sawmills, brewery, sugar mill, palm
oil, soap, cigarettes
Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP (including fishing and
forestry); cassava accounts for 90% of food output; other crops--rice,
corn, peanuts, vegetables; cash crops include coffee and cocoa; forest
products important export earner; imports over 90% of food needs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $56 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.1 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $15 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$338 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs);
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF)
per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987),
346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 797 km, 1.067-meter gauge, single track (includes 285 km
that are privately owned)
Highways: 12,000 km total; 560 km bituminous surface treated; 850 km
gravel, laterite; 5,350 km improved earth; 5,240 km unimproved roads
Inland waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km
of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic
only
Pipelines: crude oil 25 km
Ports: Pointe-Noire (ocean port), Brazzaville (river port)
Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft
Airports: 51 total, 46 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: services adequate for government use; primary network
is composed of radio relay routes and coaxial cables; key centers are
Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; 18,100 telephones; stations--3 AM, 1 FM,
4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National People's Militia
Military manpower: males 15-49, 492,419; 250,478 fit for military
service; 23,622 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (1987)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Cook Islands
(free association with New Zealand)
- Geography
Total area: 240 km2; land area: 240 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or edge of continental margin;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 4% arable land; 22% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 74% other
Environment: subject to typhoons from November to March
Note: located 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean
- People
Population: 18,187 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 10 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Cook Islander(s); adjective--Cook Islander
Ethnic divisions: 81.3% Polynesian (full blood), 7.7% Polynesian and
European, 7.7% Polynesian and other, 2.4% European, 0.9% other
Religion: Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands
Christian Church
Language: English
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: 5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%,
industry 15%, and other 4% (1981)
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for
external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: became self-governing in free association with New Zealand
on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by
unilateral action
Constitution: 4 August 1965
National holiday: NA
Executive branch: British monarch, representative of the UK,
representative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note--the unicameral
House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no
legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Representative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA);
Representative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY
(since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA)
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey Henry;
Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent Ingram; Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke
Robati; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena Jonassen; Cook Islands People's Party,
Sadaraka Sadaraka
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections:
Parliament--last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by
January 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic
Tumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9,
independent 1
Member of: ADB, ESCAP (associate member), IDA, IFC, IMF, SPEC,
SPF
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing in free association
with New Zealand)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
centered in the outer half of the flag
- Economy
Overview: Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export
earners are fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to
a fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic development
is hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign markets and a lack of
natural resources and good transportation links. A large trade deficit is
annually made up for by remittances from emigrants and from foreign aid. Current
economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and
expanding the fishing industry.
GDP: $40.0 million, per capita $2,200 (1988 est.); real growth rate
5.3% (1986-88 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1988)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $34.4 million,
including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Exports: $4.0 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing;
partners--NZ 80%, Japan
Imports: $38.7 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber;
partners--NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 4,800 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced,
830 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fruit processing, tourism
Agriculture: export crops--copra, citrus fruits, pineapples,
tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops--yams, taro
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $128 million
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Zealand
dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6581 (January
1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Highways: 187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved
earth, 33 km unimproved earth
Ports: Avatiu
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 7 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations--2 AM, no FM, no TV; 10,000 radio receivers;
2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Coral Sea Islands
(territory of Australia)
- Geography
Total area: undetermined; includes numerous small islands and reefs
scattered over a sea area of about 1 million km2, with Willis Islets the
most important
Comparative area: undetermined
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other, mostly grass or scrub cover; Lihou Reef
Reserve and Coringa-Herald Reserve were declared National Nature Reserves
on 3 August 1982
Environment: subject to occasional tropical cyclones; no permanent
fresh water; important nesting area for birds and turtles
Note: the islands are located just off the northeast coast of
Australia in the Coral Sea
- People
Population: 3 meteorologists
- Government
Long-form name: Coral Sea Islands Territory
Type: territory of Australia administered by the Minister for
Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Graham
Richardson
Flag: the flag of Australia is used
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorages only
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Costa Rica
- Geography
Total area: 51,100 km2; land area: 50,660 km2; includes Isla del
Coco
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 639 km total; Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to
November)
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Natural resources: hydropower potential
Land use: 6% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 45% meadows and pastures;
34% forest and woodland; 8% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes;
deforestation; soil erosion
- People
Population: 3,032,795 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Costa Rican(s); adjective--Costa Rican
Ethnic divisions: 96% white (including mestizo), 2% black,
1% Indian, 1% Chinese
Religion: 95% Roman Catholic
Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy: 93%
Labor force: 868,300; industry and commerce 35.1%, government and
services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)
Organized labor: 15.1% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Costa Rica
Type: democratic republic
Capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia);
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction