revenues: $996 billion
expenditures: $1.036 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)
Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced
producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
shipbuilding; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1999)
Electricity - production: 525.356 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 65.77%
hydro: 3.2%
nuclear: 29.06%
other: 1.97% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 488.041 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 39.1 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 38.56 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit,
cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry
Exports: $610 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and
manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles (1999)
Exports - partners: EU 56.4% (France 11.1%, UK 8.6%, Italy 7.4%,
Netherlands 6.8%, Benelux 5.7%), US 9.4%, Japan 1.9% (1998)
Imports: $587 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs,
textiles, metals (1999)
Imports - partners: EU 53.7% (France 11.1%, Netherlands 7.7%, Italy
7.8%, UK 6.8%, Benelux 5.6%), US 8.3%, Japan 5.0% (1998)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)
Currency: 1 deutsche mark (DM) = 100 pfennige
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 -0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
deutsche marks (DM) per US$1 - 1.69 (January 1999), 1.7597 (1998),
1.7341 (1997), 1.5048 (1996), 1.4331 (1995)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is
now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at a
fixed rate of 1.95583 deutsche marks per euro; the euro will replace
the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in
2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Germany:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: NA; 46.5 million main lines are
installed (July 1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 15.318 million (April 1999)
Telephone system: Germany has one of the world's most technologically
advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital
expenditures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the
eastern part of the country has been modernized and integrated with
that of the western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable,
coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system;
cellular telephone service is widely available and includes roaming
service to many foreign countries
international: satellite earth stations - 14 Intelsat (12 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean
region), 2 Intersputnik (1 Atlantic Ocean region and 1 Indian Ocean
region); 7 submarine cable connections; 2 HF radiotelephone
communication centers; tropospheric scatter links
Radio broadcast stations: AM 51, FM 767, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 77.8 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 9,513 (including repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 51.4 million (1998)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 625 (1999)
@Germany:Transportation
Railways:
total: 40,826 km including at least 14,253 km electrified and 14,768
km double- or multiple-tracked (1998)
note: since privatization in 1994, Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG) no longer
publishes details of the tracks it owns; in addition to the DBAG
system there are 102 privately owned railway companies which own an
approximate 3,000 km to 4,000 km of the total tracks
Highways:
total: 656,140 km
paved: 650,891 km (including 11,400 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,249 km (all-weather) (1998 est.)
Waterways: 7,500 km (1999); major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe;
Kiel Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North
Sea
Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne,
Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Lubeck, Magdeburg,
Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart
Merchant marine:
total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,395,990 GRT/8,014,132
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 181, chemical tanker 12, container 239,
liquified gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 2,
petroleum tanker 8, rail car carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off 13, short-sea passenger 7 (1999 est.)
Airports: 615 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 320
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 61
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 56
under 914 m: 122 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 295
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 55
under 914 m: 226 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 59 (1999 est.)
@Germany:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm), Air Force,
Medical Corps, Border Police, Coast Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 20,863,020 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 17,800,862 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 485,422 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $32.8 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY98)
@Germany:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: remaining legal issues (restitution) arising
from World War II and its aftermath
Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest
Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
drugs
______________________________________________________________________
GHANA
@Ghana:Introduction
Background: Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold
Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of
coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the
banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty
politics, was approved in 1992.
@Ghana:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 238,540 sq km
land: 230,020 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,093 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877
km
Coastline: 539 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central
area
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite,
manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 35%
other: 24% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts
Environment - current issues: recent drought in north severely
affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife
populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake;
northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
@Ghana:People
Population: 19,533,560
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: 42% (male 4,120,240; female 4,063,960)
15-64 years: 55% (male 5,290,675; female 5,391,175)
65 years and over: 3% (male 318,890; female 348,620) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.87% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 29.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.42 years
male: 56.07 years
female: 58.82 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.95 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups: black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%,
Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.5%
male: 75.9%
female: 53.5% (1995 est.)
@Ghana:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast
Data code: GH
Government type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Accra
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central,
Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta,
Western
Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Constitution: new constitution approved 28 April 1992
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993);
Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January
1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to
approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 1996
(next to be held NA December 2000)
election results: Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent of
vote - RAWLINGS 57.2%, John KUFUOR 39.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC
133, NPP 61, PCP 5, PNC 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or
EGLE ; National Convention Party or NCP
; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu
YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter Ala
ADJETY]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting
chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander
ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 686-4520
FAX: (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON
embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: (21) 775348
FAX: (21) 776008
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow,
and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow
band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the
flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band
@Ghana:Economy
Economy - overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has
twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa.
Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial
and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve
around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 40% of GDP and
employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97,
Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment
program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector
wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to
continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi,
and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. A
rebound in gold prices is likely to push growth over 5% in 2000-01.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $35.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 30%
services: 30% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.8% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services
25% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.39 billion
expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370
million (1996 est.)
Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,
food processing
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 6.206 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1%
hydro: 99.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 5.437 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 65 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca),
peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum,
manganese ore, diamonds
Exports - partners: Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France
(1998)
Imports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998)
Debt - external: $6 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $477.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Exchange rates: new cedis per US$1 - 3,466.60 (December 1999),
2,647.32 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996),
1,200.43 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Ghana:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 200,000 (1998 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000 (yearend 1998)
Telephone system: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural
communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its
neighbors
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 18, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios: 4.4 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (1999)
Televisions: 1.73 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
@Ghana:Transportation
Railways:
total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation)
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)
Highways:
total: 39,409 km
paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,756 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial
navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of
arterial and feeder waterways
Pipelines: 0 km
Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema
Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,484 GRT/18,583 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4 (1999 est.)
Airports: 12 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
@Ghana:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force,
Palace Guard, Civil Defense
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,739,526 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,629,954 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 196,549 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $53 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (FY99)
@Ghana:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug
trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South
American cocaine destined for Europe and the US
______________________________________________________________________
GIBRALTAR
@Gibraltar:Introduction
Background: Strategically important Gibraltar was ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in 1713. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians ignored
Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British
dependency.
@Gibraltar:Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,
which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the
southern coast of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 36 11 N, 5 22 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries:
total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Coastline: 12 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: limited natural freshwater resources;
large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
Geography - note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links
the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
@Gibraltar:People
Population: 29,481 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 3,167; female 3,013)
15-64 years: 65% (male 10,141; female 8,925)
65 years and over: 14% (male 1,769; female 2,466) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.91% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 14.14 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.45 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.39 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: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.95 years
male: 76.09 years
female: 81.96 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.15 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups: Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%,
Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)
Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes),
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: above 80%
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Gibraltar:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar
Data code: GI
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Gibraltar
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Constitution: 30 May 1969
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have
been residents six months or more
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief, the Right Honorable
Sir Richard LUCE (since 24 February 1997); note - a new governor has
been appointed and will arrive in March 2000
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with
the chief minister
note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15
elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex
officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - SD 54%, GSLA 40%; seats
by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for
the Advancement of Civil Rights or GCL/AACR ; Gibraltar
Liberal Party or GLP (has become the Gibraltar National Party or NP)
; Gibraltar Social Democrats or SD ;
Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or SL ; Gibraltar
Socialist Liberal Alliance or GSLA (includes SL and GLP)
Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar
Representatives Organization; Housewives Association
International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width)
and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white
band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red
band
@Gibraltar:Economy