National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988);
national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new
constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been
approved
Legal system: does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the
prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the
prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September
1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC
oversees the cabinet
elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of
the former prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw
(485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD
396, NUP 10, other 79
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system in
place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary
is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD
; National
Unity Party or NUP (proregime) ; Union Solidarity and
Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political
organization) ; and eight minor legal
parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic
Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union
or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB
consists of individuals legitimately elected to the
People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group
fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to
form a parallel government; several Shan factions; United Wa State
Army or UWSA
International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador TIN WINN
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-9044
FAX: (202) 332-9046
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Priscilla A. CLAPP
embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone: (1) 282055, 282182
FAX: (1) 280409
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a
cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14
administrative divisions
@Burma:Economy
Economy - overview: Burma has a mixed economy with private activity
dominant in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with
substantial state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy
industry, and the rice trade. Government policy in the last 11 years,
1989-99, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of
tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased;
foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success.
State enterprises remain highly inefficient and privatization efforts
have stalled. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly
understated because of the volume of black-market trade. A major
ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal
stability. Burma remains a poor Asian country and living standards for
the majority have not improved over the past decade. The short-term
outlook is for continued sluggish growth because of poor government
planning, internal unrest, minimal foreign investment, and the large
trade deficit.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $59.4 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 11%
services: 30% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 23% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 19.7 million (FY98/99 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 10%, services
25% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (official FY97/98 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $7.9 billion
expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
billion (FY96/97)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and
wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 4.31 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 61.72%
hydro: 38.28%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 4.008 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses;
hardwood
Exports: $1.2 billion (1998)
Exports - commodities: pulses and beans, prawns, fish, rice; teak,
opiates
Exports - partners: India 13%, China 11%, Singapore 10%, Thailand 8%
(1998)
Imports: $2.5 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction
materials, food products
Imports - partners: Singapore 31%, Japan 12%, Thailand 12%, China 9%,
Malaysia 8% (1998)
Debt - external: $5.9 billion (FY98/99 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $99 million (FY98/99)
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1 - official rate - 6.2665 (January
2000), 6.2858 (1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997), 5.9176 (1996),
5.6670 (1995); kyats (K) per US$1 - market exchange rate - 330
(yearend 1999)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Burma:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 158,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,007 (1995)
Telephone system: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity
service for business and government; international service is good
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 4.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998)
Televisions: 260,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 0 (1999)
@Burma:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,991 km
narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 28,200 km
paved: 3,440 km
unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein,
Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 472,284 GRT/716,533 DWT
ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 20, container 2, passenger/cargo 3,
petroleum tanker 2 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries:
Japan owns 2 ships, US 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 80 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 70
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 32 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Burma:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 11,865,696
females age 15-49: 11,894,661
note: both sexes liable for military service (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,334,750
females age 15-49: 6,334,937 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 483,964
females: 468,221 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)
@Burma:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: sporadic conflict with Thailand over
alignment of border
Illicit drugs: world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after
Afghanistan (potential production in 1999 - 1,090 metric tons, down
38% due to drought; cultivation in 1999 - 89,500 hectares, a 31%
decline from 1998); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army
in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics
success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major
narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money
laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; becoming a
major source of methamphetamines for regional consumption
______________________________________________________________________
BURUNDI
@Burundi:Introduction
Background: Between 1993 and 1999, ethnic violence between Hutu and
Tutsi factions in Burundi created hundreds of thousands of refugees
and left at least 250,000 dead. Although many refugees have returned
from neighboring countries, continued ethnic strife has forced others
to flee. Burundian troops, seeking to secure their borders, have
intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
@Burundi:Geography
Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 27,830 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290
km, Tanzania 451 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation
(772 m to 2,670 m); average annual temperature varies with altitude
from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the
average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about
150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November,
and dry seasons from June to August and December to January
Terrain: hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt,
copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 44%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 36%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion as a result of overgrazing
and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation
(little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees
for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo
watershed
@Burundi:People
Population: 6,054,714
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population
and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age
and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 1,442,585; female 1,411,908)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,485,177; female 1,541,754)
65 years and over: 3% (male 71,998; female 101,292) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.15% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 40.46 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 16.44 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 71.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.18 years
male: 45.23 years
female: 47.16 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundi
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000
Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%
Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.3%
male: 49.3%
female: 22.5% (1995 est.)
@Burundi:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
Data code: BY
Government type: republic
Capital: Bujumbura
Administrative divisions: 15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba,
Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
note: there may be a new province named Mwaro
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural
political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional
Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice
presidents
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary
law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since 27
September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice
President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice
President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president
is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Pierre BUYOYA (interim president since
27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice
President Frederic BAMVUGINYUMVIRA (since NA May 1998), Second Vice
President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president
is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25
July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (121 seats; note - new Transitional Constitution expanded
the number of seats from 81 to 121 in 1998; members are elected by
popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
1998, but suspended by presidential decree in 1996)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, various
other parties 40
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: Unity for National Progress or UPRONA
; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean
MINANI, president]
note: opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include Burundi
African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA ; Rally for
Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Cyrille
SIGEJEJE, chairman]; Party for National Redress or PARENA
; Socialist Party of Burundi or PSB ;
People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Loosely organized Tutsi
militias
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC,
CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA
chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: (202) 342-2574
FAX: (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Catlin YATES
embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone: (2) 223454
FAX: (2) 222926
Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels
(top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a
white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed
stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star
above, two stars below)
@Burundi:Economy
Economy - overview: Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country
with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is
predominantely agricultural with roughly 90% of the population
dependent on subsistence agriculture. Its economic health depends on
the coffee crop, which accounts for 80% of foreign exchange earnings.
The ability to pay for imports therefore rests largely on the vagaries
of the climate and the international coffee market. Since October 1993
the nation has suffered from massive ethnic-based violence which has
resulted in the death of perhaps 250,000 persons and the displacement
of about 800,000 others. Foods, medicines, and electricity remain in
short supply.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $730 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 46%
industry: 17%
services: 37% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36.2% (1990 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 26% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.9 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 93%, government 4%, industry
and commerce 1.5%, services 1.5% (1983 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $125 million
expenditures: $176 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap;
assembly of imported components; public works construction; food
processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 127 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.57%
hydro: 98.43%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 153 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 35 million kWh
note: imports some electricity from Democratic Republic of the Congo
(1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet
potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides
Exports: $56 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides
Exports - partners: UK, Germany, Benelux, Switzerland (1998)
Imports: $108 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Benelux, France, Zambia, Germany, Kenya, Japan
(1998)
Debt - external: $1.247 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $1.344 billion (1999 est.)
Currency: 1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Burundi francs (FBu) per US$1 - 626.79 (January 2000),
563.56 (1999), 477.77 (1998), 352.35 (1997), 302.75 (1996), 249.76
(1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Burundi:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 343 (1995)
Telephone system: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 440,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999)
Televisions: 25,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Burundi:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 14,480 km
paved: 1,028 km
unpaved: 13,452 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika
Ports and harbors: Bujumbura
Airports: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Burundi:Military
Military branches: Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary
Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 16 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,344,177 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 701,367 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 76,866 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $25 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY93)
@Burundi:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
CAMBODIA
@Cambodia:Introduction
Background: Following a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge
forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all
cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution
or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer
Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting.
UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of
normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the
mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections in
1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of
remaining Khmer Rouge forces.
@Cambodia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries:
total: 2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
Coastline: 443 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season
(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 11%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 920 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding;
occasional droughts