Hernandez Colon; New Progressive Party (PNP), Baltasar Corrado del Rio;
Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan Mari Bras and Carlos Gallisa;
Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben Berrios Martinez; Puerto
Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown
Suffrage: universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US
citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Elections:
Governor--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November
1992);
results--Rafael Hernandez Colon (PPD) 48.7%, Baltasar Corrada Del Rio
(PNP) 45.8%, Ruben Barrios Martinez (PIP) 5.5%;
Senate--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November
1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(27 total) PPD 18, PNP 8, PIP 1;
House of Representatives--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be
held November 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(53 total) PPD 36, PNP 15, PIP 2
Other political or pressure groups: all have engaged in terrorist
activities--Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN), Volunteers of the
Puerto Rican Revolution, Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros),
Armed Forces of Popular Resistance
Diplomatic representation: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with
white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large white
five-pointed star in the center; design based on the US flag
- Economy
Overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the
Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary
sector of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free
access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily
in Puerto Rico since the 1970s. Important new industries include
pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed
foods. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other
livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural
sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income
for the island.
GNP: $18.4 billion, per capita $5,574; real growth rate 4.9% (FY88)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 33% (December 1987-88)
Unemployment rate: 12.8% (December 1988)
Budget: revenues $4.9 million; expenditures $4.9 million,
including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)
Exports: $13.2 billion (f.o.b., FY88); commodities--sugar, coffee,
petroleum products, chemical, metal products, textiles, electronic equipment;
partners--US 87%
Imports: $11.8 billion (c.i.f., FY88); commodities--chemicals,
clothing, food, fish products, crude oil; partners--US 60%
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate 5.8% (FY87)
Electricity: 4,149,000 kW capacity; 14,050 million kWh produced,
4,260 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals,
food processing, petroleum refining
Agriculture: accounts for 4% of labor force; crops--sugarcane,
coffee, pineapples, tobacco, bananas; livestock--cattle, chickens;
imports a large share of food needs
Aid: none
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications
Railroads: 100 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane;
no passenger railroads
Highways: 13,762 km paved
Ports: San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo
Airports: 33 total; 23 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 2,000,000 radio receivers; 810,000 TV receivers;
769,140 telephones; stations--69 AM, 42 FM, 24 TV (1984)
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; paramilitary National
Guard; police force of 10,050 men and women (1984)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Qatar
- Geography
Total area: 11,000 km2; land area: 11,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: 60 km total; Saudi Arabia 40 km, UAE 20 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specific;
Exclusive fishing zone: as delimited with neighboring states, or
to limit of shelf, or to median line;
Extended economic zone: to median line;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: boundary with UAE is in dispute; territorial dispute with
Bahrain over the Hawar Islands
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, fish
Land use: NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 5% meadows and
pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 95% other
Environment: haze, duststorms, sandstorms common; limited freshwater
resources mean increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near
major crude oil sources
- People
Population: 490,897 (July 1990), growth rate 5.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 22 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 3 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 38 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 25 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 73 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Qatari(s); adjective--Qatari
Ethnic divisions: 40% Arab, 18% Pakistani, 18% Indian, 10% Iranian,
14% other
Religion: 95% Muslim
Language: Arabic (official); English is commonly used as second language
Literacy: 40%
Labor force: 104,000; 85% non-Qatari in private sector (1983)
Organized labor: trade unions are illegal
- Government
Long-form name: State of Qatar
Type: traditional monarchy
Capital: Doha
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 3 September 1971 (from UK)
Constitution: provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970
Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir,
although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in
personal matters
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 September (1971)
Executive branch: amir, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--Amir and Prime Minister
Khalifa bin Hamad Al THANI (since 22 February 1972); Heir Apparent Hamad
bin Khalifa AL THANI (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: none
Elections:
Advisory Council--constitution calls for elections for part
of this consultative body, but no elections have been held;
seats--(30 total)
Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), GCC, IBRD, ICAO,
IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Hamad Abd al-Aziz
AL-KAWARI, Chancery at Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington
DC 20037; telephone (202) 338-0111;
US--Ambassador Mark G. HAMBLEY; Embassy at Fariq Bin Omran
(opposite the television station), Doha (mailing address is P. O. Box 2399,
Doha); telephone [974] 864701 through 864703
Flag: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
hoist side
- Economy
Overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for 90% of
export earnings and more than 80% of government revenues. Proved oil
reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current
levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP of about
$17,000, among the highest in the world.
