chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
telephone: 321-1455
FAX: 321-3423
Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the
upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered;
the lower triangle is black with five white five-pointed stars of the
Southern Cross constellation centered
@Papua New Guinea:Economy
Economy - overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain
and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a
subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population. Mineral
deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export
earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under
World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. In 1995, Port
Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural
adjustment program, of which the first phase was successfully
completed in 1996. In 1997, droughts caused by the El Nino weather
pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea's coffee, cocoa, and coconut
production, the mainstays of the agricultural-based economy and major
sources of export earnings. The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50%
in 1997. Despite problems with drought, the year 1998 saw a small
recovery in GDP. Growth increased to 3.6% in 1999 and may be even
higher in 2000, say 4.3%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 35%
services: 40% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.941 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.6 billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production,
wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil
production; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.74 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 69.54%
hydro: 30.46%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.618 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea,
rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Exports: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee,
cocoa, crayfish and prawns
Exports - partners: Australia 20%, Japan 13%, Germany 7%, South Korea
5%, Philippines 4%, UK 3% (1998)
Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners: Australia 51%, Singapore 10%, Japan 8%, US 5%, New
Zealand 5%, Malaysia 3% (1998)
Debt - external: $2.4 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $400 million (1999 est.)
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1 - 2.7624 (November 1999), 2.520
(1999), 2.058 (1998), 1.434 (1997), 1.318 (1996), 1.276 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Papua New Guinea:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 44,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: services are adequate and being improved; facilities
provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical
radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio
communication service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios: 410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 42,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
@Papua New Guinea:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 36,417 GRT/52,432 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, combination
ore/oil 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off 3 (1999
est.)
Airports: 492 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 473
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 58
under 914 m: 402 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
@Papua New Guinea:Military
Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground,
Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,274,818 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 706,159 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $42 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY98)
@Papua New Guinea:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
PARACEL ISLANDS
@Paracel Islands:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the
South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to
the northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment - current issues: NA
@Paracel Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2000 est.)
@Paracel Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Data code: PF
@Paracel Islands:Economy
Economy - overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands
for tourism.
@Paracel Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
Duncan Island being expanded
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
@Paracel Islands:Military
Military - note: occupied by China
@Paracel Islands:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and
Vietnam
______________________________________________________________________
PARAGUAY
@Paraguay:Introduction
Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory.
It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War
of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia.
The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown
in 1989, and relatively free and regular presidential elections have
been held since then.
@Paraguay:Geography
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 55%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to
June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment - current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million
hectares of forest land were lost from 1958-85); water pollution;
inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many
urban residents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and
Brazil
@Paraguay:People
Population: 5,585,828 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 1,109,887; female 1,074,815)
15-64 years: 56% (male 1,574,978; female 1,563,872)
65 years and over: 5% (male 120,662; female 141,614) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.64% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 31.27 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 30.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.68 years
male: 71.22 years
female: 76.27 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (spoken by most of rural
population)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.1%
male: 93.5%
female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
@Paraguay:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay
Data code: PA
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana,
Amambay, Asuncion (city), Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu,
Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu,
Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does
not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999);
vice president (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March
1999); vice president (vacant); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next
to be held NA May 2003)
election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote -
55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999
note: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi, formerly president of the
Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS
Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination
of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA will be
decided in an election expected to be held in August 2000
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be
held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next
to be held NA May 2003)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Colorado
Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia, judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of
Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA
; Christian Democratic Party or PDC
; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria
LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN ; National
Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID
LICHI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Central or
CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church;
Unitary Workers Central or CUT
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Esteban AGUIRRE MARTINEZ
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 483-6960 through 6962
FAX: (202) 234-4508
consulate(s) general: Kansas City (Kansas), Miami, New Orleans, New
York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stephan G.
MCFARLAND
embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
telephone: (21) 213-715
FAX: (21) 213-728
Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in
that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at
the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all
within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the
seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA
DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
@Paraguay:Economy
Economy - overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large
informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of
imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the
activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors.
Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic
measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence
basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in
1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita
basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers
attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political
uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, and
deficient infrastructure. Growth should recover in 2000, perhaps to
2%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $19.9 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,650 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28%
industry: 21%
services: 51% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: 32% (1997-98 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 46.6% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1999)
Labor force: 1.7 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (1995 est.)
Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: -4% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 50.324 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.12%
hydro: 99.66%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.22% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.494 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 45.307 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat,
tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs,
milk; timber
Exports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils
Exports - partners: Brazil, Argentina, EU
Imports: $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco,
petroleum products, electrical machinery
Imports - partners: Brazil 34%, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong
(1998)
Debt - external: $2.7 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: guarani (G) per US$ - 3.332.0 (January 2000), 3,119.1
(1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996), 1,963.0
(1995); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a
managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely
in the market
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Paraguay:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 167,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,807 (1995)
Telephone system: meager telephone service; principal switching center
is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive)
(1998)
Radios: 925,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (1997)
Televisions: 515,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (1999)
@Paraguay:Transportation
Railways:
total: 971 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Highways:
total: 29,500 km
paved: 15,000 km
unpaved: 14,500 km (1999)
Waterways: 3,100 km
Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,287 GRT/32,510 DWT
ships by type: cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 4,
roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 937 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 927
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 29
914 to 1,523 m: 346
under 914 m: 551 (1999 est.)
@Paraguay:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air
Force
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,349,800 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 974,313 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 56,701 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $125 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98)
@Paraguay:Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
consumed in South America; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine
headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe and a limited amount to
the US
______________________________________________________________________
PERU
@Peru:Introduction
Background: After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to
democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years, bold reform programs
and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug
trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth.
@Peru:Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km
water: 5,220 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 5,536 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
to frigid in Andes
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in
center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron
ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 21%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild
volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of
illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra
leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima;
pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining
wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
navigable lake, with Bolivia
@Peru:People
Population: 27,012,899 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 4,776,074; female 4,628,899)
15-64 years: 61% (male 8,224,829; female 8,119,751)
65 years and over: 4% (male 579,465; female 683,881) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.75% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 24.48 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.1 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.01 years
male: 67.63 years
female: 72.5 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.04 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian