chief of state: President Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 25 July 1992);
Vice President Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN (since 21 August 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister I.K. GUJRAL (since 21 April 1997)
cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term; vice president elected by both houses
of Parliament; prime minister elected by parliamentary members of the
majority party following legislative elections
election results: Shankar Dayal SHARMA elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - NA; Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN elected vice
president; percent of Parliament vote - NA; I.K. GUJRAL elected prime
minister; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the
Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than
250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the
remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and
territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's
Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2
appointed; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held 27 April through May 1996
(next to be held NA 2001)
election results : People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - BJP and allies 194, Congress I Party 140, Janata Dal
Party 44, CPI/M 32, Tamil Maanila Congress 20, Dravida Munnetra
Kazagham 17, SP 17, Teluga Desam (Naidu) 16, CPI 11, RSP 5, Asom Gana
Parishad 5, Congress (Tiwari) 4, AIFB 3, Muslim League 2, Madhya
Pradesh Vikas Congress 2, Karnataka Congress Party 1, independents and
other regional parties 30
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), A. B.
VAJPAYEE; Congress (I) Party, Sitaram KESRI, president; Janata Dal
Party, Laloo Prasad YADAV; Janata Dal (Ajit), Ajit SINGH; Communist
Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Tamil Maanila
Congress, G. K. MOOPANAR; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party
in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI; Samajwadi Party (SP), Mulayam Singh
YADAV (president), Om Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Telugu Desam (Naidu)
(a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), Chandrababu NAIDU; Communist
Party of India (CPI), Indrajit GUPTA; Revolutionary Socialist Party
(RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Asom Gana Parishad, Prafulla Kumar MAHANTA;
Congress (Tiwari), Arjun SINGH and N.D. TIWARI; All India Forward Bloc
(AIFB), Prem Dutta PALIWAL (chairman), Chitta BASU (general
secretary); Muslim League, G. M. BANATWALA; Madhya Pradesh Vikas
Congress, Madhavro SCINDIA; Karnataka Congress Party, S. BANGARAPPA;
Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY; Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM;
Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA;
Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the
Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and
Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH; Bihar Peoples Party, Lovely ANAND; Samata
Party (formerly Janata Dal members), George FERNANDES; Indian National
League, Suliaman SAIT; Kerala Congress (Mani faction), K. M. MANI
note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were dissolved
- Congress (Tiwari), Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress, and Karnataka
Congress Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: various separatist groups
seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous religious
or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam Sena, Ananda
Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
BIS (pending member), C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Naresh CHANDRA
chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972
consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frank G. WISNER
embassy: Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone : [91] (11) 600651
FAX: [91] (11) 6872028
consulate(s) general: Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Mumbai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white,
and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white
band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk
centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: India's economy is a mixture of traditional
village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of
modern industries, and a multitude of support services. A large share
of the population, perhaps as much as 40%, remains too poor to afford
an adequate diet. The policy in the 1980s of fueling economic growth
through high government expenditure proved unsustainable, however, and
in the wake of an international payments crisis in 1991 India has been
transforming its semi-socialist, insular economy into a more open,
market-oriented economy. Production, trade, and investment reforms
since 1991 have provided new opportunities for Indian businesspersons
and an estimated 200 million plus middle class consumers. New Delhi
has stimulated exports, attracted foreign investment, and revived
confidence in India's economic prospects. GDP growth exceeded 6% in
1995 and in 1996. Most of the country's external fundamentals -
including the current account balance and reserves (now about $19
billion) - are healthy. Even so, the Indian Government needs to
restore the early momentum of reform, especially by continuing
reductions in the extensive remaining government regulations. The
government will also have to deal with rising government expenditures
and higher debt servicing which could create a debt trap by the turn
of the century. Even if a series of weak coalition governments come to
power in the next few years and are unable to push reforms
aggressively, parts of the economy that have already benefited from
deregulation will continue to grow. Moreover, the country can build on
other strengths, including its diverse industrial base, large
scientific and technical pool, its well-developed legal system, and
its large middle class.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.538 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry : 28%
services: 42% (1993/94)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10.3% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 370 million (1995 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 65% or more, services 4%, manufacturing and
construction 3%, communications and transport 3%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $34 billion
expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96)
Industries: textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel,
transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery
Industrial production growth rate: 11.2% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 83.288 million kW 1996)
Electricity - production: 380 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 419 kWh (1995)
Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea,
sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry;
fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the
world's top 10 fishing nations
Exports:
total value : $30.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: clothing, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
leather manufactures, cotton yarn, and fabric
partners: US, Japan, Germany, UK, Hong Kong
Imports:
total value: $34.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, machinery, gems,
fertilizer, chemicals
partners: US, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UK, Belgium, Japan
Debt - external: $97.9 billion (March 1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $1.237 billion (1993); US ODA bilateral commitments
$171 million; US Ex-Im bilateral commitments $680 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA bilateral commitments $2.48 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid $200 million; World Bank (IBRD) multilateral commitments
$2.8 billion; Asian Development Bank (AsDB) multilateral commitments
$760 million; International Finance Corporation (IFC) multilateral
commitments $200 million; other multilateral commitments $554 million
(1995-96)
Currency: 1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paise
Exchange rates: Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1 - 35.872 (January 1997),
35.433 (1996), 32.427 (1995), 31.374 (1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918
(1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@India:Communications
Telephones: 9.8 million (1995)
Telephone system: probably the least adequate telephone system of any
of the industrializing countries; three of every four villages have no
telephone service; only 5% of India's villages have long-distance
service; poor telephone service significantly impedes commercial and
industrial growth and penalizes India in global markets; slow
improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and
private-public investors, but demand for communication services is
also growing rapidly
domestic : local service is provided mostly by open wire and obsolete
electromechanical and manual switchboard systems; within the last 10
years a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced
for local service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by open
wire, coaxial cable, and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since
1985, however, significant trunk capacity has been added in the form
of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with over 100
earth stations
international : satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean Region); submarine cables to Malaysia and
UAE
Radio broadcast stations: AM 96, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 70 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 274 (government controlled)
Televisions: 33 million (1992 est.)
