chief of state: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October
1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14
October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote from among the members of
the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 29
December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president
appointed by the president
election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected;
percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP)
31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%,
Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats,
12 appointed by the president, 210 members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held between 1
December 2002 and 30 April 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KANU
107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA
5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6,
FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, chief justice is appointed by the
president; High Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai
KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A
; Forum for the Restoration of
Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K ; Forum for the
Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People ; Kenya
African National Union or KANU -
the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA,
president, Dr. Charles MARANGA, secretary general]; SAFINA [Farah
MAALIM, chairman, Mghanga MWANDAWIRO, secretary general]; Social
Democratic Party or SDP
Political pressure groups and leaders: human rights groups; labor
unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or
NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment
organizations ; Protestant National Council of
Churches of Kenya or NCCK ; Roman Catholic and other
Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims or SUPKEM
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI (recalled in November
1999)
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 387-6101
FAX: (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi
mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: (2) 537-800
FAX: (2) 537-810
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red,
and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield
covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
@Kenya:Economy
Economy - overview: Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of
growth in East Africa, but its economy is stagnating because of poor
management and uneven commitment to reform. In 1993, the government of
Kenya implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform that
included the removal of import licensing, price controls, and foreign
exchange controls. With the support of the World Bank, IMF, and other
donors, the reforms led to a brief turnaround in economic performance
following a period of negative growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real
GDP grew 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996, and inflation remained under
control. Growth slowed in 1997-99 however. Political violence damaged
the tourist industry, and Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment
Program lapsed due to the government's failure to maintain reform or
address public sector corruption. A new economic team was put in place
in 1999 to revitalize the reform effort, strengthen the civil service,
and curb corruption, but wary donors continue to question the
government's commitment to sound economic policy. Long-term barriers
to development include electricity shortages, the government's
continued and inefficient dominance of key sectors, endemic
corruption, and the country's high population growth rate.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $45.1 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 18%
services: 56% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 42% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 47.7% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 9.2 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%-80%
Unemployment rate: 50% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.91 billion
expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing;
oil refining, cement; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 4.23 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.27%
hydro: 82.74%
nuclear: 0%
other: 8.99% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 4.078 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 144 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit,
vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum
products (1995)
Exports - partners: Uganda 16%, UK 13%, Tanzania 13%, Egypt 5%,
Germany 5% (1998)
Imports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment,
petroleum products, iron and steel
Imports - partners: UK 12%, UAE 9%, US 8%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, India
4% (1998)
Debt - external: $6.5 billion (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $457 million (1997)
Currency: 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 73.943 (December
1999), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996),
51.430 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Kenya:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 290,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,000 (1999)
Telephone system: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; data commonly
transferred by a very small aperature terminal (VSAT)
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 24, FM 8, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios: 3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1997)
Televisions: 730,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (1999)
@Kenya:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,778 km
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge
note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most
important in the country
Highways:
total: 63,800 km
paved: 8,868 km
unpaved: 54,932 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries
of Kenya
Pipelines: petroleum products 483 km
Ports and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,255 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 230 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 209
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 110
under 914 m: 84 (1999 est.)
@Kenya:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service
Unit of the Police
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,482,095 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,631,987 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $197 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY98/99)
@Kenya:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: administrative boundary with Sudan does not
coincide with international boundary
Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of marijuana
and qat (chat); transit country for South Asian heroin destined for
Europe and, sometimes, North America; Indian methaqualone also
transits on way to South Africa
______________________________________________________________________
KINGMAN REEF
@Kingman Reef:Geography
Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of
the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
Geographic coordinates: 6 24 N, 162 24 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain: low and nearly level
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1996)
Natural hazards: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: none
Geography - note: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed
to the public
@Kingman Reef:People
Population: uninhabited (July 2000 est.)
@Kingman Reef:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Data code: KQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC by the US Navy; however, it is awash the majority
of the time, so it is not usable and is uninhabited
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Kingman Reef:Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Kingman Reef:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938
@Kingman Reef:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Kingman Reef:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
KIRIBATI
@Kiribati:Introduction
Background: The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati.
The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and
Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
@Kiribati:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note
- on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the International
Date Line from the middle of the country to include its easternmost
islands and make it the same day throughout the country
Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 717 sq km
land: 717 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 51%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to
March; occasional tornadoes; low-level of some of the islands make
them very sensitive to sea-level rise
Environment - current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south
Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices
such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: 20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean
Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and
Nauru
@Kiribati:People
Population: 91,985 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.85% (male 19,027; female 18,551)
15-64 years: 56% (male 25,411; female 26,097)
65 years and over: 3.15% (male 1,239; female 1,660) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.34% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 32.43 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 9.01 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 55.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.78 years
male: 56.89 years
female: 62.82 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.4 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Protestant (Congregational) 41%,
Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985 est.)
Languages: English (official), Gilbertese
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Kiribati:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced kir-ih-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands
Data code: KR
Government type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
note: in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994); Vice
President Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Teburoro TITO (since 1 October 1994);
Vice President Tewareka TENTOA (since 12 October 1994); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of
the House of Assembly, includes the president, vice president,
attorney general, and up to eight other ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
note - the House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from
among their members and then those candidates compete in a general
election; election last held 27 November 1998 (next to be held by NA
November 2002); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Teburoro TITO reelected president; percent of vote -
Teburoro TITO 52.3%, Dr. Harry TONG 45.8%, Amberoti NIKORA 1.9%,
Taberannang TIMEON 0%
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly or Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu (41 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio
member, and one nominated to represent Banaba; members serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Maneaban Te Mauri Party 14, National Progressive Party 11,
independents 14
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, judges at all levels are appointed
by the president; High Court, judges at all levels are appointed by
the president; 26 Magistrates' courts, judges at all levels are
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party ;
Maneaban Te Mauri Party ; National Progressive Party
; New Movement Party
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in
Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO
(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an embassy
in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to
Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird
flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
@Kiribati:Economy
Economy - overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls,
Kiribati has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate
deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in
1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports.
The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic
development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak
infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism
provides more than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an
early stage of development as is the expansion of private sector
initiatives. Foreign financial aid, largely from the UK and Japan, is
a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years.
Remittances from workers abroad account for more than $5 million each
year.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $74 million (1999 est.), supplemented
by a nearly equal amount from external sources
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $860 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 7%
services: 79% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
farmers (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $33.3 million
expenditures: $47.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (1996 est.)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1992 est.)
Electricity - production: 7 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 7 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes,
vegetables; fish
Exports: $6 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: copra 62%, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners: US, Australia, NZ (1996)
Imports: $37 million (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment,
miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports - partners: Australia 46%, Fiji, Japan, NZ, US (1996)
Debt - external: $7.2 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $15.5 million (1995), largely from UK and
Japan
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January
2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996),
1.3486 (1995)
Fiscal year: NA
@Kiribati:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 2,600 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative
Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 17,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Kiribati:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 670 km (1996 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands
Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 21 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)
@Kiribati:Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries
out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police
posts are on all islands)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense
assistance is provided by Australia and NZ
@Kiribati:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
KOREA
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi
Land boundaries:
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Coastline: 2,495 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned
Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite,
iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 61%
other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe
flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
Environment - current issues: localized air pollution attributable to
inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies
of potable water