(18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January
2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UND
18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme, judges named by
the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council
Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or UND
International organization participation: ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM,
IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Monaco does not have an embassy
in the US
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited
to Monaco
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white;
similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of
Poland which is white (top) and red
@Monaco:Economy
Economy - overview: Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean
coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and
pleasant climate. The Principality has successfully sought to
diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting
industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and
thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established
residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and
offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,
including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.
Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous
French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income
figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)
Industries: tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer
products
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: none
Exports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system
through customs union with France
Imports: $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system
through customs union with France
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998),
5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Monaco:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 31,027 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,560 (1994)
Telephone system: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into
the French communications system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)
Radios: 34,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997)
Televisions: 25,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (1999)
@Monaco:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1.7 km
standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways:
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Monaco
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service
Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at
Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille)
@Monaco:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
@Monaco:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MONGOLIA
@Mongolia:Introduction
Background: Long a province of China, Mongolia won its independence in
1921 with Soviet backing. A communist regime was installed in 1924.
During the early 1990s, the ex-communist Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power. In
1996, the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) defeated the MPRP in a
national election and has attempted to establish a number of reforms
to modernize the economy. However, many former communists retain key
posts and implementation has been difficult.
@Mongolia:Geography
Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 1.565 million sq km
land: 1.565 million sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 8,114 km
border countries: China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
ranges)
Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and
southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Tavan Bogd Uul 4,374 m
Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten,
phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 80%
forests and woodland: 9%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms can occur in the spring; grassland fires
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources;
policies of the former communist regime promoting rapid urbanization
and industrial growth have raised concerns about their negative
effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants
and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have severely
polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, the
converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased
soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities
have also had a deleterious effect on the environment
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
Russia
@Mongolia:People
Population: 2,650,952 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 461,719; female 447,426)
15-64 years: 62% (male 816,851; female 816,651)
65 years and over: 4% (male 46,682; female 61,623) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.54% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 21.53 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.14 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 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 41.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.25 years
male: 64.98 years
female: 69.64 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian
Ethnic groups: Mongol 90%, Kazakh 4%, other 6%
Religions: predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4%
note: previously limited religious activity because of communist
regime
Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.9%
male: 88.6%
female: 77.2% (1988 est.)
@Mongolia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local long form: none
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
Data code: MG
Government type: republic
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and
3 municipalities* (hotuud, singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor,
Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan*, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
Erdenet*, Govi-Altay, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Ovorhangay,
Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs
Independence: 13 March 1921 (from China)
National holiday: National Day, 11 July (1921)
Constitution: 12 February 1992
Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems
of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary and presidential
system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Rinchinnyamin AMARJARGAL (since 30
August 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural in consultation
with the president
elections: president nominated by parties in the State Great Hural and
elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 18
May 1997 (next to be held summer 2001); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural; election last
held 30 August 1999 (next to be held NA)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI elected president; percent of
vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 60.8%, Punsalmaagiyn OCHIRBAT (MNDP
and MSDP) 29.8%, Jambyn GOMBOJAV 6.6%; Rinchinnyamin AMARJARGAL
elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 50 to 2
Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - DUC 66%, MPRP 33%, MCP
1%; seats by party - DUC 50 (MNDP 34, MSDP 13, independents 3), MPRP
25, MCP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, serves as appeals court for people's
and provincial courts, but to date rarely overturns verdicts of lower
courts, judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for
approval by the State Great Hural
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Union Coalition or DUC
(includes the MNDP and the MSDP); Independence Party ;
Mongolian Conservative Party or MCP ; Mongolian
Democratic New Socialist Party or MDNSP ;
Mongolian Democratic Renaissance Party or MDRP [BYAMBASUREN,
chairman]; Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [R. AMARJARGAL,
chairman; B. DELGERMAA, general secretary]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [N. ENKHBAYAR, chairman; L. ENEBISH,
general secretary]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B.