@India:Transportation
Railways:
total: 62,462 km (11,793 km electrified; 12,617 km double track)
broad gauge: 37,824 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 20,653 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,985 km 0.762-m and 0.610-m
gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total : 2,009,600 km
paved: 1,006,810 km
unpaved: 1,002,790 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 3,005 km; petroleum products 2,687 km; natural
gas 1,700 km (1995)
Ports and harbors: Calcutta, Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal
Nehru, Kandla, Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam
Merchant marine:
total : 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,832,647
GRT/11,376,028 DWT
ships by type: bulk 132, cargo 59, chemical tanker 8, combination bulk
3, combination ore/oil 3, container 11, liquefied gas tanker 8, oil
tanker 75, passenger-cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea
passenger 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 290 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 249
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 48
1,524 to 2,437 m : 59
914 to 1,523 m: 68
under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 41
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 37 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 15 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, various security or
paramilitary forces (includes Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, and
Coast Guard)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 258,172,895 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males : 151,693,072 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 10,465,427 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $8 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: boundaries with Bangladesh and China in
dispute; status of Kashmir with Pakistan; water-sharing problems with
downstream riparian Pakistan over the Indus (Wular Barrage);
Bangladesh and India signed a treaty 12 December 1996 to share water
from the Ganges
Illicit drugs: world's largest licit producer of opium for the
pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is
diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit country
for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit
producer of hashish and methaqualone; produced 47 metric tons of
illicit opium in 1996
______________________________________________________________________
INDIAN OCEAN
[Map of Indian Ocean]
@Indian Ocean:Geography
Location: body of water between Africa, Antarctica, Asia, and
Australia
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 80 00 E
Map references: World
Area:
total : 73.6 million sq km
note: includes Arabian Sea, Bass Straight, Bay of Bengal, Great
Australian Bight, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of
Malacca, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly less than eight times the size of the US;
third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but
larger than the Arctic Ocean)
Coastline: 66,526 km
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon
(June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in
the southern Indian Ocean
Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular
system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air
results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and
currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and
subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean
Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Natural hazards: ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
south near Antarctica from May to October
Environment - current issues: endangered marine species include the
dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea,
Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
Environment - international agreements:
party to : none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the
Lombok Strait
@Indian Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for
hydrographic codes - see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic
Codes appendix
Economy
Economy - overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes
connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the
Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and
petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and
Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the
bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing
fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian
Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are
being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and
western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil
production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy
minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by
bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri
Lanka, and Thailand.
@Indian Ocean:Communications
Telephone system:
international : submarine cables from India to UAE and Malaysia and
from Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia
@Indian Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
(South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Madras (India), Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richard's Bay (South Africa)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
______________________________________________________________________
INDONESIA
@Indonesia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and
the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total : 1,919,440 sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,602 km
border countries: Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
Coastline: 54,716 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber,
bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 7%
forests and woodland : 62%
other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 45,970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis,
earthquakes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes
from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
@Indonesia:People
Population: 209,774,138 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years : 31% (male 33,313,149; female 32,367,905)
15-64 years: 65% (male 67,824,993; female 68,226,617)
65 years and over: 4% (male 3,557,886; female 4,483,588) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.39 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.06 years
male: 59.89 years
female: 64.34 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.66 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian
Ethnic groups: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal
Malays 7.5%, other 26%
Religions: Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1985)
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is
Javanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78% (1995 est.)
@Indonesia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local long form : Republik Indonesia
local short form: Indonesia
former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
Data code: ID
Government type: republic
National capital: Jakarta
Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular -
propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular -
daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus
ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Bengkulu, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi,
Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan
Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Lampung, Maluku, Nusa
Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi
Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera
Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Timor Timur, Yogyakarta*
Independence: 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December
1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945)
Constitution: August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949
and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of
age
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March 1968)
and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO (since 27 March
1968) and Vice President Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO (since 11 March
1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by consensus by the
People's Consultative Assembly for five-year terms; election last held
11 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998)
election results : Gen. (Ret.) SOEHARTO elected president by consensus
by the People's Consultative Assembly; Gen. (Ret.) Try SUTRISNO
elected vice president by consensus by the People's Consultative
Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan
Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 400 elected by popular vote, 100
are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms;
note - beginning with the elections in May 1997, the composition of
the DPR will change to 425 elected representatives and 75 appointed
representatives)
elections: last held 8 June 1992 (next scheduled for 29 May 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 68%, PPP 17%, PDI
15%; seats by party - Golkar 282, PPP 62, PDI 56
note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan
Rakyat or MPR) includes the DPR plus 500 indirectly selected members;
it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president
and to approve the broad outlines of national policy
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Mahkamah Agung), the judges are
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Golkar (de facto ruling political party
based on functional groups), HARMOKO, general chairman; Indonesia
Democracy Party (PDI - federation of former Nationalist and Christian
Parties), SOERJADI, chairman; Development Unity Party (PPP, federation
of former Islamic parties), Ismail Hasan METAREUM, chairman
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, OPEC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP,
UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO