chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since
16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA (since
17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. Gen. George
KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA
(since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. Gen.
George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - President BASHIR's
government is dominated by members of Sudan's National Islamic Front
(NIF), a fundamentalist political organization formed from the Muslim
Brotherhood in 1986; in 1998, the NIF created the National Congress as
its legal front; the National Congress/NIF dominates much of
Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies; President BASHIR
named a new cabinet on 20 April 1996 which includes members of the
National Islamic Front, serving and retired military officers, and
civilian technocrats; on 8 March 1998, he reshuffled the cabinet and
brought in several former rebel and opposition members as ministers;
he reshuffled his cabinet again on 24 January 2000 but announced few
changes
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR elected president;
percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 75.7%; note - about forty
other candidates ran for president
note: BASHIR, as chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for
National Salvation (RCC), assumed power on 30 June 1989 and served
concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
and minister of defense until 16 October 1993 when he was appointed
president by the RCC; upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the
RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the president
and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed
legislative body, which has since been replaced by the National
Assembly elected in March 1996; on 12 December 1999 BASHIR dismissed
the National Assembly during an internal power struggle between the
president and speaker of the Parliament Hasan al-TURABI
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (400 seats; 275
elected by popular vote, 125 elected by a supra assembly of interest
groups known as the National Congress)
elections: last held 6-17 March 1996 (next scheduled for NA 2000)
election results: NA; the March 1996 elections were held on a nonparty
basis; parties are banned in the new National Assembly
note: on 12 December 1999, President BASHIR sent troops to take over
parliament
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders: political parties were banned following
30 June 1989 coup, however, political "associations" are allowed under
a new law drafted in 1998 and implemented on 1 January 1999 and
include - National Congress
note: the political association law is currently under review
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Islamic Front or NIF
(the National Congress operates as its legal front)
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahdi Ibrahim MAHAMMAD (recalled to
Khartoum in August 1998)
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 338-8565
FAX: (202) 667-2406
Diplomatic representation from the US: US officials at the US Embassy
in Khartoum were moved for security reasons in February 1996 and have
been relocated to the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Cairo, Egypt;
the US Embassy in Khartoum (located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue;
mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829; telephone -
(11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - (11) 774137) is kept open by
local employees; the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya is located in the
Interim Office Building on Mombasa Road, Nairobi; mailing address - P.
O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; telephone - (2)
751613; FAX - (2) 743204; the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt is
located at (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City,
Cairo; mailing address - Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900; telephone -
(2) 3557371; FAX - (2) 3573200
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
@Sudan:Economy
Economy - overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political
instability, adverse weather, weak world commodity prices, a drop in
remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The
private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading,
with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture
employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural
items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade,
attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has kept per capita
income at low levels. A large foreign debt and huge arrears continue
to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its
nonpayment of arrears to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised
reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund.
To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make token payments on its
arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies,
measures it has partially implemented. The government's continued
prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation
continued to inhibit growth in the nonagricultural sectors of the
economy during 1999. The government has worked with foreign partners
to develop the oil sector, and the country is producing approximately
150,000 barrels per day.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $32.6 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $940 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 41%
industry: 17%
services: 42% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.)
