----------------------------------------------------
Country: Uruguay
- Geography
Total area: 176,220 km2; land area: 173,620 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State
Land boundaries: 1,564 km total; Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Coastline: 660 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted
beyond 12 nm)
Disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two
short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute (Arroyo de la
Invernada area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the
Rio Quarai and the Uruguay)
Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Natural resources: soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
Land use: 8% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 78% meadows and pastures;
4% forest and woodland; 10% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods
- People
Population: 3,036,660 (July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 76 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Uruguayan(s); adjective--Uruguayan
Ethnic divisions: 88% white, 8% mestizo, 4% black
Religion: 66% Roman Catholic (less than half adult population attends
church regularly), 2% Protestant, 2% Jewish, 30% nonprofessing or other
Language: Spanish
Literacy: 94%
Labor force: 1,300,000; 25% government, 19% manufacturing,
11% agriculture, 12% commerce, 12% utilities, construction, transport, and
communications, 21% other services (1988 est.)
Organized labor: Interunion Workers' Assembly/National Workers'
Confederation (PIT/CNT) Labor Federation
- Government
Long-form name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Type: republic
Capital: Montevideo
Administrative divisions: 19 departments (departamentos,
singular--departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno,
Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro,
Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
Independence: 25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
Constitution: 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended
27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1828)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of an upper
chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies
(Camera del Diputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Luis Alberto
LACALLE (since 1 March 1990); Vice President Gonzalo AGUIRRE (since
1 March 1990)
Political parties and leaders: National (Blanco) Party, Roberto
Rubio; Colorado Party; Broad Front Coalition, Liber Seregni includes
Communist Party led by Jaime Perez and National Liberation Movement
(MLN) or Tupamaros led by Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro; New Space
Coalition consists of the Party of the Government of the People (PGP)
led by Hugo Batalla, Christian Democratic Party (PDC), and Civic Union
led by Humberto Ciganda
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Luis Lacalle (Blanco) 37%, Jorge Batlle (Colorado)
29%, Liber Seregni (Broad Front) 20%;
Senate--last held 26 November 1989 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Blanco 40%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 23% New Space 7%;
seats--(30 total) Blanco 12, Colorado 9, Broad Front 7, New Space 2;
Chamber of Deputies--last held NA November 1989 (next to be held
November 1994);
results--Blanco 39%, Colorado 30%, Broad Front 22%, New Space 8%, others 1%;
seats--(99 total) number of seats by party NA
Communists: 50,000
Member of: CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, LAIA, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Juan Podesta PINON; Chancery
at 1918 F Street NW, Washington DC 20006; telephone (202) 331-1313
through 1316; there are Uruguayan Consulates General in Los Angeles,
Miami, and New York, and a Consulate in New Orleans;
US--Ambassador Malcolm R. WILKEY; Embassy at Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo
(mailing address is APO Miami 34035); telephone [598] (2) 40-90-51
Flag: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow
sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately
triangular and wavy
- Economy
Overview: The economy is slowly recovering from the deep recession of
1981-84. In 1986 real GDP grew by 6.6% and in 1987 by 4.9%. The recovery
was led by growth in the agriculture and fishing sectors, agriculture
alone contributing 20% to GDP, employing about 11% of the labor force, and
generating a large proportion of export earnings. Raising livestock,
particularly cattle and sheep, is the major agricultural activity. In
1988, despite healthy exports and an improved current account, domestic
growth slowed because of government concentration on the external sector,
adverse weather conditions, and prolonged strikes. High inflation rates
of about 80%, a large domestic debt, and frequent strikes remain major economic
problems for the government.
GDP: $8.8 billion, per capita $2,950; real growth rate 1% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 80% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.0% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion,
including capital expenditures of $165 million (1988)
Exports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--hides and
leather goods 17%, beef 10%, wool 9%, fish 7%, rice 4%;
partners--Brazil 17%, US 15%, FRG 10%, Argentina 10% (1987)
Imports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--fuels and
lubricants 15%, metals, machinery, transportation equipment, industrial
chemicals; partners--Brazil 24%, Argentina 14%, US 8%, FRG 8% (1987)
External debt: $6 billion (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate - 2.9% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 1,950,000 kW capacity; 4,330 million kWh produced,
1,450 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: meat processing, wool and hides, sugar, textiles, footwear,
leather apparel, tires, cement, fishing, petroleum refining, wine
Agriculture: large areas devoted to extensive livestock grazing; wheat,
rice, corn, sorghum; self-sufficient in most basic foodstuffs
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $105 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $263 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $69 million
Currency: new Uruguayan peso (plural--pesos);
1 new Uruguayan peso (N$Ur) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: new Uruguayan pesos (N$Ur) per US$1--832.62
(January 1990), 605.62 (1989), 359.44 (1988), 226.67 (1987), 151.99 (1986),
101.43 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 3,000 km, all 1.435-meter standard gauge and government owned
Highways: 49,900 km total; 6,700 km paved, 3,000 km gravel, 40,200 km
earth
Inland waterways: 1,600 km; used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft
Ports: Montevideo, Punta del Este
Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 65,212 GRT/116,613
DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
1 container
Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
Airports: 92 total, 87 usable; 16 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
17 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo;
new nationwide radio relay network; 337,000 telephones; stations--99 AM, no FM,
26 TV, 9 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 711,700; 580,898 fit for military service;
no conscription
Defense expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (1986)
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Vanuatu
- Geography
Total area: 14,760 km2; land area: 14,760 km2; includes more
than 80 islands
Comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundary: none
Coastline: 2,528 km
Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use: 1% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 1%
forest and woodland; 91% other
Environment: subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April);
volcanism causes minor earthquakes
Note: located 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific
Ocean about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
- People
Population: 165,006 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 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: 36 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Vanuatuan(s); adjective--Vanuatuan
Ethnic divisions: 94% indigenous Melanesian, 4% French, remainder
Vietnamese, Chinese, and various Pacific Islanders
Religion: most at least nominally Christian
Language: English and French (official); pidgin (known as Bislama or
Bichelama)
Literacy: 10-20% (est.)
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: 7 registered trade unions--largest include Oil and Gas
Workers' Union, Vanuatu Airline Workers' Union
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Vanuatu
Type: republic
Capital: Port-Vila
Administrative divisions: 11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo,
Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo,
Shepherd, Tafea
Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK; formerly New Hebrides)
Constitution: 30 July 1980
Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note--the National Council of
Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January 1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Father Walter Hadye LINI (since
30 July 1980); Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)
Political parties and leaders: National Party (Vanua'aku Pati),
Walter Lini; Union of Moderate Parties, Maxine Carlot;
Melanesian Progressive Party, Barak Sope
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Parliament--last held 30 November 1987 (next to be held NA);
byelections were held NA December 1988 to fill vacancies resulting from
the expulsion of opposition members for boycotting sessions;
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(46 total) National Party 26, Union of Moderate Parties 19,
independent 1
Member of: ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC,
IMF, ITU, NAM, SPF, UN, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Vanuatu does not have a mission in
Washington;
US--the ambassador in Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green (bottom) with a
black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow
- Economy
Overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming that
provides a living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the
other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has
no known petroleum deposits. A small light-industry sector caters to the local
market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties.
GDP: $120 million, per capita $820; real growth rate 0.7% (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $80.1 million; expenditures $86.6 million, including
capital expenditures of $27.1 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $16 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--copra 37%,
cocoa 11%, meat 9%, fish 8%, timber 4%; partners--Netherlands 34%, France
27%, Japan 17%, Belgium 4%, New Caledonia 3%, Singapore 2% (1987)
Imports: $58 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--machines and
vehicles 25%, food and beverages 23%, basic manufactures 18%, raw materials and
fuels 11%, chemicals 6%;
partners--Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 5% (1987)
External debt: $57 million (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 10,000 kW capacity; 20 million kWh produced,
125 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food and fish freezing, forestry processing, meat canning
Agriculture: export crops--copra, cocoa, coffee, and fish; subsistence
crops--copra, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, and vegetables
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-87), $541 million
Currency: vatu (plural--vatu); 1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: vatu (VT) per US$1--107.17 (January 1990), 116.04 (1989),
104.43 (1988), 109.85 (1987), 106.08 (1986), 106.03 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: none
Highways: 1,027 km total; at least 240 km sealed or all-weather roads
Ports: Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo, Santu
Merchant marine: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 885,668
GRT/1,473,443 DWT; includes 26 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 5 container,
2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants
(POL) tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 21 bulk, 1 combination bulk; note--a flag
of convenience registry
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 33 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: stations--2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: a paramilitary force is responsible for internal and external
security; no military forces
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Vatican City
- Geography
Total area: 0.438 km2; land area: 0.438 km2
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundary: 3.2 km with Italy
Coastline: none--landlocked
Maritime claims: none--landlocked
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with
hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0%
forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: urban
Note: landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
(the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
- People
Population: 774 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms
Ethnic divisions: primarily Italians but also many other nationalities
Religion: Roman Catholic
Language: Italian, Latin, and various other languages
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: about 1,500; Vatican City employees divided into three
categories--executives, office workers, and salaried employees
Organized labor: Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)
- Government
Long-form name: State of the Vatican City; note--the Vatican City is the
physical seat of the Holy See which is the central government of the Roman
Catholic Church
Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
Capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II),
22 October (1978); note--Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Executive branch: pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol
WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Elections:
Pope--last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of
the current pope);
results--Karol Wojtyla was elected for life by the College of Cardinals
Communists: NA
Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence
exercised by church officers)
Member: IAEA, INTELSAT, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, UPU,
WIPO, WTO; permanent observer status at FAO, OAS, UN, and UNESCO
Diplomatic representation: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Pio LAGHI;
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-7121;
US--Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli,
Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO New York 09794);
telephone [396] 639-0558
Flag: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed
keys of St. Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band
- Economy
Overview: The economy is supported financially by contributions (known as
Peter's pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage
stamps, tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of
publications.
Budget: revenues $57 million; expenditures $113.7 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1986)
Electricity: 5,000 kW standby capacity (1989); power supplied by Italy
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and
staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Currency: Vatican lira (plural--lire);
1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1--1,262.5 (January 1990),
1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985);
note--the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 850 m, 750 mm gauge (links with Italian network near the Rome
station of St. Peter's)
Highways: none; all city streets
Telecommunications: stations--3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic
telephone exchange; no communications satellite systems
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are
posted at entrances to the Vatican City
----------------------------------------------------
Country: Venezuela
- Geography
Total area: 912,050 km2; land area: 882,050 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: 4,993 km total; Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km,
Guyana 743 km
Coastline: 2,800 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 15 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims Essequibo area of Guyana; maritime boundary disputes with
Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and with Trinidad and Tobago in the
Gulf of Paria
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain: Andes mountains and Maracaibo lowlands in northwest;
central plains (llanos); Guyana highlands in southeast
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Land use: 3% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 20% meadows and pastures;
39% forest and woodland; 37% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic
droughts; increasing industrial pollution in Caracas and Maracaibo
Note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
- People
Population: 19,698,104 (July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 27 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Venezuelan(s); adjective--Venezuelan
Ethnic divisions: 67% mestizo, 21% white, 10% black, 2% Indian
Religion: 96% nominally Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant
Language: Spanish (official); Indian dialects spoken by about 200,000
Amerindians in the remote interior
Literacy: 85.6%
Labor force: 5,800,000; 56% services, 28% industry, 16% agriculture (1985)
Organized labor: 32% of labor force
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Venezuela
Type: republic
Capital: Caracas
Administrative divisions: 20 states (estados, singular--estado),
2 territories* (territorios, singular--territorio), 1 federal district**
(distrito federal), and 1 federal dependence*** (dependencia federal);
Amazonas*, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes,
Delta Amacuro*, Dependencias Federales***, Distrito Federal**, Falcon,
Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre,
Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia; note--the federal dependence consists of
11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Constitution: 23 January 1961
Legal system: based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative
acts in Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Carlos Andres
PEREZ (since 2 February 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Social Christian Party (COPEI),
Eduardo Fernandez, secretary general; Democratic Action (AD),
Gonzalo Barrios, president, and Humberto Celli, secretary general;
Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Teodoro Petkoff, president, and
Freddy Munoz, secretary general
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18, though poorly enforced
Elections:
President--last held 4 December 1988 (next to be held
December 1993);
results--Carlos Andres Perez (AD) 53%,
Eduardo Fernandez (COPEI) 40%, others 7%;
Senate--last held 4 December 1988
(next to be held December 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(49 total) AD 23, COPEI 22, others 4;
Chamber of Deputies--last held 4 December 1988
(next to be held December 1993);
results--AD 43.7%, COPEI 31.4%, MAS 10.3%, others 14.6%;
seats--(201 total) AD 97, COPEI 67, MAS 18, others 19
Communists: 10,000 members (est.)