from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western
Europe and Scandinavia
______________________________________________________________________
LUXEMBOURG
@Luxembourg:Introduction
Background: Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half
of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of
the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999
it joined the euro currency area.
@Luxembourg:Geography
Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys;
uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to
Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Burgplatz 559 m
Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 21%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea
Geography - note: landlocked
@Luxembourg:People
Population: 437,389 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 42,375; female 40,109)
15-64 years: 67% (male 148,205; female 145,325)
65 years and over: 14% (male 24,446; female 36,929) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.27% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.13 years
male: 73.84 years
female: 80.63 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg
Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,
Italian, and European (guest and worker residents)
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Languages: Luxembourgian, German, French, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)
@Luxembourg:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand-Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
Data code: LU
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Luxembourg
Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher,
Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday: National Day, 23 June (1921) (public celebration of
the Grand Duke's birthday)
Constitution: 17 October 1868, occasional revisions
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke JEAN (since 12 November 1964); Heir
Apparent Prince HENRI (son of the monarch, born 16 April 1955); note -
Grand Duke JEAN intends to abdicate in September 2000 in favor of his
oldest son, Prince HENRI
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice
prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to
the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and DP
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des
Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%,
LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by
party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2
note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who
are appointed for life, is an advisory body whose views are considered
by the Chamber of Deputies
Judicial branch: Superior Court of Justice or Cour Superieure de
Justice, judges are appointed for life by the monarch; Administrative
Court or Tribunale Administratin, judges are appointed for life by the
monarch
Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Democracy and
Pension Rights or ADR ; Christian Social People's Party
or CSV ; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie
POLFER]; Green Party ; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
or LSAP ; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI
LENK (the Left) ; other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers' association);
ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of
agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP
(trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber
of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL
(federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL
(center-left trade union)
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group,
Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: (202) 265-4171
FAX: (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. HORMEL
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: 46 01 23
FAX: 46 14 01
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
@Luxembourg:Economy
Economy - overview: The stable, high-income economy features moderate
growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector,
until recently dominated by steel, has become increasingly more
diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During
the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than
compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking,
account for a growing proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based
on small family-owned farms. Luxembourg has especially close trade and
financial ties to Belgium and the Netherlands, and as a member of the
EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with
10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $14.7 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 23%
services: 76% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 236,400 (one-third of labor force is foreign workers,
mostly from Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany) (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 83.2%, industry 14.3%,
agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.73 billion
expenditures: $4.71 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries: banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 382 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.73%
hydro: 24.86%
nuclear: 0%
other: 14.41% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 5.856 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 6.4 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine
grapes; livestock products
Exports: $7.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: finished steel products, chemicals, rubber
products, glass, aluminum, other industrial products
Exports - partners: Germany 33%, France 20%, Belgium 12%, UK 6%, US
5%, Netherlands 4% (1998)
Imports: $9.6 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports - commodities: minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer
goods
Imports - partners: Belgium 36%, Germany 27%, France 12%, Netherlands
5%, US 4% (1998)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $160 million (1999)
Currency: 1 Luxembourg franc (LuxF) = 100 centimes; note - centimes no
longer in use
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
Luxembourg francs (LuxF) per US$1 - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299
(1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996), 29.480 (1995); note - the
Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates
freely in Luxembourg
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 40.3399 francs per euro; the euro will replace the local
currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Luxembourg:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 314,700 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 95,400 (1999)
Telephone system: highly developed, completely automated and efficient
system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable
(Europe to North America)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios: 285,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1999)
Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (1999)
@Luxembourg:Transportation
Railways:
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km
double track) (1998)
Highways:
total: 5,166 km
paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 37 km; Moselle
Pipelines: petroleum products 48 km
Ports and harbors: Mertert
Merchant marine:
total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,283,738 GRT/1,872,071
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 10, container 1, liquified gas
18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll-on/roll-off 7 (1999 est.)
Airports: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Luxembourg:Military
Military branches: Army; note - the new government abolished the
Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 111,882 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 92,238 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,563 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $131 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY98)
@Luxembourg:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MACAU
@Macau:Introduction
Background: Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was
the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an
agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became
the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs.
@Macau:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 0.34 km
border countries: China 0.34 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: not specified
Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Terrain: generally flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges
connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on
mainland
@Macau:People
Population: 445,594 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 53,986; female 50,379)
15-64 years: 69% (male 146,474; female 162,672)
65 years and over: 8% (male 12,932; female 19,151) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.83% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 3.64 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.6 years
male: 78.8 years
female: 84.55 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian
ancestry), Portuguese, other
Religions: Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
est.)
Languages: Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 93%
female: 86% (1981 est.)
@Macau:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Data code: MC
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 - 20 December 1999
is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution: Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National
People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent
residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election
limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are
currently registered) and a 300-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 Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government
secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
elections: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (23 seats;
8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the
chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by 15 October
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
APPEM 2, UNIPRO 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UPD 1, ANMD 1
Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special
Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders: the following is a listing of those
associations that participated in the last legislative elections:
Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD ; Associacao
Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM ; Convergencia
para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM ; Uniao Geral para o
Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM ; Uniao para o
Desenvolvimento or UPD ; Uniao Promotora para o Progresso
or UNIPRO
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations
are used instead
Political pressure groups and leaders: Catholic Church [Domingos LAM,
bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley
HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG
Kuok-cheong, leader]
International organization participation: CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO
(associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO
(associate), WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative
region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US has no offices in Macau,
and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong
Kong
Flag description: light green with a lotus flower above a stylized
bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed
stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller
@Macau:Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on tourism (including
gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to
diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial
flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly
25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about three-fourths
of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40%
of GDP. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and
energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw
materials and capital goods. Output dropped 4% in 1998 and the economy
remained weak in 1999. Macau reverted to Chinese administration on 20
December 1999. Gang violence, a dark spot in the economy, probably
will be reduced in 2000 to the advantage of the tourism sector.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.65 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -4% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 40%
services: 59% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 281,117 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 31%, restaurants and hotels 28%,
other services 41%
Unemployment rate: 6.9% (1999)
Budget:
revenues: $1.34 billion
expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $260
million (1998 est.)
Industries: clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism,
gambling
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.34 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.42 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 175 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rice, vegetables
Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement,
footwear, machinery
Exports - partners: US 48%, EU 31%, Hong Kong 8%, China 7% (1998)
Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1999)
Imports - commodities: raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods,
fuels, consumer goods
Imports - partners: China 33%, Hong Kong 24%, EU 11%, Taiwan 10%,
Japan 8% (1998)
Debt - external: $1.7 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 pataca (P) = 100 avos
Exchange rates: patacas (P) per US$1 - 8.01 (January 2000), 7.99
(1999), 7.98 (1998), 7.99 (1997), 7.962 (1996), 8.034 (1993-95); note
- linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong
Kong dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Macau:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 222,500 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,000 (1998)
Telephone system: fairly modern communication facilities maintained
for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to
international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 160,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts)
(1997)
Televisions: 49,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Macau:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Macau
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Macau:Military
Military branches: Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army
(PLA) includes about 500 troops
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 123,581 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 67,974 (2000 est.)
Military - note: responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20
December 1999
@Macau:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MACEDONIA
______________________________________________________________________
MADAGASCAR
@Madagascar:Introduction
Background: Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During
1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held,
ending 17 years of single-party rule.
@Madagascar:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique