autobahn, 32,460 km national highways (Bundesstrassen), 65,425 km state
highways (Landesstrassen), 65,248 km county roads (Kreisstrassen); 296,737
km of secondary communal roads (Gemeindestrassen)
Inland waterways: 5,222 km, of which almost 70% are usable by
craft of 1,000-metric ton capacity or larger; major rivers include the
Rhine and Elbe; Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic
Sea and the North Sea
Pipelines: crude oil, 2,343 km; refined products, 3,446 km; natural gas,
95,414 km
Ports: maritime--Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Cuxhaven, Emden, Bremen,
Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Wilhelmshaven; inland--27 major
Merchant marine: 422 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,436,568
GRT/4,297,520 DWT; includes 2 passenger, 7 short-sea passenger, 218 cargo,
4 refrigerated cargo, 95 container, 20 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 railcar
carrier, 7 barge carrier, 2 multifunction large-load carrier, 12 petroleum,
oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 21 chemical tanker, 15 liquefied gas,
5 combination ore/oil, 13 combination bulk
Civil air: 194 major transport aircraft
Airports: 466 total, 457 usable; 240 with permanent-surface runways; 3
with runways over 3,659 m; 41 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 55 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: highly developed, modern telecommunication service
to all parts of the country; fully adequate in all respects; 40,300,000
telephones; stations--87 AM, 205 (376 relays) FM, 300 (6,400 relays)
TV; 6 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations operating in
INTELSAT (12 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT, and domestic
systems
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 16,006,352; 13,883,536 fit for military
service; 326,666 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (1989 est.)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Ghana
- Geography
Total area: 238,540 km2; land area: 230,020 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: 2,093 km total; Burkina 548 km, Ivory Coast 668 km,
Togo 877 km
Coastline: 539 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese,
fish, rubber
Land use: 5% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 15% meadows and pastures;
37% forest and woodland; 36% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: recent drought in north severely affecting marginal
agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; dry,
northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
Note: Lake Volta is world's largest artificial lake
- People
Population: 15,165,243 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Ghanaian(s); adjective--Ghanaian
Ethnic divisions: 99.8% black African (major tribes--44% Akan,
16% Moshi-Dagomba, 13% Ewe, 8% Ga), 0.2% European and other
Religion: 38% indigenous beliefs, 30% Muslim, 24% Christian, 8% other
Language: English (official); African languages include Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga
Literacy: 53.2%
Labor force: 3,700,000; 54.7% agriculture and fishing, 18.7% industry,
15.2% sales and clerical, 7.7% services, transportation, and communications,
3.7% professional; 48% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: 467,000 (about 13% of labor force)
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Ghana
Type: military
Capital: Accra
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central,
Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta,
Western
Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK, formerly Gold Coast)
Constitution: 24 September 1979; suspended 31 December 1981
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Executive branch: chairman of the Provisional National Defense
Council (PNDC), PNDC, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly dissolved after 31
December 1981 coup, and legislative powers were assumed by the
Provisional National Defense Council
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--Chairman of the Provisional
National Defense Council Flt. Lt. (Ret.) Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 31 December
1981)
Political parties and leaders: none; political parties outlawed
after 31 December 1981 coup
Suffrage: none
Elections: none
Communists: a small number of Communists and sympathizers
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eric K. OTOO; Chancery at
2460 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 462-0761;
there is a Ghanaian Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador Raymond C. EWING; Embassy at Ring Road East, East of
Danquah Circle, Accra (mailing address is P. O. Box 194, Accra);
telephone 775347 through 775349
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a
large black five-pointed star centered in the gold band; uses the popular
pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia which has a coat
of arms centered in the yellow band
- Economy
Overview: Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana
has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983.
Good harvests in 1988 featured the 6% growth in GNP. Moves toward privatization
and relaxation of government controls continued in 1988-89, although at a
slower-than-expected pace. In 1988 service on the $2.8 billion debt was
equivalent to 75% of export earnings. As Ghana obtains concessional loans
and pays off high-interest debt, however, debt service is expected to fall
below 30% of export earnings in the early 1990s. The economic rebuilding
program has both helped and harmed the manufacturing sector, for example,
by improving the supply of raw materials and by increasing competition from
imports. The long-term outlook is favorable provided that the political
structure can endure the slow pace at which living standards are improving
and can manage the problems stemming from excessive population growth.
GNP: $5.2 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 6% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32.7% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 26% (April 1987)
Budget: revenues $769 million; expenditures $749 million, including
capital expenditures of $179 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $977 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--cocoa 60%, timber, gold, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum;
partners--US 23%, UK, other EC
Imports: $988 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities--petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods,
capital equipment;
partners--US 10%, UK, FRG, France, Japan, South Korea, GDR
External debt: $3.0 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.5% in manufacturing (1987)
Electricity: 1,172,000 kW capacity; 4,110 million kWh produced,
280 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, fishing,
aluminum, food processing
Agriculture: accounts for more than 50% of GDP (including fishing and
forestry); the major cash crop is cocoa; other principal crops--rice, coffee,
cassava, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber; normally self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international
drug trade
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $424 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.9 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$84 million
Currency: cedi (plural--cedis); 1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Exchange rates: cedis (C) per US$1--301.68 (December 1989), 270.00 (1989),
202.35 (1988), 153.73 (1987), 89.20 (1986), 54.37 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads
undergoing major renovation
Highways: 28,300 km total; 6,000 km concrete or bituminous surface,
22,300 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces
Inland waterways: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 155 km of
perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km
of arterial and feeder waterways
Pipelines: none
Ports: Tema, Takoradi
Merchant marine: 4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
52,016 GRT/66,627 DWT
Civil air: 6 major transport aircraft
Airports: 10 total, 9 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: poor to fair system of open-wire and cable, radio
relay links; 38,000 telephones; stations--6 AM, no FM, 9 TV; 1 Atlantic
Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Palace Guard, paramilitary
People's Militia
Military manpower: males 15-49, 3,437,300; 1,927,817 fit for military
service; 167,778 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 0.9% of GNP (1987)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Gibraltar
(dependent territory of the UK)
- Geography
Total area: 6.5 km2; land area: 6.5 km2
Comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 1.2 km with Spain
Coastline: 12 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 3 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK
Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders The Rock
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: natural freshwater sources are meager so large
water catchments (concrete or natural rock) collect rain water
Note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links
the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
- People
Population: 29,572 (July 1990), growth rate 0.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Gibraltarian; adjective--Gibraltar
Ethnic divisions: mostly Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, and
Spanish descent
Religion: 75% Roman Catholic, 8% Church of England, 2.25% Jewish
Language: English and Spanish are primary languages; Italian, Portuguese,
and Russian also spoken; English used in the schools and for official
purposes
Literacy: 99% (est.)
Labor force: about 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers); UK military
establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force
Organized labor: over 6,000
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Gibraltar
Administrative divisions: none (colony of the UK)
Independence: none (colony of the UK)
Constitution: 30 May 1969
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March), 12 March 1990
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister, Gibraltar
Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented
by Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter TERRY (since
NA 1985);
Head of Government--Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since NA March 1988)
Political parties and leaders: Socialist Labor Party (SL), Joe
Bossano; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil
Rights (GCL/AACR), Adolfo Canepa; Independent Democratic Party, Joe
Pitaluga
Suffrage: universal at age 18, plus other UK subjects resident six
months or more
Elections:
House of Assembly: last held on 24 March 1988 (next to be held
March 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(18 total, 15 elected) SL 8, GCL/AACR 7
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Housewives Association, Chamber of
Commerce, Gibraltar Representatives Organization
Diplomatic representation: none (colony of the UK)
Flag: two horizontal bands of white (top, double-width) and red with a
three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the
castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
- Economy
Overview: The economy depends heavily on British defense expenditures,
revenue from tourists, fees for services to shipping, and revenues from
banking and finance activities. Because more than 70% of the economy
is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major
impact on the level of employment. Construction workers are particularly
affected when government expenditures are cut.
GNP: $129 million, per capita $4,450; real growth rate NA% (FY85)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1986)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $105 million; expenditures $104 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (FY87)
Exports: $62.2 million (1985);
commodities--(principally reexports) petroleum 75%, beverages and
tobacco 12%, manufactured goods 8%;
partners--UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
Imports: $147 million (1985);
commodities--manufactured goods, fuels, and foodstuffs;
partners--UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 46,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 6,770 kWh
per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support
to large UK naval and air bases; transit trade and supply depot in the port;
light manufacturing of tobacco, roasted coffee, ice, mineral waters, candy,
beer, and canned fish
Agriculture: NA
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $0.8 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87),
$162.5 million
Currency: Gibraltar pound (plural--pounds);
1 Gibraltar pound (LG) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6055 (January 1990),
0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
note--the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications
Railroads: 1.000-meter-gauge system in dockyard area only
Highways: 50 km, mostly good bitumen and concrete
Ports: Gibraltar
Merchant marine: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,126,060
GRT/4,189,948 DWT; includes 10 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container,
16 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
1 combination oil/ore, 1 liquefied gas, 13 bulk; note--a flag of convenience
registry
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate international radiocommunication facilities;
automatic telephone system with 10,500 telephones; stations--1 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Glorioso Islands
(French possession)
- Geography
Total area: 5 km2; land area: 5 km2; includes Ile Glorieuse,
Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock
Comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: undetermined
Natural resources: guano, coconuts
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 100% other--lush vegetation and coconut palms
Environment: subject to periodic cyclones
Note: located in the Indian Ocean just north of the Mozambique
Channel between Africa and Madagascar
- People
Population: uninhabited
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic
Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications
Airports: 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Greece
- Geography
Total area: 131,940 km2; land area: 130,800 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Alabama
Land boundaries: 1,228 km total; Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km,
Turkey 206 km, Yugoslavia 246 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 6 nm
Disputes: complex maritime and air (but not territorial) disputes with
Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question; Macedonia question with Bulgaria and
Yugoslavia; Northern Epirus question with Albania
Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas
or chains of islands
Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, crude oil, marble
Land use: 23% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 40% meadows and pastures;
20% forest and woodland; 9% other; includes 7% irrigated
Environment: subject to severe earthquakes; air pollution; archipelago
of 2,000 islands
Note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
approach to Turkish Straits
- People
Population: 10,028,171 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 11 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Greek(s); adjective--Greek
Ethnic divisions: Greek 98%, others 2%; note--the Greek Government
states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Religion: 98% Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim, 0.7% other
Language: Greek (official); English and French widely understood
Literacy: 95%
Labor force: 3,860,000; 43% services, 27% agriculture, 20% manufacturing
and mining, 7% construction (1985)
Organized labor: 10-15% of total labor force, 20-25% of urban labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Hellenic Republic
Type: presidential parliamentary government; monarchy rejected by
referendum 8 December 1974
Capital: Athens
Administrative divisions: 51 departments (nomoi, singular--nomos);
Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki,
Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis,
Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa,
Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios,
Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi,
Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza,
Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki,
Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos
Independence: 1827 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Constitution: 11 June 1975
Legal system: NA
National holiday: Independence Day (proclamation of the war of
independence), 25 March (1821)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Vouli)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Christos SARTZETAKIS (since 30 March 1985);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Constantin MITSOTAKIS
(since 11 April 1990)
Political parties and leaders: New Democracy (ND; conservative),
Constantine Mitsotakis; Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Andreas
Papandreou; Democratic Renewal (DR), Constantine Stefanopoulos;
Communist Party (KKE), Grigorios Farakos; Greek Left Party (EAR),
Leonidas Kyrkos; KKE and EAR have joined in the Left Alliance,
Harilaos Florakis, president
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 30 March 1985 (next to be held 29 April 1990);
results--Christos Sartzetakis was elected by Parliament;
Parliament:--last held on 8 April 1990 (next to be held
April 1994);
results--New Democracy 46.89%, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 38.62%,
Left Alliance 10.27%, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 1.02%,
Ecologist-Alternative 0.77%, Democratic Renewal 0.67%, Muslim 0.5%;
seats--(300 total) New Democracy 150, Panhellenic Socialist Movement 123,
Left Alliance 19, PASOK-Left Alliance Cooperation 4, Muslim
independent 2, Democratic Renewal 1, Ecologist-Alternative 1
Communists: an estimated 60,000 members and sympathizers
Member of: CCC, EC, EIB (associate), FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU,
IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Christos ZACHARAKIS; Chancery at
2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-3168;
there are Greek Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los
Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in New Orleans;
US--Ambassador Michael G. SOTIRHOS; Embassy at 91 Vasilissis
Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens (mailing address is APO New York 09253);
telephone [30] (1) 721-2951 or 721-8401; there is a US Consulate General
in Thessaloniki
Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue (top and bottom) alternating
with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
white cross; the cross symbolizes Christianity, the established religion of the
country
- Economy
Overview: Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with the basic
entrepreneurial system overlaid in 1981-89 by a
socialist-left-government that enlarged the public sector and became the
nation's largest employer. Like many other Western economies, Greece
suffered severely from the global oil price hikes of the 1970s, annual
GDP growth plunging from 8% to 2% in the 1980s, and inflation,
unemployment, and budget deficits rising sharply. The fall of the
socialist government in 1989 and the inability of the conservative
opposition to muster a clear majority have led to business uncertainty
and the continued prospects for lackluster economic performance.
Once the political situation is sorted out, Greece will have to face the
challenges posed by the steadily increasing integration of the European
Community, including the progressive lowering of tariff barriers. Tourism
continues as a major industry, providing a vital offset to the sizable
commodity trade deficit.
GDP: $56.3 billion, per capita $5,605; real growth rate 2.3% (1989
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.8% (December 1989)
Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1988)
Budget: revenues $15.5 billion; expenditures $23.9 billion, including
capital expenditures of $2.5 billion (1988)