total: 586 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,676,875 GRT/3,700,864
DWT
ships by type: bulk 38, cargo 346, chemical tanker 9, container 19,
liquified gas 5, livestock carrier 1, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 13,
petroleum tanker 114, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 11,
short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 5 (1999
est.)
Airports: 446 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 127
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 31 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 319
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 281 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1999 est.)
@Indonesia:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 62,948,286 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 36,826,282 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,273,324 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY98/99)
@Indonesia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Sipadan and Ligitan Islands in dispute with
Malaysia
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;
possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle
heroin
______________________________________________________________________
IRAN
@Iran:Introduction
Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic
republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile.
Conservative clerical forces subsequently crushed westernizing liberal
elements. Militant Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on
4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88,
Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed
territory. The key current issue is how rapidly the country should
open up to the modernizing influences of the outside world.
@Iran:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf,
and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper
432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan
909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Coastline: 2,440 km
note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements, or median lines in the
Persian Gulf
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Qolleh-ye Damavand 5,671 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper,
iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 27%
forests and woodland: 7%
other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 94,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms;
earthquakes along western border and in the northeast
Environment - current issues: air pollution, especially in urban
areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial
effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution
in the Persian Gulf; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation
@Iran:People
Population: 65,619,636 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 11,542,446; female 11,035,705)
15-64 years: 61% (male 20,151,083; female 19,879,432)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,592,753; female 1,418,217) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.83% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 18.29 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.55 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 30.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.66 years
male: 68.34 years
female: 71.05 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian
Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd
7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic
dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%,
other 2%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.1%
male: 78.4%
female: 65.8% (1994 est.)
@Iran:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran
Data code: IR
Government type: theocratic republic
Capital: Tehran
Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan);
Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar
Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan,
Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshahan, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohkiluyeh
va Buyer Ahmadi, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qom,
Qazvin, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan
Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
National holiday: Islamic Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of
government
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali
Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3
August 1997); First Vice President Hasan Ebrahim HABIBI (since NA
August 1989)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
legislative approval
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the
Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year
term; election last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2001)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani elected president;
percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 69%
Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 February-NA April 2000 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA; note - reformers
received 70% of the vote (170 seats), the conservatives received 30%
(45 seats), and independents (10 seats); 65 seats were up for runoff
election in April 2000
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: since President KHATAMI's election in
May 1997, several political parties have been licensed; Executives of
Construction; Followers of the Imam's Line and the Leader
(conservative); Islamic Coalition Association [Habibollah
ASQAR-OLADI]; Islamic Iran Solidarity Party; Islamic Partnership
Front; Militant Clerics Association ; Second
Khordad Front (pro-reform); Tehran Militant Clergy Association
Political pressure groups and leaders: active student groups include
the pro-reform "Organization for Strengthening Unity" and "the Union
of Islamic Student Societies'; groups that generally support the
Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Mojahedin of the Islamic
Revolution, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, and the
Islamic Coalition Association; opposition groups include the
Liberation Movement of Iran and the Nation of Iran party; armed
political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the
government include Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's
Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan; the Society for the
Defense of Freedom
International organization participation: CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO,
G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Iran has an
Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy, headed by Faramarz
FATH-NEJAD; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy,
2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: (202)
965-4990
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - protecting power
in Iran is Switzerland
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white,
and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word
Allah) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is
Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom
edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band
@Iran:Economy
Economy - overview: Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning,
state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village
agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures.
President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of
former President RAFSANJANI and has indicated that he will pursue
diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy although he has made
little progress toward that goal. The strong oil market in 1996 helped
ease financial pressures on Iran and allowed for Tehran's timely debt
service payments. Iran's financial situation tightened in 1997 and
deteriorated further in 1998 because of lower oil prices. The
subsequent zoom in oil prices in 1999 afforded Iran fiscal breathing
room but does not solve Iran's structural economic problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $347.6 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21%
industry: 34%
services: 45% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 53% (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 15.4 million
note: shortage of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 33%, industry 25%, services
42% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 25% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $34.6 billion
expenditures: $34.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.8
billion (FY96/97)
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other
construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining
and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (FY95/96 est.)
Electricity - production: 95.31 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 92.33%
hydro: 7.67%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 88.638 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets,
fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar
Exports: $12.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum 80%, carpets, fruits, nuts, hides,
iron, steel
Exports - partners: Japan, Italy, Greece, France, Spain, South Korea
Imports: $13.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, military supplies, metal works,
foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products
Imports - partners: Germany, Italy, Japan, UAE, UK, Belgium
Debt - external: $21.9 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $116.5 million (1995)
Currency: 10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note - domestic figures are
generally referred to in terms of the toman
Exchange rates: Iranian rials (IR) per US$1 - 1,754.90 (January 2000),
1,725.93 (1999), 1,751.86 (1998), 1,752.92 (1997), 1,750.76 (1996),
1,747.93 (1995); black market rate: 7,000 rials per US$1 (December
1998); note - as of May 1995, the "official rate" of 1,750 rials per
US$1 is used for imports of essential goods and services and for oil
exports, whereas the "official export rate" of 3,000 rials per US$1 is
used for non-oil exports and imports not covered by the official rate
Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
@Iran:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 7 million (1998 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 265,000 (August 1998)
Telephone system: inadequate but currently being modernized and
expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone
service to several thousand villages, not presently connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since
1994, the number of long distance channels in the microwave radio
relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought
into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems have
approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers
are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been
raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches
international: HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey,
Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with
access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans Asia Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern
portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and
Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat;
Internet service available but limited to electronic mail to promote
Iranian culture
Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 17 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters)
(1997)
Televisions: 4.61 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Iran:Transportation
Railways: 5,600 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 5,506 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (1998)
Highways:
total: 140,200 km
paved: 49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime
traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in
use
Pipelines: crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural
gas 4,550 km
Ports and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during
1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e
Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman,
Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan,
Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November
1992), Now Shahr
Merchant marine:
total: 138 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,517,751 GRT/6,208,230
DWT
ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk
1, container 7, liquified gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier
6, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off 9,
short-sea passenger 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 288 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 112
over 3,047 m: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 176
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 123
under 914 m: 32 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 11 (1999 est.)
@Iran:Military
Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards
(includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law
Enforcement Forces
Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 17,762,030 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 10,545,869 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 801,260 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5.787 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.9% (FY98/99)
@Iran:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations
in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling
outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border
demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and
sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands
in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as
Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by
Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and
Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); Iran jointly administers
with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called
Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
- over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since
1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the
island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the
region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are
not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and
Turkmenistan
Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains
a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe;
domestic consumption of narcotics remains a persistent problem and
Iranian press reports estimate that there are at least 1.2 million
drug users in the country
______________________________________________________________________
IRAQ
@Iraq:Introduction
Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an
independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but
in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country
since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with
Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-1988). In
August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN
coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not
occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control.
Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required
Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles
and to allow UN verification inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in
effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC
resolutions.
@Iraq:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and
Kuwait
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 437,072 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries:
total: 3,631 km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi
Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km
Coastline: 58 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central
and southern Iraq
Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
Turkey
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 79% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 25,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Environment - current issues: government water control projects have
drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by
drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable
population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for
thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction
of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife
populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of
Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with
upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation
(salination) and erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
@Iraq:People
Population: 22,675,617 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 4,860,795; female 4,708,453)
15-64 years: 55% (male 6,272,842; female 6,123,188)
65 years and over: 3% (male 331,840; female 378,499) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.86% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 35.04 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 62.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.53 years
male: 65.54 years
female: 67.56 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.87 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups: Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or
other 5%
Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or
other 3%
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 70.7%
female: 45% (1995 est.)
@Iraq:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq
Data code: IZ
Government type: republic
Capital: Baghdad
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf,
Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar,
Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 17 July (1968)
Constitution: 22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional
constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted
Legal system: based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil
law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction