lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland : 22%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution from rapid
urbanization
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: more than 200 islands
@Hong Kong:People
Population: 6,547,189 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 629,981; female 584,807)
15-64 years: 71% (male 2,319,009; female 2,348,794)
65 years and over: 10% (male 299,503; female 365,095) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.59% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 12.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 18.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.71 years
male: 75.98 years
female: 81.62 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population : 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
@Hong Kong:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : none
conventional short form: Hong Kong
abbreviation : HK
Data code: HK
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK; note - scheduled to
revert to China on 1 July 1997
Government type: NA
National capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK; the UK signed an
agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China
on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect
Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 August (1945)
Constitution: the Letters Patent together with the Royal Instructions
form the written constitution of Hong Kong; new Basic Law approved in
March 1990 in preparation for scheduled reversion to China on 1 July
1997
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 professionals of
electoral college and functional constituencies
Executive branch:
chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council
Christopher Francis PATTEN (since 9 July 1992); Chief Secretary Anson
CHAN Fang On-Sang (since 29 November 1993)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed
by the queen
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (60 seats; 30
indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by popular
vote, and 10 elected by election committee; members serve four-year
terms); note - the Legislative Council will be replaced by a
provisional legislature on 1 July 1997
elections: indirect and direct elections last held 17 September 1995;
note - elections for the first post-reversion Legislative Council are
scheduled to be held in 1998
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 21, Liberal Party 10, Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong 6, other parties and independents 23; note -
subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the
distribution of seats; the new distribution is as follows - Democratic
Party 19, Liberal Party 10, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of
Hong Kong 6, other parties and independents 25
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Martin LEE, chairman;
Liberal Party, Allen LEE, chairman; Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong, TSANG Yuk-shing, chairman; Hong Kong
Democratic Foundation, Dr. Patrick SHIU Kin-ying, chairman
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for Democracy and
People's Livelihood (ADPL), Frederick FUNG Kin Kee, chairman; Liberal
Democratic Federation, HU Fa-kuang, chairman; Federation of Trade
Unions (pro-China), LEE Chark-tim, president; Hong Kong and Kowloon
Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Unions
(pro-democracy), LEE Cheuk-yan, chairman; Hong Kong General Chamber of
Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation
of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong
Kong; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, CHEUNG Man-kwong,
president; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic
Movement in China, Szeto WAH, chairman
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending
member), CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX : [852] 2845-1598
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on
the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield
(bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK)
and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield
and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the shield
note: to be replaced on 1 July 1997 by a red flag with a stylized,
white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Economy
Economy - overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy with
few tariffs or nontariff barriers. Natural resources are limited, and
food and raw materials must be imported. Manufacturing and
construction account for about 18% of GDP. Goods and services exports
account for about 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8%
in 1987-88, slowed to 3.0% in 1989-90, and picked up to 4.2% in 1991,
5.0% in 1992, 5.2% in 1993, 5.5% in 1994, 4.8% in 1995, and 4.7% in
1996. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices
and the cost of living. Prospects for 1997 remain bright so long as
major trading partners continue to be reasonably prosperous and so
long as investors feel China will support free market practices after
the takeover on 1 July 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $163.6 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 0.2%
industry: 18.4%
services: 81.4% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.5% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 3.251 million (1996)
by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels
34.4%, services 19.8%, manufacturing 14.2%, financing, insurance, and
real estate 12.4%, transport and communications 5.1%, construction
2.1%, other 12% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $19 billion
expenditures: $14.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $289
million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys,
watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: -2.6% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 10.32 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 25.14 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,716 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: fresh vegetables; poultry
Exports:
total value : $197.2 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical
appliances, watches and clocks, toys
partners: China 33%, US 22%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 3%, Singapore 3%
(1995)
Imports:
total value: $217.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials,
semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported
partners: China 36%, Japan 15%, Taiwan 9%, US 8%, Singapore 5%, South
Korea 5% (1995)
Debt - external: none (1996)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.730 (1996), 7.800
(1995), 7.800 (1994), 7.800 (1993), 7.741 (1992); note - linked to the
US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Hong Kong:Communications
Telephones: 3.31 million (1996)
Telephone system: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean
and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5
international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member
nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 3 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (British Broadcasting Corporation
repeater 1; British Forces Broadcasting Service repeater 1)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1992 est.)
@Hong Kong:Transportation
Railways:
total : 34 km
standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (1996 est.)
note: also has 43 km of metro with 38 stations
Highways:
total: 1,717 km
paved : 1,717 km
unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Hong Kong
Merchant marine:
total: 221 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,908,237 GRT/13,580,012
DWT
ships by type: bulk 124, cargo 31, combination bulk 4, combination
ore/oil 2, container 38, liquefied gas tanker 2, multifunction large
load carrier 2, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries
among which are UK 50, South Africa 12, Belgium 10, China 9, Japan 8,
Bermuda 5, US 5, Israel 4, Germany 3, and Switzerland 3; Hong Kong
owns an additional 498 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,810,794
DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda,
Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu
Airports: 2 (1996 est.)
note: new international airport under construction and will open in
1998
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Headquarters of British Forces, Army, Royal Navy,
Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong
Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,884,488 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 1,427,567 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 46,601 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $207 million (FY92/93); note -
this represents 65% of the total cost of defending the colony, the
remainder being paid by the UK
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (FY92/93)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK until 1 July
1997, when China will assume command
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment
and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse
______________________________________________________________________
HOWLAND ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Howland Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
land : 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6.4 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a
narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point : unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops : 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 95%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate
vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center;
primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
@Howland Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and
educators
@Howland Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : none
conventional short form: Howland Island
Data code: HQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by
the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as
part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Howland Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on
the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan - they
left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again;
the airstrip is no longer serviceable
Transportation - note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle
of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II,
but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia
Earhart
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
HUNGARY
@Hungary:Geography
Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 93,030 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km
water: 690 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 2,009 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km,
Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use:
arable land: 51%
permanent crops : 2%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 19%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Environment - current issues: an early-1996 government study
identified 179 areas that suffer from air pollution, 54 areas with
polluted soil, and 32 areas with polluted underground water; the study
estimated clean-up costs at $350 million, but the 1996 government
budget allocated only about $7 million for this purpose
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land
routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
Ukraine and Mediterranean basin
@Hungary:People
Population: 10,232,404 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 924,864; female 881,728)
15-64 years: 68% (male 3,419,485; female 3,541,823)
65 years and over: 14% (male 549,091; female 915,413) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.25% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.73 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.67 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.47 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.48 years
male : 66.06 years
female: 75.13 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak
0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist
and other 7.5%
Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female : 98% (1980 est.)
@Hungary:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag
Data code: HU
Government type: republic
National capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20
urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city**
(fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*,
Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*,
Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*,
Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*,
Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*,
Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas,
Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August
(commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19
April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for
individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime
minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based
on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously
interim president since 2 May 1990)
head of government : Prime Minister Gyula HORN (since 15 July 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year
term; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); prime
minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
president
election results: Arpad GONCZ elected president; a total of 335 votes
were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259; Gyula
HORN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections : last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MSzP
209, SzDSz 70, MDF 37, FKgP 26, KDNP 22, FiDeSz 20, other 2
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the
National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF
[Sandor LEZSAK, chairman]; Independent Smallholders or FKgP [Jozsef
TORGYAN, president]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Gyula HORN,
president]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY,
president]; Federation of Young Democrats or FiDeSz [Viktor ORBAN,
chairman]; Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE,
chairman]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Ivan SZABO,
chairman]
note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSzMP
renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
in October 1989; there is still a small MMP (Communist Party); the
MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian
Democratic Forum
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC,
CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy BANLAKI
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX : [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald M. BLINKEN
embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest
mailing address: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone : [36] (1) 267-4400, 269-9331
FAX: [36] (1) 269-9326
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and green
Economy