Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 53.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 61.42 years
male: 56.78 years
female: 66.3 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian
Ethnic groups: white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish,
Polish) 55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes
Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 70%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.3%
male: 83.3%
female : 83.2% (1995 est.)
@Brazil:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form : Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil
Data code: BR
Government type: federal republic
National capital: Brasilia
Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1
federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas,
Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do
Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)
Constitution: 5 October 1988
Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state : President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1 January
1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Fernando Henrique CARDOSO (since 1
January 1995); Vice President Marco MACIEL (since 1 January 1995);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 October 1994
(next to be held NA October 1998)
election results: Fernando Henrique CARDOSO elected president; percent
of vote - Fernando Henrique CARDOSO 53%, Luis Inacio LULA da Silva
26%, Eneas CARNEIRO 7%, Orestes QUERCIA 4%, Leonel BRIZOLA 3%,
Espiridiao AMIN 3%; note - second direct presidential election since
1960
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional
consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three
members from each state or federal district elected according to the
principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected
after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
period ) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Federal Senate - last held 3 October 1994 for two-thirds of
Senate (next to be held October 1998 for one-third of the Senate);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 October 1994 (next to be held
October 1998)
election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - PMBD
28%, PFL 22%, PSDB 12%, PPR 7%, PDT 7%, PT 6%, PTB 6%, other 12%;
seats by party - NA; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
PMDB 21%, PFL 18%, PDT 7%, PSDB 12%, PPR 10%, PTB 6%, PT 10%, other
16%; seats by party - NA
note: party totals since the fall of 1994 have changed considerably
due to extensive party-switching
Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, judges are appointed for
life by the president and confirmed by the Senate
Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or
PMDB [Paes DE ANDRADE, president]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jose
JORGE, president]; Workers' Party or PT [Jose DIRCEU, president];
Brazilian Workers' Party or PTB [Rodrigues PALMA, president];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA, president]; Brazilian
Progressive Party or PPB [Espiridiao AMIN, president]; Brazilian
Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Artur DA TAVOLA, president]; Popular
Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto FREIRE, president]; Communist Party of
Brazil or PCdoB [Joao AMAZONAS, chairman]; Liberal Party or PL [Alvaro
VALLE, president]; Progressive Reform Party or PPR [Esperido AMIN,
president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic
Church and labor unions allied to leftist Workers' Party are critical
of government's social and economic policies
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), BIS
(pending member), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MTCR, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN,
UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paulo Tarso FLECHA de LIMA
chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
consulate(s) general : Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Melvyn LEVITSKY
embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Lote 3, Brasilia, Distrito Federal
mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
telephone: [55] (61) 321-7272
FAX : [55] (61) 225-9136
consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
consulate(s): Recife
Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center
bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one
for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern
as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band
with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
Economy
Economy - overview: Possessing large and well-developed agricultural,
mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs
that of all other South American countries and is expanding its
presence in world markets. Prior to the institution of a stabilization
plan - the Plano Real (Real Plan) - in mid-1994, stratospheric
inflation rates had disrupted economic activity and discouraged
foreign investment. Since then, tight monetary policy has brought
inflation under control - consumer prices increased by only 10% in
1996 compared to more than 1,000% in 1994. At the same time, GDP
growth slowed from 5.7% in 1994 to 2.9% in 1996 due to tighter credit.
The steadily appreciating currency has also encouraged imports,
contributing to a growing trade deficit, and depressed export growth.
Brazil's more stable economy allowed it to weather the fallout in 1995
from the Mexican peso crisis relatively well, and record levels of
foreign investment have since flowed in, helping to swell official
foreign exchange reserves to $60 billion in 1996; stock markets
reflected this increased investor confidence, gaining 53% in dollar
terms. President CARDOSO remains committed to further reducing
inflation in 1997 and putting Brazil on track for expanded economic
growth, but he faces several key challenges. Fiscal reforms requiring
constitutional amendments are stalled in the Brazilian legislature; in
their absence, the government is continuing to run deficits and has
limited room to relax its interest and exchange rate policies much if
it wants to keep inflation under control. High interest rates have
made servicing domestic debt dramatically more burdensome for both
public and private sector entities, contributing to federal and state
budget problems and a surge in bankruptcies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.022 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 38%
services: 49% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 57 million (1989 est.)
by occupation: services 42%, agriculture 31%, industry 27%
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $86 billion
expenditures: $90 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)
Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
equipment
Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 59.036 million kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 268.874 billion kWh (1995)
note: imports some electricity from Paraguay
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,572 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn,
sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef
Exports:
total value: $47.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: iron ore, soybean bran, orange juice, footwear, coffee,
motor vehicle parts
partners: EU 26%, Latin America 22%, US 23%, Argentina 11% (1995)
Imports:
total value: $53.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs,
coal
partners : EU 26%, US 24%, Argentina 11%, Japan 5% (1995)
Debt - external: $176 billion (December 1996)
Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $107 million (1993)
Currency: 1 real (R$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: R$ per US$1 - 1.043 (January 1997), 1.005 (1996),
0.918 (1995), 0.639 (1994); CR$ per US$1 - 390.845 (January 1994),
88.449 (1993), 4.513 (1992)
note: on 1 August 1993 the cruzeiro real (CR$), equal to 1,000
cruzeiros, was introduced; another new currency, the real (R$) was
introduced on 1 July 1994, equal to 2,750 cruzeiro reais
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Brazil:Communications
Telephones: 14,426,673 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations -
3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean Region East)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,223, FM 0, shortwave 151
Radios: 60 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 112
note: Brazil has the world's fourth largest television broadcasting
system
Televisions: 30 million (1993 est.)
@Brazil:Transportation
Railways:
total: 27,418 km (1,750 km electrified)
broad gauge: 5,730 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge : 194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge: 20,958 km 1.000-m gauge; 13 km 0.760-m gauge
dual gauge: 523 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges
Highways:
total: 1.939 million km
paved: 178,388 km
unpaved: 1,760,612 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 50,000 km navigable
Pipelines: crude oil 2,000 km; petroleum products 3,804 km; natural
gas 1,095 km
Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus,
Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador,
Santos, Vitoria
Merchant marine:
total : 193 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,475,748 GRT/7,175,061
DWT
ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 26, chemical tanker 10, combination
ore/oil 11, container 13, liquefied gas tanker 11, multifunction
large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 62, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11
note: Brazil owns 16 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
1,270,275 DWT that operate under Bahamian, Liberian, Panamanian, and
St. Vincent and the Grenadines registry (1996 est.)
Airports: 2,871 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1,658
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m : 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 125
914 to 1,523 m: 304
under 914 m: 1,205 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total : 1,213
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 1,146 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Marines),
Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 45,876,084 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 30,843,947 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males : 1,756,732 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6.736 billion (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: short section of the boundary with Paraguay,
just west of Salto das Sete Quedas (Guaira Falls) on the Rio Parana,
has not been precisely delimited; two short sections of boundary with
Uruguay are in dispute - Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)
area of the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the islands at the confluence
of the Rio Quarai and the Uruguay River
Illicit drugs: limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca
cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic
consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to
control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian and
Colombian cocaine headed for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
Territory]
(dependent territory of the UK)
@British Indian Ocean Territory:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about
one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E
Map references: World
Area:
total: 60 sq km
land : 60 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 698 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: flat and low (up to four meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources: coconuts, fish
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures : NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest
and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian
Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
@British Indian Ocean Territory:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are UK-US military personnel and civilian contractors;
civilian inhabitants, known as the Ilois, evacuated to Mauritius
before construction of UK-US military facilities
@British Indian Ocean Territory:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form : none
abbreviation: BIOT
Data code: IO
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; administered by a
commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in
London
National capital: none
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner David Ross MACLENNAN (since NA 1994);
Administrator Don CAIRNS (since NA); note - both reside in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the queen
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of
the UK)
Flag description: white with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a
palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the
largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities
are located. Construction projects and various services needed to
support the military installations are done by military and contract
employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There
are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands.
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
note : electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
@British Indian Ocean Territory:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: facilities for military needs only
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
@British Indian Ocean Territory:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield
on Diego Garcia
unpaved : NA km
Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia
Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: the island of Diego Garcia is claimed by
Mauritius
______________________________________________________________________
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
(dependent territory of the UK)
@British Virgin Islands:Geography
Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 150 sq km
land: 150 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note : includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 3 nm
Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 33%
forests and woodland: 7%
other : 33% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
(except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto
Rico
@British Virgin Islands:People
Population: 13,368 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.32% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 20.13 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.9 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: 18.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.83 years
male: 70.99 years
female: 74.8 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups: black 90%, white, Asian
Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God
7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%,
other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
Languages: English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population : 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
@British Virgin Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
Data code: VI
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Road Town
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July
Constitution: 1 June 1977
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor David MACKILLIGIN (since NA June 1995)
head of government : Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May
1995; appointed after the death of former Chief Minister H. Lavity
STOUTT)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
the Legislative Council
elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor
appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor from
among the members of the Legislative Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members
are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of 9 electoral
districts, 4 at large members; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 1995 (next to be held NA February
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VIP
6, CCM 2, UP 2, independents 3
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, one judge of the
Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High
Court
Political parties and leaders: United Party or UP [Conrad MADURO];
Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]; Concerned Citizens
Movement or CCM [E. Walwyln BREWLEY]; Independent People's Movement or
IPM [Omar HODGE and Allen O'NEAL]
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB,
ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of
the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer
half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either
side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the
Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most prosperous in the
Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an
estimated 45% of the national income. In 1985, the government began
offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in
the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues.
The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which
provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory
gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make
the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international
business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural
activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food
requirements. Because of traditional close links with the US Virgin
Islands, the British Virgin Islands have used the dollar as their
currency since 1959.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $135 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,200 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 14%
services: 83% (1989)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1990 est.)