domestic: system is automatically switched
international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados;
international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat
from Martinique
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 104,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 ( two commercial stations and one
cable)
Televisions: 26,000 (1992 est.)
@Saint Lucia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 760 km
paved: 500 km
unpaved : 260 km
Ports and harbors: Castries, Vieux Fort
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : NA
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5 million (1991); note - for
police forces
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (1991)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transit point for South American drugs destined for the
US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON
(territorial collectivity of France)
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Geography
Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
south of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 E
Map references: North America
Area:
total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
Miquelon groups
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are
windy
Terrain: mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime
hazard
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: vegetation scanty
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:People
Population: 6,862 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over : NA
Population growth rate: 0.76% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 12.63 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over : NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 9.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 76.64 years
male: 75.07 years
female: 78.53 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%
Languages: French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and
Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Data code: SB
Dependency status: self-governing territorial collectivity of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint-Pierre
Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France)
note : there are no first-order administrative divisions approved by
the US Government, but there are two communes - St. Pierre, Miquelon
Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under
French control since 1763)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law with special adaptations for local
conditions, such as housing and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois CARENCO (since NA)
head of government : President of the General Council Bernard LE
SOAVEC (since NA 1996)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice
of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council
is elected by the members of the council
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected
by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held NA April 1994 (next to be held NA April
2000)
election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR
15, other 4
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR
1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National
Assembly; elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25
May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by
party - UDF 73.78%; seats by party - UDF 1
Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur
d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party or PS; Rassemblement
pour la Republique or RPR; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
International organization participation: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity
of France)
Flag description: a yellow sailing ship rides on a dark blue
background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a
vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a
green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white
cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a
white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on
top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy
Economy - overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their
livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off
the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however,
because the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre has dropped
steadily over the years. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the
islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a
longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents
only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized
by France. Imports come primarily from Canada and France.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 2,980 (1994)
by occupation : NA
Unemployment rate: 9.3% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $28 million
expenditures : $28 million, including capital expenditures of $7.8
million (1992 est.)
Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets;
tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs; fish catch of
14,800 metric tons (1994)
Exports:
total value: $5 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities : fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts
partners: US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal (1990)
Imports:
total value: $70.2 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery,
building materials
partners : Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997),
5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Communications
Telephones: 3,650 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic : NA
international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the
world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 3,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (programs from France, Canada, and
the US are rebroadcast)
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 114 km
paved: 69 km
unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)
Ports and harbors: Saint Pierre
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: focus of maritime boundary dispute between
Canada and France; in 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an
exclusive economic zone area of 12,348 sq km to settle the dispute
______________________________________________________________________
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
the Grenadines]
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad
and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total : 340 sq km
land: 340 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 84 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season
(May to November)
Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 18%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 36%
other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint
Vincent is a constant threat
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and
shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in
some areas pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines
group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:People
Population: 119,092 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 19,208; female 18,571)
15-64 years: 63% (male 37,555; female 37,166)
65 years and over: 5% (male 2,719; female 3,873) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.62% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 19.07 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.22 years
male: 71.71 years
female: 74.78 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Ethnic groups: black, white, East Indian, Carib Amerindian
Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: English, French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population : 96%
male: 96%
female: 96% (1970 est.)
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : none
conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Data code: VC
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National capital: Kingstown
Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint
Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Constitution: 27 October 1979
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister James Fitz-Allen MITCHELL (since 30
July 1984)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime
minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime
minister
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected
representatives and 6 appointed senators; members are elected by
popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held by NA May 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP
12, ULP 3
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint
Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent
Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F.
MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National
Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent
BEACHE - formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP)
and the Movement for National Unity (MNU)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE
chancery : 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold
(double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds
arranged in a V pattern
Economy
Economy - overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is
the most important sector of this lower middle income economy. The
services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also
important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at
introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40%
continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the
biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped
out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism
sector has considerable potential for development over the next
decade.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $259 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,190 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 18%
services: 70% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 67,000 (1984 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $80 million
expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39
million (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 20,000 kW (1993)
Electricity - production: 61.6 million kWh (1993)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 480 kWh (1993)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices;
small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used
locally
Exports:
total value: $55 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities : bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch,
tennis racquets
partners: Caricom countries 57%, UK 29%, US 9% (1994)
Imports:
total value : $122 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and
fertilizers, minerals and fuels
partners: US 35%, Caricom countries 27%, UK 12% (1994)
Debt - external: $93 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000
(February 1997; fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Communications
Telephones: 6,189 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines
international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados;
new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to
Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 cable
Televisions: 20,600 (1992 est.)
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 800 km
paved : 450 km
unpaved: 350 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kingstown
Merchant marine:
total: 692 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,545,742 GRT/10,306,453
DWT
ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 349, chemical tanker 25, combination
bulk 9, combination ore/oil 6, container 36, liquefied gas tanker 4,
livestock carrier 5, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker
65, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 34, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker
1, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries
among which are Croatia 29, Slovenia 9, China 9, Greece 5, Norway 3,
Ukraine 3, UAE 3, Germany 2, Russia 2, Syria 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police
Force, 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 points for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
SAN MARINO
@San Marino:Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 60 sq km
land: 60 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
Terrain: rugged mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Fiume Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 749 m
Natural resources: building stone
Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures : NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution
Geography - note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe
after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines
@San Marino:People
Population: 24,714 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 1,993; female 1,992)
15-64 years : 68% (male 8,442; female 8,270)
65 years and over: 16% (male 1,683; female 2,334) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.76% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.68 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.97 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.37 years
male: 77.42 years
female: 85.32 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese
Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95% (1976 est.)
@San Marino:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local long form : Repubblica di San Marino
local short form: San Marino
Data code: SM
Government type: republic
National capital: San Marino
Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular -
castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,
Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle
Independence: 301 AD (by tradition)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3
September
Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
functions of a constitution
Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal