international services; 2,300,000 telephones; microwave transmission links and
extensive optical fiber transmission network; stations--6 AM, 6 FM, 4
TV; 1 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) relay station and 1 British
Forces Broadcasting Service relay station; 2,500,000 radio receivers;
1,312,000 TV sets (1,224,000 color TV sets);
satellite earth stations--1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 2 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT; coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; links to 5 international
submarine cables providing access to ASEAN member nations, Japan,
Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
- Defense Forces
Branches: Headquarters of British Forces, Gurkha Brigade, Royal Navy,
Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police
Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,703,890; 1,320,914 fit for military
service; 46,440 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 0.5% of GDP, or $300 million (1989 est.);
this represents one-fourth of the total cost of defending the colony,
the remainder being paid by the UK
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Howland Island
(territory of the US)
- Geography
Total area: 1.6 km2; land area: 1.6 km2
Comparative area: about 2.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 6.4 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by
a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and
pastures; 5% forest and woodland; 95% other
Environment: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; lacks fresh water;
primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife; feral cats
Note: remote location 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific
Ocean, just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
- People
Population: uninhabited
Note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval
attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but
abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and
Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National
Wildlife Refuge System
- Economy
Overview: no economic activity
- Communications
Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on
the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan--they left Lae,
New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no
longer serviceable
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the
middle of the west coast
Note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt in
memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually
by the US Coast Guard
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Hungary
- Geography
Total area: 93,030 km2; land area: 92,340 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: 2,251 km total; Austria 366 km, Czechoslovakia 676
km, Romania 443 km, USSR 135 km, Yugoslavia 631 km
Coastline: none--landlocked
Maritime claims: none--landlocked
Disputes: Transylvania question with Romania; Nagymaros Dam
dispute with Czechoslovakia
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use: 54% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 14% meadows and pastures;
18% forest and woodland; 11% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: levees are common along many streams, but flooding occurs
almost every year
Note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between USSR and
Mediterranean basin
- People
Population: 10,568,686 (July 1990), growth rate - 0.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Hungarian(s); adjective--Hungarian
Ethnic divisions: 96.6% Hungarian, 1.6% German, 1.1% Slovak, 0.3%
Southern Slav, 0.2% Romanian
Religion: 67.5% Roman Catholic, 20.0% Calvinist, 5.0% Lutheran, 7.5%
atheist and other
Language: 98.2% Hungarian, 1.8% other
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 4,860,000; 43.2% services, trade, government, and other,
30.9% industry, 18.8% agriculture, 7.1% construction (1988)
Organized labor: 96.5% of labor force; Central Council of Hungarian Trade
Unions (SZOT) includes 19 affiliated unions, all controlled by the government;
independent unions legal; may be as many as 12 small independent unions
in operation
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Hungary
Type: republic
Capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular--megye) and
1 capital city* (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes,
Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest*, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Sopron,
Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Komarom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar,
Szolnok, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
Independence: 1001, unification by King Stephen I
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April
1972 and 18 October 1989
Legal system: based on Communist legal theory, with both civil law system
(civil code of 1960) and common law elements; Supreme Court renders decisions of
principle that sometimes have the effect of declaring legislative acts
unconstitutional; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Liberation, 4 April (1945)
Executive branch: president, premier, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Orszaggyules)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President-designate Arpad GONCZ (since
2 May 1990);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Jozsef ANTALL
(since 23 May 1990)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Forum, Jozsef Antall,
chairman; Free Democrats, Janos Kis, chairman; Independent Smallholders,
Istvan Prepeliczay, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSP), Rezso
Nyers, chairman; Young Democrats; Christian Democrats, Sandor Keresztes,
president; note--the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party
(MSZMP) renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party
(MSP) in October 1989
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly--last held on 25 March 1990 (first round, with
the second round held 8 April 1990);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(394 total) Democratic Forum 165, Free Democrats 92,
Independent Smallholders 43, Hungarian Socialist Party (MSP) 33,
Young Democrats 21, Christian Democrats 21, independent candidates
or jointly sponsored candidates 19; an additional 8 seats
will be given to representatives of minority nationalities
Communists: fewer than 100,000 (December 1989)
Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, IBEC, ICAC, ICAO,
ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Peter VARKONYI;
Chancery at 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 362-6730;
there is a Hungarian Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador-designate Charles THOMAS; Embassy at V. Szabadsag
Ter 12, Budapest (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone [36]
(1) 126-450
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
- Economy
Overview: Hungary's postwar Communist government spurred the movement
from a predominantly agricultural to an industrialized economy. The share
of the labor force in agriculture dropped from over 50% in 1950 to under
20% in 1989. Agriculture nevertheless remains an important sector,
providing sizable export earnings and meeting domestic food needs.
