radio relay links; privatized in December 1990; opened to competition
January 1997
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but
the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable
use of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, and mobile cellular service
international: satellite earth stations - 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad
(giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and
much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), numerous
Inmarsat mobile earth stations; linked to Central American Microwave
System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic
submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands,
Morocco, Spain, and Italy (1997)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 865, FM about 500, shortwave 13 (1999)
Radios: 31 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 25.6 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 167 (1999)
@Mexico:Transportation
Railways:
total: 31,048 km
standard gauge: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)
Highways:
total: 323,977 km
paved: 96,221 km (including 6,335 km of expressways)
unpaved: 227,756 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals
Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural
gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km
Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada,
Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso,
Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz
Merchant marine:
total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 633,219 GRT/970,947 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquified gas 4,
petroleum tanker 29, roll-on/roll-off 3, short-sea passenger 3 (1999
est.)
Airports: 1,806 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 233
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 87
914 to 1,523 m: 81
under 914 m: 27 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,573
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 63
914 to 1,523 m: 473
under 914 m: 1,035 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
@Mexico:Military
Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (includes Army and Air
Force), Navy Secretariat (includes Naval Air and Marines)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
note: starting in 2000, females will be allowed to volunteer for
military service
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 26,171,141 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 19,022,012 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,073,809 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)
@Mexico:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 1998
- 5,500 hectares; potential production - 60 metric tons) and cannabis
cultivation in 1998 - 4,600 hectares; government eradication efforts
have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
heroin and marijuana to the US market; continues as the primary
transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America;
involved in the production and distribution of methamphetamines;
upsurge in drug-related violence and official corruption; major drug
syndicates growing more powerful
______________________________________________________________________
MICRONESIA
______________________________________________________________________
MIDWAY ISLANDS
@Midway Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third
of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo
Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 6.2 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds
Terrain: low, nearly level
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 13 m
Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of
wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and
scuba diving
@Midway Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants (July 2000 est.)
@Midway Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Midway Islands
Data code: MQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly
administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has
been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996,
through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control
of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the
US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Midway Islands:Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is based on providing support services
for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands.
All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
@Midway Islands:Transportation
Highways:
total: 32 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Pipelines: 7.8 km
Ports and harbors: Sand Island
Airports: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Midway Islands:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Midway Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MOLDOVA
@Moldova:Introduction
Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the
Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from
the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan
territory east of the Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic
majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians) who have
proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic.
@Moldova:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nistru River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 53%
permanent crops: 14%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,110 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals,
including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and
groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note: landlocked
@Moldova:People
Population: 4,430,654 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 523,373; female 505,064)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,422,470; female 1,544,169)
65 years and over: 10% (male 161,659; female 273,919) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: -0% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 12.58 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.31 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 43.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.45 years
male: 59.92 years
female: 69.22 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups: Moldavian/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about
1,000 members) (1991)
Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 99%
female: 94% (1989 est.)
@Moldova:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: none
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
Data code: MD
Government type: republic
Capital: Chisinau
Administrative divisions: 10 juletule (singular - juletul) 1
municipality* 1 autonomous territorial unit**; Balti, Cahul, Chisinau,
Chisinau*, Dubasari, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca,
Tighina, Ungheni
Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August 1991
Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old
Soviet constitution of 1979
Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution;
it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but
accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) documents
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Petru LUCINSCHI (since 15 January 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Dumitru BRAGHIS (since 21 December
1999), one first deputy prime minister and two deputy prime ministers
cabinet: selected by prime minister-designate, subject to approval of
parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 17 November 1996; runoff election 1 December 1996
(next to be held NA November-December 2000); according to the Moldovan
constitution, the president, on consulting with the parliament, will
designate a candidate for the office of prime minister; within 15 days
from designation, the prime minister-designate will request a vote of
confidence from the parliament regarding his/her work program and
entire cabinet
election results: Petru LUCINSCHI elected president; percent of vote -
Petru LUCINSCHI 54%, Mircea SNEGUR 46%; Dumitru BRAGHIS was nominated
by the president 16 December 1999 and was elected prime minister by a
parliamentary vote of 57-4 (40 abstentions) on 21 December 1999
