Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)
Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of
the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for
settlement)
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
@Pitcairn Islands:People
Population: 54 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: -0.6% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
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: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander
Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian
wives
Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Languages: English (official), Tahitian/English dialect
@Pitcairn Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands
Data code: PC
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Adamstown
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
Saturday in June)
Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964
Legal system: local island by-laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
(non-resident) of the Pitcairn Islands Robert John ALSTON (since NA
August 1994); Commissioner (non-resident) G. D. HARRAWAY (since NA; is
the liaison person between the governor and the Island Council)
head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island
Council Jay WARREN (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections : the queen is a hereditary monarch; island magistrate
elected by popular vote for a three-year term; last known election
held NA December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1996)
election results: Jay WARREN re-elected island magistrate; percent of
vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats, 6 popularly
elected, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the
governor, and the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms)
elections: take place each December; last held NA December 1996 (next
to be held NA December 1997)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch: Island Court, island magistrate presides over the
court and is elected every three years
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of
the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer
half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue
with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Economy
Economy - overview: The inhabitants exist on fishing and subsistence
farming. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of
fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons,
bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the
economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps
to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 14 able-bodied men (1993)
by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public
works; subsistence farming and fishing
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $729,884
expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994/95
est.)
Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables
Exports: $NA
commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios
partners: NA
Imports: $NA
commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar,
other foodstuffs
partners: NA
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $84,000
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 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
@Pitcairn Islands:Communications
Telephones: 24
Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island
domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA
@Pitcairn Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 6.4 km
paved : 0 km
unpaved: 6.4 km
Ports and harbors: Bounty Bay
Merchant marine: none
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
POLAND
@Poland:Geography
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 312,683 sq km
land: 304,510 sq km
water: 8,173 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,888 km
border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444
km, Ukraine 428 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone : defined by international treaties
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers
Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead,
salt
Land use:
arable land: 47%
permanent crops : 1%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 29%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to
decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by
postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious
because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and
the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from
industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of
hazardous wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat
terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
@Poland:People
Population: 38,615,239 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 4,235,659; female 4,038,016)
15-64 years : 67% (male 12,842,909; female 13,020,736)
65 years and over: 12% (male 1,698,505; female 2,779,414) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.18 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.47 years
male : 68.27 years
female: 76.91 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Byelorussian
0.5% (1990 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern
Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
Languages: Polish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1978 est.)
@Poland:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska
Data code: PL
Government type: democratic state
National capital: Warsaw
Administrative divisions: 49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular -
wojewodztwo); Biala Podlaska, Bialystok, Bielsko Biala, Bydgoszcz,
Chelm, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow, Jelenia Gora,
Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno, Legnica,
Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Nowy Sacz, Olsztyn, Opole, Ostroleka,
Pila, Piotrkow, Plock, Poznan, Przemysl, Radom, Rzeszow, Siedlce,
Sieradz, Skierniewice, Slupsk, Suwalki, Szczecin, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow,
Torun, Walbrzych, Warszawa, Wloclawek, Wroclaw, Zamosc, Zielona Gora
Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution: interim "small constitution" came into effect in
December 1992 supplementing the heavily amended constitution of 22
July 1952; referendum for a new constitution to be held 25 May 1997
Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and
holdover communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as
part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ (since 7
February 1996), Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI (since 7
March 1995), Marek BELKA (since NA February 1997), and Miroslaw
PIETRIEWICZ (since 7 February 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister appoints and the Sejm approves the
Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19
November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); prime minister and
deputy prime ministers elected by the Sejm; election last held NA 1996
(next to be held September 1997)
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president; percent of
legislative vote, second round - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech
WALESA 48.3%; Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ selected prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie
Narodowe consists of the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are
elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year
terms) and the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex
system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held 14
September 1997); Sejm elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to
be held 14 September 1997)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - post-communist parties (PSL 34, SLD 37), post-Solidarity
parties (UW 6, NSZZ 12, BBWR 2), non-communist, non-Solidarity
(independents 7, unaffiliated 1, vacant 1); Sejm - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - post-communist parties (SLD 171, PSL
132), post-Solidarity parties (UW 74, UP 41, BBWR 16), non-communist,
non-Solidarity (KPN 22)
note: four seats are constitutionally assigned to ethnic German
parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
on the recommendation of the National Council of Judiciary