Industry accounts for about 40% of GNP and 30% of employment. Nearly
three-fourths of foreign trade is with the USSR and Eastern Europe. Low
rates of growth reflect the inability of the Soviet-style economy to
modernize capital plant and motivate workers. GNP grew about 1% in 1988
and declined by 1% in 1989. Since 1985 external debt has
more than doubled, to nearly $20 billion. In recent years Hungary has
moved further than any other East European country in experimenting with
decentralized and market-oriented enterprises. These experiments have
failed to jump-start the economy because of: limitations on funds for
privatization; continued subsidization of insolvent state enterprises;
and the leadership's reluctance to implement sweeping market reforms
that would cause additional social dislocations in the short term.
GNP: $64.6 billion, per capita $6,108; real growth rate - 1.3%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 0.4% (1989)
Budget: revenues $14.0 billion; expenditures $14.2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $944 million (1988)
Exports: $19.1 billion (f.o.b. 1988);
commodities--capital goods 36%, foods 24%, consumer goods 18%, fuels
and minerals 11%, other 11%;
partners USSR 48%, Eastern Europe 25%, developed countries 16%,
less developed countries 8% (1987)
Imports: $18.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--machinery and transport 28%, fuels 20%, chemical
products 14%, manufactured consumer goods 16%, agriculture 6%, other
16%;
partners--USSR 43%, Eastern Europe 28%, less developed countries 23%,
US 3% (1987)
External debt: $19.6 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.6% (1988)
Electricity: 7,250,000 kW capacity; 30,300 million kWh produced,
2,870 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, engineering industries, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals)
Agriculture: including forestry, accounts for about 15% of GNP and 19% of
employment; highly diversified crop-livestock farming; principal
crops--wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, sugar beets;
livestock--hogs, cattle, poultry, dairy products; self-sufficient in
food output
Aid: donor--$1.8 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed
countries (1962-88)
Currency: forint (plural--forints); 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates: forints (Ft) per US$1--62.5 (January 1990), 59.2 (1989),
50.413 (1988), 46.971 (1987), 45.832 (1986), 50.119 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 7,770 km total; 7,513 km 1.435-meter standard gauge,
222 km narrow gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.524-meter broad gauge; 1,138
km double track, 2,088 km electrified; all government owned (1987)
Highways: 130,000 km total; 29,701 km national highway
system--26,727 km asphalt and bitumen, 146 km concrete, 55 km stone and
road brick, 2,345 km macadam, 428 km unpaved; 58,495 km country roads
(66% unpaved), and 41,804 km (est.) other roads (70% unpaved) (1987)
Inland waterways: 1,622 km (1986)
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,204 km; refined products, 600 km; natural gas,
3,800 km (1986)
Ports: Budapest and Dunaujvaros are river ports on the Danube; maritime
outlets are Rostock (GDR), Gdansk (Poland), Gdynia (Poland), Szczecin (Poland),
Galati (Romania), and Braila (Romania)
Merchant marine: 16 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 77,141
GRT/103,189 DWT
Civil air: 22 major transport aircraft
Airports: 90 total, 90 usable; 20 with permanent-surface runways;
2 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways
1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations--13 AM, 11 FM, 21 TV; 8 Soviet TV relays;
3,500,000 TV sets; 5,500,000 receiver sets; at least 1 satellite earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Hungarian People's Army, Frontier Guard, Air and Air Defense
Command
Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,645,016; 2,112,651 fit for military
service; 86,481 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 43.7 billion forints, NA% of total budget (1989);
note--conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official
administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Iceland
- Geography
Total area: 103,000 km2; land area: 100,250 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland,
and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall
area)
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks,
icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Natural resources: fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power,
diatomite
Land use: NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 23% meadows and
pastures; 1% forest and woodland; 76% other
Environment: subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity
Note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe;
westernmost European country
- People
Population: 257,023 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Icelander(s); adjective--Icelandic
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and
Celts
Religion: 95% Evangelical Lutheran, 3% other Protestant and Roman
Catholic, 2% no affiliation
Language: Icelandic
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: 134,429; 55.4% commerce, finance, and services, 14.3% other
manufacturing, 5.8% agriculture, 7.9% fish processing, 5.0% fishing (1986)
Organized labor: 60% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Iceland
Type: republic
Capital: Reykjavik
Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular--sysla) and
14 independent towns* (kaupstadar, singular--kaupstadur); Akranes*, Akureyri*,
Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla,
Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla,
Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*,
Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasysla,
Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla,
Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*,
Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hanppadalssysla, Strandasysla,
Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vestmannaeyjar*,
Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla,
Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic,
17 June (1944)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Althing) with an Upper House
(Efri Deild) and a Lower House (Nedri Deild)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Haestirettur)
