chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE
embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (22) 226481 through 226485
FAX: (22) 225471
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
white, and light blue
@Sierra Leone:Economy
Economy - overview: Sierra Leone has substantial mineral,
agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social
infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders
continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds of the
working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.
Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and
of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Bauxite and rutile
mines have been shut down by civil strife. The major source of hard
currency is found in the mining of diamonds, the large majority of
which are smuggled out of the country. The resurgence of internal
warfare in 1999 brought another substantial drop in GDP. The fate of
the economy in 2000 depends on the mid-1999 peace accord holding and
the rebels reopening territory under their control.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -10% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 52%
industry: 16%
services: 32% (1996)
Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.)
note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $150 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)
Industries: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages,
textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 235 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 219 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil,
peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Exports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Exports - partners: Benelux 49%, Spain 10%, US 8%, UK 3% (1997)
Imports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and
lubricants, chemicals
Imports - partners: UK 24%, Cote d'Ivoire 14%, Benelux 10%, US 8%
(1997)
Debt - external: $1.15 billion (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $203.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 leone (Le) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: leones (Le) per US$1 - 2,324.77 (January 2000),
1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22
(1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Sierra Leone:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: national microwave radio relay system made unserviceable by
military activities
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios: 1.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1999)
Televisions: 53,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Sierra Leone:Transportation
Railways:
total: 84 km used on a limited basis because the mine at Marampa is
closed
narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways:
total: 11,300 km
paved: 904 km
unpaved: 10,396 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round
Ports and harbors: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,105 GRT/1,307 DWT
ships by type: specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 10 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Sierra Leone:Military
Military branches: Army
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,119,540 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 543,124 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $46 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY96/97)
@Sierra Leone:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
SINGAPORE
@Singapore:Introduction
Background: Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore
joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became
independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous
countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of
the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading
nations of Western Europe.
@Singapore:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 647.5 sq km
land: 637.5 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined
in treaties and practice
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry
seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)
Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
catchment area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 87% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural
fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste
disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
@Singapore:People
Population: 4,151,264 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 390,352; female 365,730)
15-64 years: 75% (male 1,520,875; female 1,590,355)
65 years and over: 7% (male 124,413; female 159,539) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.54% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 12.79 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 26.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.05 years
male: 77.1 years
female: 83.23 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups: Chinese 77%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.6%, other 1.4%
Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,
Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.1%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3% (1995 est.)
@Singapore:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
Data code: SN
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Singapore
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence
State of Singapore Constitution)
Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November
1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held NA August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested
constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1; note
- subsequent to the election, there was a change in the distribution
of seats, the new distribution is as follows: PAP 80, WP 1, SPP 1,
vacant 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the
president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are
appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; Court
of Appeals
Political parties and leaders: National Solidarity Party or NSP [C. K.
TAN]; People's Action Party or PAP
- the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon
Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP ; Workers'
Party or WP
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, Australia
Group (observer), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 537-3100
FAX: (202) 537-0876
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507
telephone: 476-9100
FAX: 476-9340
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white;
near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white
crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing
five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
@Singapore:Economy
Economy - overview: Singapore is blessed with a highly developed and
successful free-market economy, a remarkably open and corruption-free
business environment, stable prices, and the fifth highest per capita
GDP in the world. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals,
and services are the main drivers of the economy. The government
promotes high levels of savings and investment through a mandatory
savings scheme and spends heavily in education and technology. It also
owns government-linked companies (GLCs) - particularly in
manufacturing - that operate as commercial entities and account for
60% of GDP. As Singapore looks to a future increasingly marked by
globalization, the country is positioning itself as the region's
financial and high-tech hub.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $98 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 28%
services: 72%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (1999)
Labor force: 1.932 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services
38%, manufacturing 21.6%, commerce 21.4%, construction 7%, other 12%
Unemployment rate: 3.2% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13.9 billion
expenditures: $16.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $8.1
billion (FY98/99 est.)
