total: 187 km
paved: 35 km
unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)
Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,310 GRT/2,181 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 7 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)
@Cook Islands:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
@Cook Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
CORAL SEA ISLANDS
@Coral Sea Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: occasional, tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources
Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles
@Coral Sea Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station
(July 2000 est.)
@Coral Sea Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Data code: CR
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Executive branch: administered from Canberra by the Department of the
Environment, Sport and Territories
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
@Coral Sea Islands:Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Coral Sea Islands:Communications
Communications - note: there are automatic weather stations on many of
the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
@Coral Sea Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Coral Sea Islands:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited
regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the
activities of visitors
@Coral Sea Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
COSTA RICA
@Costa Rica:Introduction
Background: Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its
democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country,
it has achieved a relatively high standard of living. Land ownership
is widespread. Tourism is a rapidly expanding industry.
@Costa Rica:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources: hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active
volcanoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the
clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion; water pollution
(rivers); fisheries protection; solid waste management
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation
@Costa Rica:People
Population: 3,710,558 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 609,051; female 581,302)
15-64 years: 63% (male 1,177,262; female 1,150,673)
65 years and over: 5% (male 89,541; female 102,729) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.69% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 20.69 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.82 years
male: 73.3 years
female: 78.47 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.52 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%, other 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Evangelical Protestant, approximately
14%, other less than 1%
Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.8%
male: 94.7%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
@Costa Rica:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica
Data code: CS
Government type: democratic republic
Capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas,
San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 7 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998);
First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second
Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note -
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May
1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998),
Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note -
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 1 February 1998
(next to be held 2 February 2002)
election results: Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ elected president; percent of
vote - Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 46.6%, Jose Miguel CORRALES (PLN)
44.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea
Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 1 February 1998 (next to be held 2 February 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUSC 41%, PLN 35%,
minority parties 24%; seats by party - PUSC 27, PLN 23, minority
parties 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected
for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Agriculture Labor Action or PALA
; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC
; Democratic Force Party or PFD ;
Libertarian Movement Party or PML ; National Christian
Alliance Party or ANC ; National
Independent Party or PNI ; National Integration
Party or PIN ; National Liberation Party or PLN
; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel
CHACON]
note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN; numerous small parties
share less than 25% of population's support
Political pressure groups and leaders: Authentic Confederation of
Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of
Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party
affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD
(Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or
FTSP; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of
Educators or ANDE
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 234-2945
FAX: (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD
embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: 220-3939
FAX: 220-2305
Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red
(double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk
on the hoist side of the red band
@Costa Rica:Economy
Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on
tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been
substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social
safety net has been put into place. Economic growth has rebounded from
-0.9% in 1996 to 4% in 1997, 6% in 1998, and 7% in 1999. Inflation
rose to 22.5% in 1995, dropped to 11.1% in 1997, 12% in 1998, and 11%
in 1999. Large government deficits - fueled by interest payments on
the massive internal debt - have undermined efforts to maintain the
quality of social services. Curbing inflation, reducing the deficit,
and improving public sector efficiency remain key challenges to the
government. Political resistance to privatization has stalled
liberalization efforts.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,100 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 22%
services: 64% (1998)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 34.7% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.8% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.377 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services
58% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.6% (1998 est.); 7.5% underemployment
Budget:
revenues: $1.93 billion
expenditures: $2.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)
Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate: 24.5% (1999)
Electricity - production: 5.742 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 9.28%
hydro: 80.62%
nuclear: 0%
other: 10.1% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 5.267 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 77 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 4 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,
potatoes; beef; timber
Exports: $6.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, sugar; textiles, electronic
components, electricity
Exports - partners: US 49%, EU 22%, Central America 10% (1999)
Imports: $6.5 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital
equipment, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners: US 41%, Japan 8.1%, Mexico 7.3%, Venezuela 4%
(1998)
Debt - external: $3.9 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $107.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 299.63 (February
2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997), 207.69 (1996),
179.73 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Costa Rica:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 451,000 (525,700 main lines installed)
(yearend 1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 46,500 (December 1996)
Telephone system: very good domestic telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: connected to Central American Microwave System;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine
cables (1999)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Radios: 980,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 525,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
@Costa Rica:Transportation
Railways:
total: 950 km
narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified)
Highways:
total: 37,273 km
paved: 7,827 km
unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable
Pipelines: petroleum products 176 km
Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto
Quepos, Puntarenas
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 155 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 7 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 127
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 98 (1999 est.)
@Costa Rica:Military
Military branches: Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public
Security Force (Fuerza Publica);
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,010,087 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 676,691 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 38,043 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $55 million (FY95)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY95)
@Costa Rica:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;
domestic cocaine consumption has risen
______________________________________________________________________
COTE D
______________________________________________________________________
CROATIA
@Croatia:Introduction
Background: In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom
known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia
became an independent communist state under the strong hand of Marshal
TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in
1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting
before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands.
Under UN supervision the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia
was returned to Croatia in 1998.
@Croatia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 56,538 sq km
land: 56,410 sq km
water: 128 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 2,197 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 266 km (241 km with Serbia; 25 km with
Montenegro), Slovenia 670 km
Coastline: 5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
summers along coast
Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,830 m
Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore,
calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 38%
other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent and destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical
plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal
pollution from industrial and domestic waste; widespread casualties
and destruction of infrastructure in border areas affected by civil
strife
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Geography - note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to
Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits
@Croatia:People
Population: 4,282,216 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 396,484; female 376,267)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,445,101; female 1,420,159)
65 years and over: 15% (male 238,853; female 405,352) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.93% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.67 years
male: 70.04 years
female: 77.51 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Croat(s)
adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups: Croat 78.1%, Serb 12.2%, Muslim 0.9%, Hungarian 0.5%,
Slovenian 0.5%, Czech 0.4%, Albanian 0.3%, Montenegrin 0.3%, Roma
0.2%, others 6.6% (1991)
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Muslim 1.2%,
Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8% (1991)
Languages: Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian,
Czech, Slovak, and German)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 95% (1991 est.)
@Croatia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form: Croatia
local long form: Republika Hrvatska
local short form: Hrvatska
Data code: HR
Government type: presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital: Zagreb
Administrative divisions: 20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular),
1 city (grad -singular)*: Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija,
Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska
Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka
Zupanija
Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)
Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January
2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since NA February 2000),
Zeljka ANTUNOVIC (since NA February 2000), Slavko LINIC (since NA
February 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved
by the president and the House of Representatives
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote -
Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%
note: government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS, IDS
Legislative branch: bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the House
of Counties or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats - 63 directly elected by
popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve four-year
terms) and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (151 seats,
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Counties - last held 13 April 1997 (next to be
held NA 2001); House of Representatives - last held 2-3 January 2000
(next to be held NA 2004)
election results: House of Counties - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - HDZ 42, HDZ/HSS 11, HSS 2, IDS 2, SDP/PGS/HNS 2,
SDP/HNS 2, HSLS/HSS/HNS 1, HSLS 1; note - in some districts certain
parties ran as coalitions, while in others they ran alone; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HDZ
46, SDP 44, HSLS 24, HSS 17, HSP/HKDU 5, IDS 4, HNS 2, independents 4,
others 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms
by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House
of Representatives; Constitutional Court, judges appointed for
eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is
elected by the House of Representatives