GDP: $5.4 billion, per capita $17,070; real growth rate 9.0% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $3.4 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY88 est.)
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--petroleum
products 90%, steel, fertilizers; partners--France, FRG, Italy, Japan,
Spain
Imports: $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.), excluding military equipment;
commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, animal and vegetable oils, chemicals,
machinery and equipment; partners--EC, Japan, Arab countries, US,
Australia
External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.6% (1987)
Electricity: 1,514,000 kW capacity; 4,000 million kWh produced,
8,540 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel, cement
Agriculture: farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP;
commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported
Aid: donor--pledged $2.7 billion in ODA to less developed countries (1979-
88)
Currency: Qatari riyal (plural--riyals); 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1--3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications
Highways: 1,500 km total; 1,000 km bituminous, 500 km gravel or
natural surface (est.)
Pipelines: crude oil, 235 km; natural gas, 400 km
Ports: Doha, Musayid, Halul Island
Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 273,318 GRT/420,227
DWT; includes 7 cargo, 3 container, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL)
tanker
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; none with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: modern system centered in Doha; 110,000 telephones;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations--1
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Department
Military manpower: males 15-49, 255,474; 120,614 fit for military service;
3,982 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: NA
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Reunion
(overseas department of France)
- Geography
Total area: 2,510 km2; land area: 2,500 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 201 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from
May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: 20% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 4% meadows and
pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 39% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: periodic devastating cyclones
Note: located 750 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
- People
Population: 595,583 (July 1990), growth rate 1.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Reunionese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Reunionese
Ethnic divisions: most of the population is of intermixed French, African,
Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, and Indian ancestry
Religion: 94% Roman Catholic
Language: French (official); Creole widely used
Literacy: NA%, but over 80% among younger generation
Labor force: NA; 30% agriculture, 21% industry, 49% services (1981);
63% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: General Confederation of Workers of Reunion (CGTR)
- Government
Long-form name: Department of Reunion
Type: overseas department of France
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch: French president, Commissioner of the Republic
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council, unicameral Regional
Council
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (Cour d'appel)
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND
(since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government--Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN
(since September 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR),
Francois Mas; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert Gerard; Communist
Party of Reunion (PCR); France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre Thien Ah Koon;
Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude Fruteau; Social Democrats (CDS), other
small parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Regional Council--last held 16 March 1986
(next to be held March 1991);
results--RPR/UDF 36.8%, PCR 28.2%, FRA and other right wing 17.3%,
PS 14.1%, other 3.6%;
seats--(45 total) RPR/UDF 18, PCR 13, FRA and other right wing 8, PS 6;
French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held
September 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(3 total) RPR-UDF 1, PS 1, independent 1;
French National Assembly--last held 5 and 12 June 1988
(next to be held June 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(5 total) PCR 2, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1, FRA 1
Communists: Communist party small but has support among sugarcane cutters,
the minuscule Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion (MPLR), and in the
district of Le Port
Member of: WFTU
Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France, Reunionese
interests are represented in the US by France
Flag: the flag of France is used
- Economy
Overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture.
Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years
it accounts for 85% of exports. The government is pushing the development
of a tourist industry to relieve a high unemployment rate that was over 30%
in 1986. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued
financial assistance from France.
