chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Terri ROBL
embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone : [253] 35 39 95
FAX: [253] 35 39 40
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and
light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is based on service activities
connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free
trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in
the capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty
rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most
food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit
port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling
center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation
is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance (an important
supplement to GDP) to help support its balance of payments and to
finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to 50%
continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an
estimated 35% over the last six years because of recession, civil war,
and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees).
Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has
fallen in arrears on long term external debt and has been struggling
to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $500 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3.1% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 3%
industry: 21%
services: 76% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4.9% (1995 est.)
Labor force:
total: 282,000
by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 40%-50% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $150 million
expenditures: $181 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1995 est.)
Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy
products and mineral-water bottling
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 115,000 kW (1991)
Electricity - production: 200 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 577 kWh (1991)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels
Exports:
total value: $184 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit) (1995)
partners: Somalia 42%, Ethiopia 35%, Yemen 7% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $384 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals,
petroleum products (1995)
partners : Thailand 15%, France 13%, Ethiopia 8%, Saudi Arabia 6%
(1995 est.)
Debt - external: $267 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1 - 177.721 (fixed rate
since 1973)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Djibouti:Communications
Telephones: 7,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are
adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying
areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles,
Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian
Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; MEDARABTEL regional microwave radio relay
telephone network
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 17,000 (1993 est.)
@Djibouti:Transportation
Railways:
total: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge: 97 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km
unpaved: 2,526 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Djibouti
Merchant marine:
total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
(1996 est.)
Airports: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m : 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m : 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air
Force), National Security Force (Force Nationale de Securite),
National Police Force
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 103,569 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 60,751 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $26 million (1989)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
DOMINICA
@Dominica:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad
and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 30 N, 61 20 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 750 sq km
land: 750 sq km
water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than four times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources: timber
Land use:
arable land : 9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 67%
other : 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive
hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Dominica:People
Population: 66,633 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 9,287; female 9,115)
15-64 years: 63% (male 21,364; female 20,617)
65 years and over : 9% (male 2,569; female 3,681) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.26% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 17.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -24.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.6 years
male: 74.74 years
female : 80.6 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian
Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none
2%, unknown 1%, other 5%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (1970 est.)
@Dominica:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica
Data code: DO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Roseau
Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David,
Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint
Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution: 3 November 1978
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO (since 25 October
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June
1995)
cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year
term; election last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October
1998); prime minister appointed by the president
election results : Crispin Anselm SORHAINDO elected president; percent
of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9
appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 June 1995; byelections held 13 August 1996
(next to be held by October 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UWP
12, DLP 5, DFP 4
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Santa
Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over
the Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles
SAVERIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Rosie DOUGLAS]; United Workers
Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or
DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward I. WATTY (non-resident)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
FAX : [1] (202) 364-6791
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in Bridgetown
(Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag description: green with a centered cross of three equal bands -
the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white - the
horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the
center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled
by 10 green five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent
the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is dependent on agriculture and thus
is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms.
Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 26% of GDP and employs
40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains
difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the
lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the
country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out
one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The government is attempting
to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the
island's production base.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $208 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: NA%
services : NA% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.2% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total : 25,000
by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services
28% (1984)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $80 million
expenditures: $95.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96 est.)
Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1994 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 15,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 52 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 479 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops,
coconuts; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
Exports:
total value : $40 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: bananas 70%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit,
oranges
partners: UK 55%, Caricom countries, Italy, US
Imports:
total value: $122 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities : manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food,
chemicals
partners: US 25%, Caricom, UK, Japan, Canada
Debt - external: $110 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (February
1997; fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Dominica:Communications
Telephones: 14,613 (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fully automatic network
international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to
Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint
Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 45,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 cable
Televisions: 5,200 (1993 est.)
