Electricity - capacity: 165,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 440 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 223 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food
output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest
products
Exports:
total value: $952 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: crude oil 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee,
diamonds
partners: Belgium-Luxembourg 24.3%, Taiwan 20.2%, US 14.9%, Italy
14.8% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $559 million (f.o.b. 1994)
commodities : intermediate manufactures, capital equipment,
construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products
partners: France 31.2%, Netherlands 24.6%, Italy 11.4%, US 6.9% (1995
est.)
Debt - external: $5.3 billion (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997),
511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69
(1992)
note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF
100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since
1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Congo, Republic of the:Communications
Telephones: 18,000 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: services barely adequate for government use; key
exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; inter-city
lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 8,500 (1993 est.)
@Congo, Republic of the:Transportation
Railways:
total: 795 km (includes 285 km private track)
narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 12,760 km
paved: 1,238 km
unpaved : 11,522 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of
commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for
local traffic only
Pipelines: crude oil 25 km
Ports and harbors: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Merchant marine:
total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,218 GRT/4,100 DWT
(1996 est.)
Airports: 34 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
over 3,047 m : 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m : 14 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National
Police
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : 601,771 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 306,757 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 26,081 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $110 million (1993)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.8% (1993)
Military - note: under the terms of a 1994 peace agreement, which
ended two years of civil strife, members of militias who supported the
three main political parties are being integrated into the military
forces
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: long segment of boundary with Democratic
Republic of the Congo along the Congo River is indefinite (no division
of the river or its islands has been made)
______________________________________________________________________
COOK ISLANDS
(free association with New Zealand)
@Cook Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land : 9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other : 78% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: NA
@Cook Islands:People
Population: 19,776 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.08% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 22.7 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.65 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: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.14 years
male: 69.2 years
female: 73.1 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European
7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook
Islands Christian Church)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: NA
@Cook Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form : Cook Islands
Data code: CW
Dependency status: free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is
fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook
Islands
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
National capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (became self-governing in free association with New
Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full
independence by unilateral action)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 4 August
Constitution: 4 August 1965
Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner
Darryl DUNN (since NA 1994), representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1
February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February
1989)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament
elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; the queen's
representative is appointed by the queen; the New Zealand high
commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
seats usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999)
election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2
note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but
has no legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY;
Democratic Party, Sir Thomas DAVIS; Democratic Alliance Party, Norman
GEORGE
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP (associate),
FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, Sparteca,
SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free
association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in free
association with New Zealand)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars
(one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Like other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
country from foreign markets, lack of natural resources, periodic
devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure.
Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of
copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to a
fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Trade deficits
are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid,
largely from New Zealand. In 1996, the government declared bankruptcy,
citing a $120 million public debt. Efforts to exploit tourism
potential and expanding the mining and fishing industries have not
been enough to adequately deal with the financial crisis. In an effort
to stem further erosion of the tenuous economic situation, the
government slashed public service salaries by 50%, condensed the
number of government ministries from 52 to 22, reduced the number of
civil servants by more than half, began selling government assets, and
closed all overseas diplomatic posts except for the one in New
Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $57 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 6%
services: 77% (FY90/91)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.8% (1994)
Labor force:
total: 6,601 (1993)
by occupation: agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry
15%, other 4% (1981)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: fruit processing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 7,500 kW (1990)
Electricity - production: 20 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas,
yams, taro, coffee
Exports:
total value: $3.9 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: copra, fresh and canned citrus fruit, clothing, coffee,
fish
partners: NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong
Imports:
total value : $67 million (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber
partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia
Debt - external: $160 million (1994)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $1.275 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $5.4
million in budget support and $3.2 million in project and training aid
from New Zealand, the country's largest source of aid (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.4247 (January
1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993),
1.8584 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Cook Islands:Communications
Telephones: 4,180 (1994)
Telephone system:
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1
Radios: 13,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 studio and 8 low-powered repeaters
achieve good coverage on the island of Rarotonga
Televisions: 3,500 (1995 est.)
@Cook Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 187 km
paved: 35 km
unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)
Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu
Merchant marine:
total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT
(1996 est.)
Airports: 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
CORAL SEA ISLANDS
(territory of Australia)
@Coral Sea Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
water : 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land : 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: occasional, tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles
@Coral Sea Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of four at the meteorological station
@Coral Sea Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Data code: CR
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the
Ministry for Sport, Territories, and Local Government
National capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Executive branch: administered by the Minister for the Arts, Sport,
the Environments and Territories of Australia
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Coral Sea Islands:Communications
Communications - note: there are automatic weather relay stations on
many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
@Coral Sea Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited
regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the
activities of visitors
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
COSTA RICA
@Costa Rica:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water : 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May
to November)
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point : Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops : 5%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active
volcanoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the
clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
@Costa Rica:People
Population: 3,534,174 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 617,256; female 587,566)
15-64 years: 61% (male 1,090,414; female 1,065,273)
65 years and over : 5% (male 80,304; female 93,361) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.15 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.82 years
male : 73.41 years
female: 78.36 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.85 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 96%, black 2%, Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
@Costa Rica:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
Data code: CS
Government type: democratic republic
National capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas,
San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state : President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May
1994); First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May
1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May
1994); note - president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May
1994); First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May
1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May
1994); note - president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 February 1994
(next to be held NA February 1998)
election results : Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen elected president;
percent of vote - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel
RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea
Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February
1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN
28, PUSC 25, minority parties 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected
for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party or PLN
[Rolando ARAYA]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Rafael Angel
CALDERON Fournier]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ];
National Agrarian Party or PAN; People's Party of Costa Rica or PPC
[Lenin CHACON Vargas]; Agricultural Union Party or PUAC [Juan
Guillermo BRENES Castillo]; Democratic Force Party or FD [Isaac Felipe
AZOFEIFA Bolanos]; People United [Humberto VARGAS Carbonell];
Patriotic Front Party; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo
GUTIERREZ)]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Costa Rican Confederation of
Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Confederated
Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Authentic
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party
affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for
Economic Development or ANFE; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL
(rightwing militants); National Association of Educators or ANDE;
Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP
International organization participation: AG (observer), BCIE, CACM,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general : Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 220-2305
Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red
(double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk
on the hoist side of the red band
Economy
Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive
economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas,
coffee, and other agricultural products. Poverty has been
substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social
safety net has been put in place. Recent trends, however, have been
disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in
1995, and to 0.9% in 1996. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995 from 13.5%
in 1994, then dropped back to 13.9% in 1996. Unemployment appears
moderate at little more than 5% but substantial underemployment
continues. Furthermore, substantial government deficits have
undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. The
government thus faces a formidable set of problems: to curb inflation,
reduce the deficit, encourage domestic savings, and improve public
sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector, all
this in harmony with IMF agreements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $19 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,500 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 13.9% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 868,300
by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services
33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1996 est.); much underemployment