GDP: $2.4 billion, per capita $4,290 (1985);
real growth rate 9% (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1987)
Unemployment rate: 32.0%; high seasonal unemployment (1986)
Budget: revenues $358 million; expenditures $914 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1986)
Exports: $136 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--sugar 75%, rum
and molasses 4%, perfume essences 4%, vanilla and tea 1%;
partners--France, Mauritius, Bahrain, S. Africa, Italy
Imports: $1.1 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--manufactured
goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw
materials, and petroleum products; partners--France, Mauritius, Bahrain,
South Africa, Italy
External debt: NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 245,000 kW capacity; 546 million kWh produced,
965 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing
handicraft items
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of labor force; dominant sector of economy;
cash crops--sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco; food crops--tropical fruits,
vegetables, corn; imports large share of food needs
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $13.5 billion
Currency: French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.7598 (January 1990),
6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Highways: 2,800 km total; 2,200 km paved, 600 km gravel, crushed stone, or
stabilized earth
Ports: Pointe des Galets
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate system for needs; modern open-wire line and
radio relay network; principal center Saint-Denis; radiocommunication to
Comoros, France, Madagascar; new radio relay route to Mauritius;
85,900 telephones; stations--3 AM, 13 FM, 1 (18 relays) TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 158,812; 82,400 fit for military
service; 6,075 reach military age (18) annually
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Romania
- Geography
Total area: 237,500 km2; land area: 230,340 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: 2,904 km total; Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km,
USSR 1,307 km, Yugoslavia 546 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Transylvania question with Hungary; Bessarabia question
with USSR
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the plain of
Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Natural resources: crude oil (reserves being exhausted), timber,
natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use: 43% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 19% meadows and
pastures; 28% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 11% irrigated
Environment: frequent earthquakes most severe in south and southwest;
geologic structure and climate promote landslides, air pollution in south
Note: controls most easily traversable land route between
the Balkans and western USSR
- People
Population: 23,273,285 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Romanian(s); adjective--Romanian
Ethnic divisions: 89.1% Romanian; 7.8% Hungarian; 1.5% German; 1.6%
Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy
Religion: 80% Romanian Orthodox; 6% Roman Catholic; 4% Calvinist,
Lutheran, Jewish, Baptist
Language: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 10,690,000; 34% industry, 28% agriculture, 38% other (1987)
Organized labor: until December 1989, a single trade union system
organized by the General Confederation of Romanian Trade Unions (UGSR)
under control of the Communist Party; since Ceausescu's overthrow,
newly-created trade and professional trade unions are joining two rival
umbrella organizations--Organization of Free Trade Unions and Fratia
(Brotherhood)
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: former Communist state; current multiparty provisional
government has scheduled a general democratic election for 20 May 1990
Capital: Bucharest
Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular--judet) and
1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor,
Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*,
Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna,
Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita,
Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj,
Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey); republic proclaimed 30 December 1947
Constitution: 21 August 1965; new constitution being drafted
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and Communist
legal theory that increasingly reflected Romanian traditions is being
revised; Communist regime had not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction;
Provisional Council of National Unity will probably accept ICJ
jurisdiction
National holiday: Liberation Day, 23 August (1944); new national
day to commemorate popular anti-Ceausescu uprising under discussion
Executive branch: president, vice president, prime minister, and
Council of Ministers (cabinet) appointed by provisional government
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house
or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or House of Deputies
(Adunarea Deputatilor)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice
Leaders:
Chief of State--President of Provisional Council of National Unity
Ion ILIESCU (since 23 December 1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister of Council of Ministers
Petre ROMAN (since 23 December 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party,
Sergiu Cunescu; National Liberal Party, Radu Cimpeanu; National Christian
Peasants Party, Corneliu Coposu; Free Democratic Social Justice Party,
Gheorghe Susana; several others being formed; Communist Party has ceased
to exist; formation of left-wing parties is uncertain
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Senate--elections for the new upper house to be held 20 May 1990;
House of Deputies--elections for the new lower house to be held
20 May 1990
Communists: 3,400,000 (November 1984); Communist Party has ceased
to exist
Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO,
IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw
Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Virgil CONSTANTINESCU;
Chancery at 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
(202) 232-4747; US--Ambassador Alan GREEN, Jr., recalled to
Washington May 1990; Embassy at Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
(mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone [40] (0) 10-40-40
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
band, has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad
- Economy
Overview: Industry, which accounts for one-third of the labor force
and generates over half the GNP, suffers from an aging capital plant and
persistent shortages of energy. In recent years the agricultural sector
has had to contend with drought, mismanagement, and shortages of inputs.
Favorable weather in 1989 helped produce a good harvest, although far
below government claims. The new government is slowly loosening the tight
central controls of Ceausescu's command economy. It has instituted
moderate land reforms, with close to one-third of cropland now in
private hands, and it has allowed changes in prices for private
agricultural output. Also, the new regime is permitting the
establishment of private enterprises of 20 or fewer employees in
services, handicrafts, and small-scale industry. Furthermore, the
government has halted the old policy of diverting food from domestic
consumption to hard currency export markets. So far, the government
does not seem willing to adopt a thorough-going market system.
GNP: $79.8 billion, per capita $3,445; real growth rate - 1.5%
(1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $26 billion; expenditures $21.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of $13.6 billion (1987)
Exports: $11.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--machinery and
equipment 34.7%, fuels, minerals and metals 24.7%, manufactured consumer goods
16.9%, agricultural materials and forestry products 11.9%, other 11.6% (1986);
partners--USSR 27%, Eastern Europe 23%, EC 15%, US 5%, China 4% (1987)