Railways:
total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed
in early 1990s
narrow gauge: 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways:
total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes,
Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 13 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)
@Haiti:Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until constitutionally abolished
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,579,897 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 857,666 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 83,863 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA ; note - mainly for police
and security activities
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and
replaced by the Haitian National Police
@Haiti:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en
route to the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS
______________________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE
______________________________________________________________________
HONDURAS
@Honduras:Introduction
Background: Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became as independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to
power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan government and
an ally to Salvadoran government forces fighting against leftist
guerrillas.
@Honduras:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922
km
Coastline: 820 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 14%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging
hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Environment - current issues: urban population expanding;
deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for
agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion
hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices
such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de
Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several
rivers and streams with heavy metals; severe Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
@Honduras:People
Population: 6,249,598
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: 43% (male 1,361,259; female 1,303,041)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,665,406; female 1,699,680)
65 years and over: 3% (male 104,469; female 115,743) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.52% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 32.65 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.31 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 31.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.93 years
male: 67.91 years
female: 72.06 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian
7%, black 2%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.7%
male: 72.6%
female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
@Honduras:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras
local short form: Honduras
Data code: HO
Government type: democratic constitutional republic
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes,
El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la
Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle,
Yoro
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27
January 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27
January 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held 30 November 2001)
election results: Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president;
percent of vote - Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PL) 50%, Nora de
MELGAR (PNH) 40%, other 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
(128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held 30 November
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - PL 46%, PN 38%, PINU-SD
4%, PDC 2%, PUD 2%; seats by party - PL 67, PN 55, PINU-SD 3, PDC 2,
PUD 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia, judges are elected for four-year terms by the National
Congress
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC
; Democratic Unification Party or
PUD ; Honduran National Party or PNH
; Liberal Party or PL ; National
Innovation and Unity Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban
VALLADARES, president]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio
LOBO Sega, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Committee for the Defense of
Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers
or CTH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP;
General Workers Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private
Enterprise or COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or
ANACH; National Union of Campesinos or UNC; United Federation of
Honduran Workers or FUTH
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo NOE PINO
chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 966-7702
FAX: (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frank ALMAGUER
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: 238-5114, 326-9320
FAX: 236-9037
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white,
and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern
centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the
former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle
encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA
CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
@Honduras:Economy
Economy - overview: Honduras spent 1999 primarily recovering from
Hurricane Mitch, which killed more than 5,000 people and caused about
$3 billion in damage. Although it is slated to receive about $2.76
billion in international aid, the economy shrank 3% with widening
current account and fiscal deficits in 1999. It nevertheless met most
of its macroeconomic targets, and 2000 should see economic recovery as
reconstruction projects make progress and the agricultural sector
recovers. Honduras may also get relief from its $4.4 billion external
debt under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.1 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,050 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 25%
services: 55% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 42.1% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 21%, services
60% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1999); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $980 million
expenditures: $1.15 billion including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 9% (1992 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.904 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.44%
hydro: 65.56%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 2.742 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 16 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 57 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc,
lumber
Exports - partners: US 73%, Japan 4%, Germany 4%, Belgium, Spain
(1998)
Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial
raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: US 60%, Guatemala 5%, Netherlands Antilles, Japan,
Germany, Mexico, El Salvador (1998)
Debt - external: $4.4 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $557.8 million (1999)
Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 - 14.5744 (January 2000),
14.5039 (1999), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996),
10.3432 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Honduras:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 190,200 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)
Radios: 2.45 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 570,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (1999)
@Honduras:Transportation
Railways:
total: 595 km
narrow gauge: 349 km 1.067-m gauge; 246 km 0.914-m gauge (1999)
Highways:
total: 15,400 km
paved: 3,126 km
unpaved: 12,274 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San
Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine:
total: 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 848,150 GRT/980,995 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 187, chemical tanker 5, container 7,
livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker
43, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off 9, short-sea passenger 5,
vehicle carrier 2 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1,
Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 119 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 107
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 84 (1999 est.)
@Honduras:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,467,615 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 874,053 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 70,636 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $33 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY98)
@Honduras:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: the Honduras-El Salvador Border Protocol
ratified by Honduras in May 1999 established a framework for a
long-delayed border demarcation, which is currently underway; with
respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ
referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed
Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among
El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit
producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally
for local consumption; corruption is a major problem
______________________________________________________________________
HONG KONG
@Hong Kong:Introduction
Background: Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the
UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
practiced in Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.
@Hong Kong:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 30 km
border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 72% (1997 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1997 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution from rapid
urbanization
Geography - note: more than 200 islands
@Hong Kong:People
Population: 7,116,302 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 676,756; female 602,434)
15-64 years: 71% (male 2,520,473; female 2,563,355)
65 years and over: 11% (male 342,942; female 410,342) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.35% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 11.29 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.85 years
female: 82.41 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
@Hong Kong:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
local short form: Xianggang
abbreviation: HK
Data code: HK
Dependency status: special administrative region of China
Government type: NA
Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of
China)
Independence: none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday: National Day, 1-2 October; note - 1 July 1997 is
celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment
Day
Constitution: Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National
People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of
functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
government bodies
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10
appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN
(since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since 7
March 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)
elections: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats;
30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by
popular vote, and 10 elected by an 800-member election committee;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 May 1998 (early elections scheduled to be held
in September 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 13, Liberal Party 9, Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong 9, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 5, Frontier
Party 3, Citizens Party 1, independents 20
Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders: Association for Democracy and People's
Livelihood ; Citizens Party
; Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong ; Democratic
Party ; Frontier Party [Emily LAU
Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU
Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party,
Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Chinese General Chamber of
Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong;
Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LEE Cheuk-yan,
chairman]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade
Unions (pro-China) ; Hong Kong Alliance in
Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH,
chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan);
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional
Teachers' Union ; Liberal Democratic
Federation
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP
(associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO
(correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative
region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002
telephone: 2523-9011
FAX: 2845-1598
Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia
flower in the center
@Hong Kong:Economy
Economy - overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy
highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are
limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports
and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value.
Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July
1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Per capita
GDP compares with the level in the four big countries of Western
Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread
Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy
quite hard, with GDP down 5%. The economy is recovering, with growth
of 1.8% in 1999 to be followed by projected growth of 3.7% in 2000.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $158.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,100 (1999 est.)