Political parties and leaders:
post-Communist: Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of
Poland) [Jozef OLEKSY]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]
post-Solidarity parties: Freedom Union or UW (Democratic Union and
Liberal Democratic Congress merged to form Freedom Union) [Leszek
BALCEROWICZ]; Christian-National Union or ZCHN [Marian PILKA]; Center
Alliance Party or PC [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; Peasant Alliance or PL
[Gabriel JANOWSKI]; Solidarity Electoral Action or AWS [Marian
KRZAKLEWSKI]; Union of Labor or UP [Ryszard BUGAJ]; Conservative Party
or PK [Aleksander HALL]; Nonparty Reform Bloc or BBWR [Jacek
LIPINSKI]; Nonparty Reform Block United for Elections or BBWR-SW
[Jerzy GWIZDZ]
non-Communist, non-Solidarity : Movement for the Reconstruction of
Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Confederation for an Independent Poland
or KPN [Leszek MOCZULSKI]; German Minority or MN [Gerhardt
BARTODZIEJ]; Union of Real Politics or UPR [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: powerful Roman Catholic Church;
Solidarity (trade union); All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ
(trade union)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NACC, NAM
(guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WEU
(associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Jerzy KOZMINSKI
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271
consulate(s) general : Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas Andrew REY
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5010
telephone: [48] (2) 628-30-41
FAX: [48] (2) 628-82-98
consulate(s) general: Krakow
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red;
similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and
white
Economy
Economy - overview: In 1996, Poland continued to make good progress in
the difficult transition to a market economy. The transition began on
1 January 1990, when the new democratic government instituted shock
therapy by decontrolling prices, slashing subsidies, and drastically
reducing import barriers. Although real GDP fell sharply in 1990 and
1991, in 1992 Poland became the first country in the region to resume
economic growth with a 2.6% increase. Growth advanced to 3.8% in 1993,
5.2% in 1994, 6.5% in 1995, and 6.0% in 1996. Most of the growth since
1991 has come from the booming private sector, which now accounts for
more than 60% of GDP, attributable mostly to the creation of new
private firms. Large-scale industry still remains largely in state
hands. The trade and current account balances officially are in
deficit but in fact both have comfortable surpluses because of large,
unrecorded sales to cross-border visitors. The government has promised
to extend privatization and social welfare reform and to maintain
fiscal and monetary discipline. As for external debt, the burden was
sharply reduced by reschedulings and write-offs of both private and
official debt during 1991-95.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $246.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 6%
industry: 40%
services: 54% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 18.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 17.662 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: industry and construction 32.0%, agriculture 27.6%,
trade, transport, and communications 14.7%, government and other 25.7%
(1992)
Unemployment rate: 13.3% (yearend 1996)
Budget:
revenues: $37.1 billion
expenditures: $40.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 29.64 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 127.42 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,124 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, milk, fruits, vegetables, wheat;
poultry and eggs; pork, beef
Exports:
total value: $30.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: intermediate goods 38%, machinery and transport equipment
23%, consumer goods 21%, foodstuffs 10%, fuels 7% (1996 est.)
partners : Germany 35.7%, Netherlands 5.9%, Russia 5.4%, Italy 4.9%
(1994)
Imports:
total value: $34.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment 32%, intermediate goods
20%, chemicals 15%, consumer goods 9%, food 9%, fuels 8% (1996 est.)
partners: Germany 27.5%, Italy 8.4%, Russia 6.8%, UK 5.3% (1994)
Debt - external: $45.8 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: Western governments and institutions pledged $22 billion in
grants and loans during 1990-94, but much of the money has not been
disbursed
Currency: 1 zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy
Exchange rates: zlotych (Zl) per US$1 - 2.8158 (January 1997), 2.4250
(1995); note - a currency reform on 1 January 1995 replaced 10,000 old
zlotys with 1 new zloty; 22,723 (1994), 18,115 (1993), 13,626 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Poland:Communications
Telephones: 5 million (1994)
Telephone system: underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aims
to have 10 million phones in service by the year 2000
domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations - NA Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions), and 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 27, shortwave 0
Radios: 10.9 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 40 (Russian repeaters 5)
Televisions: 9.6 million
@Poland:Transportation
Railways:
total: 24,313 km
broad gauge : 652 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 22,243 km 1.435-m gauge (11,648 km electrified; 8,978
km double track)
narrow gauge: 1,418 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m,
0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1995)
Highways:
total: 372,479 km
paved : 243,229 km (including 257 km of expressways)
unpaved: 129,250 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 3,997 km navigable rivers and canals (1991)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,986 km; petroleum products 360 km; natural gas
4,600 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin,
Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wrocaw
Merchant marine:
total: 125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,952,937 GRT/2,933,887
DWT
ships by type: bulk 72, cargo 30, chemical tanker 4, container 7,
passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea
passenger 5
note: Poland owns an additional 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
233,906 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus,
Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)
Airports: 134 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
914 to 1,523 m : 3
under 914 m: 7 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m : 32
under 914 m: 18 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 10,321,399 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 8,030,056 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 327,862 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.46 billion (1997)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.3% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of amphetamines for the
international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
illicit drugs to Western Europe
______________________________________________________________________
PORTUGAL
@Portugal:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
west of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline: 1,793 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier
in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico in Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium
ore, marble
Land use:
arable land : 26%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 36%
other : 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by
industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in
coastal areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical
Timber 94
Geography - note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic
locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
@Portugal:People
Population: 9,931,045 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 895,294; female 848,133)
15-64 years: 68% (male 3,280,015; female 3,429,007)
65 years and over: 15% (male 605,074; female 873,522) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.01% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.75 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)