English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
commercial purposes
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Nauru:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island
Data code: NR
Government type: republic
Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare,
Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, New Zealand-, and
UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution: 29 January 1968
Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
election last held 27 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Rene HARRIS elected president; percent of Parliament
vote - NA
note: former President Bernard DOWIYOGO was deposed in a no-confidence
vote
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 8 February 1997 (next to be held NA February
2000)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: loose multiparty system; Democratic
Party ; Nauru Party (informal)
International organization participation: AsDB, C, ESCAP, ICAO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC,
SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Nauru does not have an embassy in
the US, but will open a UN office early in 2000 at 800 2nd Avenue, New
York, New York
consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across
the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the
hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to
the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12
original tribes of Nauru
@Nauru:Economy
Economy - overview: Revenues of this tiny island come from exports of
phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted in the year
2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita
incomes in the Third World, with estimates of GDP varying widely. Few
other resources exist, thus most necessities must be imported,
including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land
and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term
problems. Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in
trust funds to help cushion the transition. The government also has
been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To
cut costs the government has called for a freezing of wages, a
reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of
numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates.
In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore
banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been
channeled through their accounts.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $100 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (1993 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): -3.6% (1993)
Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public
administration, education, and transportation
Unemployment rate: 0%
Budget:
revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96)
Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 28 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coconuts
Exports: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Exports - commodities: phosphates
Exports - partners: Australia, NZ
Imports: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Imports - commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials,
machinery
Imports - partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Debt - external: $33.3 million
Economic aid - recipient: $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($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: 1 July - 30 June
@Nauru:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 450 (1994)
Telephone system: adequate local and international radiotelephone
communications provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 7,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 500 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Nauru:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3.9 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the
island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Highways:
total: 30 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.)
Ports and harbors: Nauru
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Nauru:Military
Military branches: no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru
Police Force
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,945 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,620 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
agreement, Australia is responsible for defense of the island
@Nauru:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
NAVASSA ISLAND
@Navassa Island:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of
the way from Haiti to Jamaica
Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 5.2 sq km
land: 5.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: marine, tropical
Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating;
ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources: guano
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 10%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 90%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to
support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
@Navassa Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July
2000 est.)
@Navassa Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island
Data code: BQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department
of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations
and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse
located on the southern side of the island; there has also been a
private claim advanced against the island
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Navassa Island:Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Navassa Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
@Navassa Island:Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Navassa Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti
______________________________________________________________________
NEPAL COUNTRY FLAG OF NEPAL
______________________________________________________________________
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
@Netherlands Antilles:Introduction
Background: Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island
of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its
prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early
20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the
newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is
shared with France (whose northern portion is named Saint Martin and
is part of Guadeloupe).
@Netherlands Antilles:Geography
Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one
includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east
of the Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 960 sq km
land: 960 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 90% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane
belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius
are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Environment - current issues: NA
@Netherlands Antilles:People
Population: 210,134 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 27,320; female 26,230)
15-64 years: 67% (male 66,653; female 73,813)
65 years and over: 8% (male 6,701; female 9,417) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.01% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 16.94 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.42 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.42 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: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.72 years
male: 72.56 years
female: 76.99 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Netherlands Antillean(s)
adjective: Netherlands Antillean
Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a
Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely
spoken, Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1981 est.)
@Netherlands Antilles:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
Data code: NT
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Willemstad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
Netherlands, as amended
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English
common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands
(since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH
(since NA October 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the
Staten; election last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA
2002)
election results: Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - NA
note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR
4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M
2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government
note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition
of several parties
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice, judges appointed by the
monarch
Political parties and leaders: Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR
; C 93 ; Democratic Party of Bonaire or
PDB ; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Ephraim
JONCKHEER]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian
WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or
FAME ; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol
COVA]; National People's Party or PNP ; New Antilles
Movement or MAN ; Nos Patria [Chin
BEHILIA]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA ;
Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB ; People's Party or PAPU
; Pro Curacao Party or PPK ; Saba
Democratic Labor Movement ; Saba Unity Party [Carmen
SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA ; Serious
Alternative People's Party or SAPP ; Social Action
Cause or KAS ; Socialist Independent or SI [George
HUECK]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM ;
Workers' Liberation Front or FOL
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom
of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: (9) 4613066
FAX: (9) 4616489
Flag description: white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center
superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white,
five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of
the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of
Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
@Netherlands Antilles:Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism, petroleum transshipment, and offshore
finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied
to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a
well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the
region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with
Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils
and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,800 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (1996 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% (1998)
Labor force: 89,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services
86% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum
refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and
Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.02 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 949 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical
fruit
Exports: $303 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: petroleum products 98% (1993)
Exports - partners: US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The
Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998)
Imports: $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures (1993)
Imports - partners: Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%,
Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998)
Debt - external: $1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - Netherlands provided a $97
million aid package in 1996
Currency: 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) =
100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins
(NAf.) per US$1 - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Netherlands Antilles:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 75,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,727 (1995)
Telephone system: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 217,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service which
supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two
Venezuelan channels) (1997)
Televisions: 69,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (1999)
@Netherlands Antilles:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine:
total: 110 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,028,910 GRT/1,285,837
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 27, chemical tanker 2, combination
ore/oil 3, container 16, liquified gas 4, multi-functional large load
carrier 18, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 26,
roll-on/roll-off 6 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries:
Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 5 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Netherlands Antilles:Military
Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal
Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 53,766 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,137 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,534 (2000 est.)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
@Netherlands Antilles:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South
American drugs bound for the US and Europe
______________________________________________________________________
NETHERLANDS
@Netherlands:Introduction
Background: The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830
Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and
occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and
participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
@Netherlands:Geography
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and
Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 41,532 sq km
land: 33,889 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some
hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 8%
other: 39% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.)
Natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams protects
nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded
Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy
metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and
phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid
rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European rivers
(Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
@Netherlands:People
Population: 15,892,237 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 1,497,290; female 1,431,671)
15-64 years: 68% (male 5,490,518; female 5,305,848)
65 years and over: 14% (male 885,839; female 1,281,071) (2000 est.)