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats;
parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates,
compete in popular elections to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held spring 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 30%, CDM 19%, PMDP
18%, PFD 9%; seats by party - PCM 40, CDM 26, PMDP 24, PFD 11
note: the comparative breakdown of seats by faction is approximate
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court is the sole
authority of constitutional judicature
Political parties and leaders: Bloc for a Democratic and Prosperous
Moldova or PMDP ; Christian Democratic Popular Front
or FPCD ; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir
VORONIN, first chairman]; Democratic Convention of Moldova or CDM
; Party of Democratic Forces or PFD [Valeriu
MATEI, chairman]
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE,
CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ceslav CIOBANU
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 667-1130
FAX: (202) 667-1204
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rudolf Villem PERINA
embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevicie, #103, Chisinau 2009
mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American
Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080
telephone: (2) 23-37-72
FAX: (2) 23-30-44
Flag description: same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical
bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag
is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and
talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in
its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its
breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized
ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
@Moldova:Economy
Economy - overview: Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good
farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy
depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine,
and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and
natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to
sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in
1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
stable convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing
preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land
privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. Yet
these efforts could not offset the impact of political and economic
difficulties, both internal and regional. In 1998, the economic
troubles of Russia, by far Moldova's leading trade partner, were a
major cause of the 8.6% drop in GDP; the value of the currency in
relation to the dollar fell by half. In 1999, GDP fell again, by 4.4%,
the fifth drop in the past six years; exports were down, and energy
supplies continued erratic. GDP is expected to remain at about the
same level in 2000.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -4.4% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31%
industry: 35%
services: 34% (1998)
Population below poverty line: 75% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 25.8% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.7 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40.2%, industry 14.3%, other
45.5% (1998)
Unemployment rate: 2% (includes only officially registered unemployed;
large numbers of underemployed workers) (September 1998)
Budget:
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry
equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery,
sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 5.661 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 93%
hydro: 7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 7.065 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 1.8 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets,
sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Exports: $470 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: foodstuffs, wine, and tobacco 66%; textiles and
footwear, machinery (1998)
Exports - partners: Russia 53%, Romania 10%, Ukraine 8%, Germany 5%,
Belarus 4% (1998)
Imports: $560 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: mineral products and fuel 31%, machinery and
equipment, chemicals, textiles (1998)
Imports - partners: Russia 22%, Ukraine 16%, Romania 12%, Belarus 9%,
Germany 5% (1998)
Debt - external: $1.3 billion (December 1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $100.8 million (1995); note - $547 million
from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99)
Currency: Moldovan leu (MLD) (plural lei)
Exchange rates: lei (MLD) per US$1 (end of year) - 12.1408 (January
2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997), 4.6045 (1996),
4.4958 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Moldova:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 566,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 14 (1995)
Telephone system: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau,
some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular
telephone service being introduced
international: service through Romania and Russia via landline;
satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 3.22 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 40 (1998)
Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
@Moldova:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)
Highways:
total: 12,300 km
paved: 10,738 km
unpaved: 1,562 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 424 km (1994)
Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 26 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (1994 est.)
@Moldova:Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic
Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,156,705 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 913,896 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 40,239 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY99)
@Moldova:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: separatist Transnistria region, comprising
the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine, has its own
de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs
Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly
for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from
Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe and possibly
the US
______________________________________________________________________
MONACO
@Monaco:Introduction
Background: Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
center.
@Monaco:Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, on the
southern coast of France, near the border with Italy
Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 1.95 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km
Coastline: 4.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: second smallest independent state in world (after
Holy See); almost entirely urban
@Monaco:People
Population: 31,693 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 2,449; female 2,336)
15-64 years: 62% (male 9,723; female 10,074)
65 years and over: 23% (male 2,907; female 4,204) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.48% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 9.94 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 13.06 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.89 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.84 years
male: 74.88 years
female: 83 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan
Ethnic groups: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%
Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Monaco:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
local short form: Monaco
Data code: MN
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Monaco
Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La
Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo
Independence: 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday: National Day, 19 November
Constitution: 17 December 1962
Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent
Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14
March 1958)
head of government: Minister of State Michel LEVEQUE (since 3 February
1997)
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government