@Dominica:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 765 km
paved: 385 km
unpaved: 380 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
Europe; minor cannabis producer
______________________________________________________________________
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
@Dominican Republic:Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola,
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water : 350 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total : 275 km
border countries: Haiti 275 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone : 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation;
seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys
interspersed
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures : 43%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the
sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern
two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
@Dominican Republic:People
Population: 7,868,731 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 1,423,626; female 1,371,309)
15-64 years: 60% (male 2,404,042; female 2,334,119)
65 years and over : 4% (male 160,270; female 175,365) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.65% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 26.87 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.81 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 46 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.39 years
male : 67.21 years
female: 71.69 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.1%
male: 82%
female : 82.2% (1995 est.)
@Dominican Republic:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form : Republica Dominicana
local short form: none
Data code: DR
Government type: republic
National capital: Santo Domingo
Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona,
Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat,
Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez,
San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago
Rodriguez, Valverde
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: 28 November 1966
Legal system: based on French civil codes
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note : members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government : President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
1996); Vice President Jaime David FERNANDEZ Mirabal (since 16 August
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 1996;
runoff election held 30 June 1996 (next to be held 16 May 2000)
election results: President FERNANDEZ elected to his first term;
percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 51.25%, Jose Francisco PENA
Gomez (PRD) 48.75%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or
Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 30 May 1994 (next to be held NA May
1998); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1994 (next to be held NA
May 1998)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRSC 15, PLD 1, PRD 14; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 13, PRSC 50, PRD 57
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by
a Council made up of legislative and executive members with the
president presiding
Political parties and leaders:
major parties: Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin
BALAGUER Ricardo]; Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Lidio CADET];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Jose Franciso PENA Gomez];
Independent Revolutionary Party or PRI
minor parties: National Veterans and Civilian Party or PNVC [Juan Rene
BEAUCHAMPS Javier]; Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD
[Andres Van Der HORST]; Democratic Quisqueyan Party or PQD [Elias
WESSIN Chavez]; National Progressive Force or FNP [Marino VINICIO
Castillo]; Popular Christian Party or PPC [Rogelio DELGADO Bogaert];
Dominican Communist Party or PCD [Narciso ISA Conde]; Dominican
Workers' Party or PTD [Ivan RODRIGUEZ]; Anti-Imperialist Patriotic
Union or UPA [Ignacio RODRIGUEZ Chiappini]; Alliance for Democracy
Party or APD [Maximilano Rabelais PUIG Miller, Nelsida MARMOLEJOS,
Vicente BENGOA]; Democratic Union or UD [Fernando ALVAREZ Bogaert]
note: in 1983 several leftist parties, including the PCD, joined to
form the Dominican Leftist Front or FID; however, they still retain
individual party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular
Organizations or COP
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom (observer),
ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (guest), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo VEGA Boyrie
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280, 6281
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mayaguez (Puerto
Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and
San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Charlotte Amalie (Virgin Islands), Detroit, Houston,
Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donna Jean HRINAK
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171, 221-8100
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges,
divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small
coat of arms is at the center of the cross
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic reforms launched in late 1994 contributed
to exchange rate stabilization, reduced inflation, and strong GDP
growth in 1995-96. In 1996, there was increased mineral and petroleum
exploration, and a new investment law that allows for repatriation of
capital dividends has drawn more investment to the island. Upon coming
to power in August 1996, President FERNANDEZ nevertheless inherited a
trouble-ridden economy hampered by a pressured peso, a large external
debt, nearly bankrupt state-owned enterprises, and a manufacturing
sector hindered by daily power outages. In December, FERNANDEZ
presented a bold economic reform package - including such reforms as
the devaluation of the peso, income tax cuts, a 50% increase in sales
taxes, reduced import tariffs, and increased gasoline prices - in an
attempt to create a market-oriented economy that can compete
internationally. The legislature, however, has been slow to act on
several of the economic measures.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $29.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,670 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 32%
services: 55% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 12.5% (1995)
Labor force: 2.3 million to 2.6 million
by occupation : agriculture 50%, services and government 32%, industry
18% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $1.8 billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining,
textiles, cement, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 2,450,400 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 6.506 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 613 kWh (1995 est.)