JARGALSAIHAN]; Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP
[Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ, chairman; N. ALTANKHUYAG, general
secretary]; Mongolian United Heritage Party or UHP
(includes the United Party of Herdsman and Farmers, Independence
Party, Traditional United Conservative Party, and Mongolian United
Private Property Owners Party); Mongolian United Private Property
Owners Party ); United Party of Herdsman and Farmers
; Traditional United Conservative Party ;
Workers' Party
International organization participation: AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CCC,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: (202) 333-7117
FAX: (202) 298-9227
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alphonse F. LA PORTA
embassy: inner north side of the Big Ring, just west of the Selbe Gol,
Ulaanbaatar
mailing address: c/o American Embassy Beijing, Micro Region 11, Big
Ring Road, C. P. O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13; PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP
96521-0002
telephone: (1) 329095
FAX: (1) 320776
Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side),
blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the
national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and
geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the
yin-yang symbol)
@Mongolia:Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity traditionally has been based on
agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive
mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold
account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance,
at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in
1990-91, at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was
driven into deep recession, which was prolonged by the Mongolian
People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious
economic reform. The Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) government has
embraced free-market economics, easing price controls, liberalizing
domestic and international trade, and attempting to restructure the
banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization
programs have been undertaken, as well as fostering of foreign
investment through international tender of the oil distribution
company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform has been held
back by the ex-communist MPRP opposition and by the political
instability brought about through four successive governments under
the DUC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996
due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of
copper and cashmere. Public revenues and exports collapsed in 1998 and
1999 due to the repercussions of the Asian financial crisis. In August
and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban
on exports of oil and oil products. Mongolia joined the World Trade
Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged
over $300 million per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting,
held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.1 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,320 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 24%
services: 43% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1998)
Labor force: 1.256 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1998)
Budget:
revenues: $260 million
expenditures: $366 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)
Industries: construction materials, mining (particularly coal and
copper); food and beverages, processing of animal products
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1998)
Electricity - production: 2.66 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 2.816 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 342 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep,
goats, cattle, camels, horses
Exports: $316.8 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere,
wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports - partners: China 30.1%, Switzerland 21.5%, Russia 12.1%,
South Korea 9.7%, US 8.1% (1998)
Imports: $472.4 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products,
industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports - partners: Russia 30.6%, China 13.3%, Japan 11.7%, South
Korea 7.5%, US 6.9% (1998)
Debt - external: $715 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $250 million (1998 est.)
Currency: 1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos
Exchange rates: tughriks (Tug) per US$1 - 1,070.39 (December 1999),
1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99 (1997), 548.40 (1996), 448.61
(1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Mongolia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 93,800 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean
Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 2, shortwave 13 (1998)
Radios: 360,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 18 provincial repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 118,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Mongolia:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,928 km
broad gauge: 1,928 km 1.524-m gauge (1994)
Highways:
total: 49,250 km
paved: 1,674 km
unpaved: 47,576 km (1998 est.)
note: much of the unpaved rural road system consists of rough
cross-country tracks
Waterways: 400 km of principal routes (1999)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 34 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
@Mongolia:Military
Military branches: Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security
Forces and Border Guards), Air Force, Civil Defense troops
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 727,844 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 473,326 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 29,364 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY97)
@Mongolia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
MONTSERRAT
@Montserrat:Introduction
Background: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of
the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.
@Montserrat:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto
Rico
Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 100 sq km
land: 100 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
lowland
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills) 914 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 10%
forests and woodland: 40%
other: 30% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic
eruptions (full-scale eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano
occurred during 1996-97)
Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have
been cleared for cultivation
@Montserrat:People
Population: 6,409
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July
2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.23% (male 778; female 775)
15-64 years: 64.25% (male 1,969; female 2,149)
65 years and over: 11.52% (male 395; female 343) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 20.53% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 17.48 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 195.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.96 years
male: 75.78 years
female: 80.23 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups: black, white
Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
Languages: English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)
@Montserrat:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat
Data code: MH
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)
Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
Saint Peter's
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second
Saturday of June)
Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Legal system: English common law and statutory law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Anthony John ABBOTT (since NA September 1997)
head of government: Chief Minister David BRANDT (since 22 August 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance
secretary
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister; note - as a result of the last
election, a coalition party was formed between NPP, NDP, and one of
the independent candidates
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 7
popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held by NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPA
2, MNR 2, NPP 1, independent 2
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
and presides over the High Court
Political parties and leaders: Movement for National Reconstruction or
MNR ; National Development Party or NDP
; National Progressive Party or NPP ;
People's Progressive Alliance or PPA
International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, ECLAC
(associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the
outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing
beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross
@Montserrat:Economy