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Steingrimur HERMANNSSON (since 28
September 1988)
Political parties and leaders: Independence (conservative), Thorsteinn
Palsson; Progressive, Steingrimur Hermannsson; Social Democratic, Jon
Baldvin Hannibalsson; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar
Grimsson; Citizens Party (conservative nationalist), Julius Solnes;
Women's List
Suffrage: universal at age 20
Elections:
President--last held on 29 June 1980 (next scheduled for June 1992);
results--there were no elections in 1984 and 1988 as President Vigdis
Finnbogadottir was unopposed;
Parliament--last held on 25 April 1987 (next to be held by
25 April 1991);
results--Independence 27.2%, Progressive 18.9%, Social Democratic 15.2%,
People's Alliance 13.4%, Citizens Party 10.9%, Womens List 10.1%, other 4.3%;
seats--(63 total) Independence 18, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10,
People's Alliance 8, Citizens Party 7, Womens List 6, Regional Equality
Platform 1
Communists: less than 100 (est.), some of whom participate in the
People's Alliance
Member of: CCC, Council of Europe, EC (free trade agreement pending
resolution of fishing limits issue), EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES,
IDA, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC--International
Whaling Commission, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ingvi S. INGVARSSON; Chancery at
2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6653
through 6655; there is an Icelandic Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador Charles E. COBB; Embassy at Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik
(mailing address is FPO New York 09571-0001); telephone [354] (1) 29100
Flag: blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
- Economy
Overview: Iceland's prosperous Scandinavian-type economy is basically
capitalistic, but with extensive welfare measures, low unemployment, and
comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on
the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings. In the
absence of other natural resources, Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing
world fish prices. National output declined for the second consecutive year in
1989, and two of the largest fish farms filed for bankruptcy. Other economic
activities include livestock raising and aluminum smelting. A fall in the fish
catch is expected for 1990, resulting in a continuation of the recession.
GDP: $4.0 billion, per capita $16,200; real growth rate - 1.8% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.4% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.3% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $1.5 billion; expenditures $1.7 billion,
including capital expenditures of $NA million (1988)
Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum,
diatomite;
partners--EC 58.9% (UK 23.3%, FRG 10.3%), US 13.6%,
USSR 3.6%
Imports: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum,
foodstuffs, textiles;
partners--EC 58% (FRG 16%, Denmark 10.4%, UK 9.2%), US 8.5%,
USSR 3.9%
External debt: $1.8 billion (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.7% (1987 est.)
Electricity: 1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced,
20,780 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production,
hydropower
Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing is
most important economic activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings;
principal crops--potatoes and turnips; livestock--cattle, sheep; self-sufficient
in crops; fish catch of about 1.6 million metric tons in 1987
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million
Currency: krona (plural--kronur);
1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1--60.751 (January 1990),
57.042 (1989), 43.014 (1988), 38.677 (1987), 41.104 (1986), 41.508 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: 12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km
bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth
Ports: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur,
Siglufjordur, Vestmannaeyjar; numerous minor ports
Merchant marine: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 62,867
GRT/87,610 DWT; includes 9 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container,
2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
1 chemical tanker, 2 bulk
Civil air: 20 major transport aircraft
Airports: 99 total, 92 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate domestic service, wire and radio
communication system; 135,000 telephones; stations--10 AM, 17 (43 relays) FM,
14 (132 relays) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Police, Coast Guard
Military manpower: males 15-49, 68,688; 61,553 fit for military service;
no conscription or compulsory military service
Defense expenditures: none
----------------------------------------------------
Country: India
- Geography
Total area: 3,287,590 km2; land area: 2,973,190 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries: 14,103 km total; Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km,
Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline: 7,000 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: boundaries with Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan; water
sharing problems with downstream riparians, Bangladesh over the Ganges
and Pakistan over the Indus
Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling
plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,
manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
crude oil, limestone
Land use: 55% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures;
23% forest and woodland; 17% other; includes 13% irrigated
Environment: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common;
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; air and water pollution;
desertification
Note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important
Indian Ocean trade routes
- People
Population: 849,746,001 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)
Birth rate: 30 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 57 years male, 59 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Indian(s); adjective--Indian
Ethnic divisions: 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% Mongoloid and other
Religion: 82.6% Hindu, 11.4% Muslim, 2.4% Christian, 2.0% Sikh, 0.7%
Buddhist, 0.5% Jains, 0.4% other