males: 31,823 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $42 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% to 2.0% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: the Albanian Government supports protection
of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders; Albanian
majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic; Albanians
in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to
public-sector jobs and representation in government
Illicit drugs: increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest
Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and
cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium
and cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking
organizations active in Central and Eastern Europe
______________________________________________________________________
ALGERIA
@Algeria:Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total : 2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries : Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau;
sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 2%
other : 82% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,550 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud
slides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and other
poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage,
petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading
to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
@Algeria:People
Population: 29,830,370 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : 39% (male 5,923,391; female 5,712,088)
15-64 years: 57% (male 8,619,009; female 8,450,774)
65 years and over: 4% (male 525,556; female 599,552) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.18% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 28.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.62 years
male : 67.5 years
female: 69.79 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.6%
male: 73.9%
female : 49% (1995 est.)
@Algeria:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Shabiyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
Data code: AG
Government type: republic
National capital: Algiers
Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya);
Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar,
Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef,
Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma,
Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem,
M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif,
Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996; note -
referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was signed into
law 7 December 1996
Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial
review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed
of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31
January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995)
head of government : Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December
1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results : Liamine ZEROUAL elected president; percent of vote
- Liamine ZEROUAL 61.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National
People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (380 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; suspended
since 1992) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the
members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect
vote; members serve six-year terms; created as a result of the
constitutional revision of November 1996)
elections : National People's Assembly - first-round held 26 December
1991; second round canceled by the military after President BENDJEDID
resigned 11 January 1992, effectively suspending the assembly (next
election scheduled for 5 June 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - the
fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first
round of the 1991 elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed
April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile
in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Boualem BENHAMOUDA,
secretary general; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED,
secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland); Movement of a Peaceful
Society (Hamas), Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and
Democracy (RCD), Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party
(PRA), Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman; Nahda Movement (Al Nahda),
Abdallah DJABALLAH, president; Democratic National Rally (RND),
Abdelkader BENSALAH, chairman; Movement for Democracy in Algeria
(MDA), Ahmed Ben BELLA
note : the government established a multiparty system in September
1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed; a new
party law was enacted in March 1997
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
(observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ramtane LAMAMRA
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX : [1] (202) 667-2174
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
embassy : 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-12-55
FAX: [213] (2) 69-39-79
Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and
white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the
crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the
state religion)
Economy
Economy - overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the
economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of
GDP, and almost all export earnings; Algeria has the fifth-largest
reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas
exporter; and it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts
to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab
world began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the
country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a
comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve economic stabilization
and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy. Despite
substantial progress toward economic adjustment, in 1992 the reform
drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political turmoil. In
September 1993, a new government was formed, and one priority was the
resumption and acceleration of the structural adjustment process.
Buffeted by the slump in world oil prices and burdened with a heavy
foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with
the IMF in April 1994. Following a Paris Club debt rescheduling in
1995, a robust harvest, and elevated oil prices, the economy
experienced a strong recovery and key economic improvements. Recent
and planned investments in developing hydrocarbon resources are likely
to increase growth and export earnings.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $115.9 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 50%
services: 38% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 19.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 7.8 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and
public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%,
transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 28% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $14.3 billion
expenditures: $17.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 6.01 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 18.7 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 583 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus,
fruits; sheep, cattle
Exports:
total value: $11 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97%
partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%, Germany 7.9%
(1995 est.)
Imports:
total value : $10.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods
partners: France 29%, Spain 10.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 8%, Germany 5.6%
(1995 est.)
Debt - external: $32 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $420 million (1996)
Currency: 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 57.136 (January 1997),
54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993), 21.836
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Algeria:Communications
Telephones: 862,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: excellent service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth
stations are planned)
international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,
France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and
Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1
Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 2 million (1993 est.)
@Algeria:Transportation
Railways:
total : 4,772 km
standard gauge: 3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge
Highways:
total: 102,424 km
paved : 70,570 km (including 6,080 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,854 km (1995 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas
2,948 km
Ports and harbors: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys,
Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes
Merchant marine:
total : 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 925,261 GRT/1,094,281
DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas
tanker 11, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea
passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 119 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 66
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m : 24
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 17 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 53
2,438 to 3,047 m : 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 31 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial
Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,666,961 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 4,700,502 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 337,630 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.3 billion (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: part of southeastern region claimed by
Libya; land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993
______________________________________________________________________
AMERICAN SAMOA
(territory of the US)
@American Samoa:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 199 sq km
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 116 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual
rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry
season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal
plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m
Natural resources: pumice, pumicite
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland : 70%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources;
the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in
the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas
and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic
location in the South Pacific Ocean
@American Samoa:People
Population: 61,819 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.72% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 35.23 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.01 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population : NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.91 years
male: 71.03 years
female: 74.85 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other
5%
Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant denominations and other 30%
Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian
languages), English
note: most people are bilingual
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)
@American Samoa:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS
Data code: AQ
Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial
and International Affairs
Government type: NA
National capital: Pago Pago
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Independence: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997)
and Lieutenant Governor Togiola Tulafono (since 3 January 1997)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November
1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor of American Samoa;
percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID
(Independent) 49%
Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
members are elected from local chiefs who serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next
to be held NA November 1998); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next
to be held 7 November 2000)
election results : House of Representatives - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA
note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of
Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held
NA November 1998); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as
delegate
Judicial branch: High Court, chief justice and associate justices are
appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior
Political parties and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is
based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and
white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two
traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is strongly linked to the US,
with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign
trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the
private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna
canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers.
Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist
industry. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to
American Samoa's economic well-being. According to one observer,
attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are
restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and
its devastating hurricanes.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $128 million (1991 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1991 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA %
Labor force:
total: 14,400 (1990)
by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)
Budget:
revenues: $97 million ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in
grant revenue)
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90/91)
Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing
vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 33,000 kW (1993)
Electricity - production: 100 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,743 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro,
breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy farming
Exports:
total value: $306 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities: canned tuna 93%
partners : US 99.6%
Imports:
total value: $360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products
7%, machinery and parts 6%
partners : US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note : important financial support from the US
Currency: 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@American Samoa:Communications
Telephones: 9,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 8,000 (1993 est.)
@American Samoa:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 350 km
paved: 150 km
unpaved: 200 km
Ports and harbors: Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu,
Pago Pago, Ta'u
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
ANDORRA
@Andorra:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references: Europe