Industries: electronics, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 26.586 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 24.725 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry,
eggs, fish, vegetables, orchids, ornamental fish
Exports: $114 billion (1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics)
63%, chemicals, mineral fuels (1998)
Exports - partners: US 19%, Malaysia 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%,
Taiwan 5%, Thailand 4%, UK 4%, China 3%, Germany 3% (1998)
Imports: $111 billion (1999)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 57%, mineral fuels,
chemicals, foodstuffs (1998)
Imports - partners: US 17%, Japan 17%, Malaysia 16%, Thailand 5%,
China 5%, Taiwan 4%, Germany, Saudi Arabia (1998)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6733 (January
2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996),
1.4174 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Singapore:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 54.6 million (including 46.62 million
that serve facsimile machines, computers, and other communication
devices) (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.02 million (1998)
Telephone system: good domestic facilities; good international service
domestic: NA
international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular
Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations -
2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat
(Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 2.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997)
Televisions: 1.33 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999)
@Singapore:Transportation
Railways:
total: 38.6 km
narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there is a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
Highways:
total: 3,122 km
paved: 3,038 km (including 150 km of expressways)
unpaved: 84 km (1998)
Ports and harbors: Singapore
Merchant marine:
total: 891 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,808,813
GRT/34,783,544 DWT
ships by type: bulk 140, cargo 121, chemical tanker 66, combination
bulk 6, combination ore/oil 6, container 162, liquified gas 26,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 3, petroleum
tanker 294, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off 10, short-sea
passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22 countries
among which are Japan 41, Denmark 35, Sweden 28, Thailand 28, Hong
Kong 26, Germany 19, Taiwan 19, and Indonesia 11 (1998 est.)
Airports: 9 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Singapore:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force,
Police Force
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,278,525 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 932,978 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.4 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.9% (FY98/99)
@Singapore:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: two islands in dispute with Malaysia
Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to North
America, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering
center
______________________________________________________________________
SLOVAKIA
@Slovakia:Introduction
Background: In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia has experienced more difficulty
than the Czech Republic in developing a modern market economy.
@Slovakia:Geography
Location: Central Europe, south of Poland
Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km
water: 45 sq km
Area - comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries:
total: 1,355 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
lowlands in the south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovka 2,655 m
Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore,
copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Land use:
arable land: 31%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 17%
forests and woodland: 41%
other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants
presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
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 Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: landlocked
@Slovakia:People
Population: 5,407,956 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 538,780; female 514,427)
15-64 years: 69% (male 1,854,779; female 1,880,584)
65 years and over: 12% (male 236,072; female 383,314) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.12% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 9.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.53 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: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.74 years
male: 69.71 years
female: 77.98 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak
Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Gypsy 1.6% (the 1992
census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about
500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian
0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)
Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%,
Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
@Slovakia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko
Data code: LO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bratislava
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj);
Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky,
Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech and
Slovak Republics)
National holiday: Slovak Constitution Day, 1 September (1992);
Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, 29 August (1944)
Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January
1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the
president
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); note -
following the National Council elections in September 1998, the
Constitution was changed to allow direct election of the president;
following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party
or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER won the first direct popular
election with 57% of the vote
note: government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP
Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic
or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected
on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA
September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS 27%, SDK 26.3%, SDL
14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing
coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43,
SNS 14)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the National
Council; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by president from
group of nominees approved by the parliament
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
; Coexistence ; Democratic Party or DS
; Democratic Union or DU ; Hungarian
Christian Democratic Movement or MKDH ; Hungarian Civic
Party or MOS ; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or
HZDS ; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol
HAMZIK]; Party of Greens in Slovakia or SZS ; Party
of the Democratic Center or SDS ; Party of the
Democratic Left or SDL ; Party of the Hungarian Coalition
or SMK (includes MKDH, MOS, and Coexistence) ; Slovak
Democratic Coalition or SDK (includes KDH, DS, DU, SSDS, SZS) [Mikulas
DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS ; Social
Democratic Party of Slovakia or SSDS ; SMER [Robert
FICO]