note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment
(1983 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce
10%, government 6%, unemployed 4%
Unemployment rate: 30% (FY92/93 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.2 billion
expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 1.815 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44.9%
hydro: 55.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.688 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet,
wheat, gum arabic, sesame; sheep
Exports: $580 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, oil, gum
arabic
Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 24%, Italy 10%, Germany 5%, Egypt 5%,
France 3%, Japan 3%, China 1% (1998)
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured
goods, machinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals,
textiles
Imports - partners: China 27%, France 14%, UK 10%, Germany 7%, Japan
4%, Netherlands 3%, Canada 1% (1998)
Debt - external: $24 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $187 million (1997)
Currency: 1 Sudanese dinar (SD) = 100 piastres; note - in July 1999
the Sudanese Central Bank made the formal declaration that all
dealings with the Sudanese pound should stop
Exchange rates: Sudanese dinars (SD) per US$1 - 230.2 (1999), 172.2
(1998), 148.8 (1997), 118.2 (1996); (old currency) Sudanese pounds per
US$1 - 2,526.34 (2d Qtr 1999), 2,008.02 (1998), 1,575.74 (1997),
1,250.79 (1996), 580.87 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Sudan:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 75,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,000 (1998)
Telephone system: large, well-equipped system by regional standards,
but barely adequate and poorly maintained by modern standards;
cellular communications started in 1996
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system
with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 7.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 2.38 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Sudan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 5,311 km
narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation
line
note: the main line linking Khartoum to Port Sudan carries over
two-thirds of Sudan's rail traffic
Highways:
total: 11,900 km
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 5,310 km navigable
Pipelines: refined products 815 km
Ports and harbors: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan,
Sawakin
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,093 GRT/49,727 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)
Airports: 61 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
@Sudan:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force
Militia
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,144,048 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,014,429 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 386,168 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $550 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
@Sudan:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: administrative boundary with Kenya does not
coincide with international boundary; Egypt asserts its claim to the
"Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km under partial
Sudanese administration that is defined by an administrative boundary
which supersedes the treaty boundary of 1899
______________________________________________________________________
SURINAME
@Suriname:Introduction
Background: Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975.
Five years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule
through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987,
when international pressure finally brought about a democratic
election.
@Suriname:Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite,
gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 96%
other: 4% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for
export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of
flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by
new development; relatively small population, most of which lives
along the coast
@Suriname:People
Population: 431,303 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 70,871; female 67,466)
15-64 years: 62% (male 137,209; female 131,905)
65 years and over: 6% (male 10,907; female 12,945) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.65% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 21.08 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.92 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: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.36 years
male: 68.71 years
female: 74.14 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the
17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%,
Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%
Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant
25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles
and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others),
Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 95%
female: 91% (1995 est.)
@Suriname:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Data code: NS
Government type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Paramaribo
Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular -
distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para,
Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996);
Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September
1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after
two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from
the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms;
election last held 23 May 1996; runoff election held 5 September 1996
(next to be held NA May 2000)
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
calling of elections a year early
election results: Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA; National Assembly failed to elect the
president; results reflect votes cast by the People's Assembly - Jules
WIJDENBOSCH (NDP) received 438 votes, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) received
407 votes
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or National Assemblee
(51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP
16, NF 14, BVD 5, KTPI 5, Pertjaja Luhur 4, The Progressive
Development Alliance 3, DA '91 2, OPDA 2
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
calling of elections a year early
Judicial branch: Court of Justice, justices nominated for life
Political parties and leaders: Alternative Forum or AF [Rick VAN
RAVENSWAY]; Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the
AF and BEP, formed in January 1991) ; Democratic
Party or DP ; Independent Progressive Democratic
Alternative or OPDA ; National Democratic Party
or NDP ; National Party of Suriname or NPS [Ronald
VENETIAAN]; Naya Kadam ; Party for Brotherhood
and Unity in Politics or BEP ; Party for Renewal and
Democracy or BVD ; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
or KTPI ; Party of the Federation of Land Workers or
PVF ; Pertjaja Luhur ; Progressive Reform
Party or VHP ; Progressive Workers' and Farm
Laborers' Union or PALU ; Reformed Progressive Party
or HPP ; Suriname Labor Party or SPA ;
The New Front or NF (a coalition of four parties NPS, VHP, SPA, and
Pertjaja Luhur) ; The Progressive Development
Alliance (a combination of two parties, HPP and PVF) [Harry
KISOENSINGH]
Political pressure groups and leaders: General Liberation and
Development Party or ABOP ; Mandela Bushnegro
Liberation Movement ; Tucayana Amazonica [Alex
JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for Liberation and Democracy [Kofi
AFONGPONG]
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arnold Theodoor HALFHIDE
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 244-7488
FAX: (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis K. HAYS
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, American Embassy Paramaribo,
Department of State, Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: 472900, 477881, 476459
FAX: 420800
Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width),
white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there
is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band
@Suriname:Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry,
which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings.
After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the WIJDENBOSCH government
ended the structural adjustment program of the previous government,
claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements of society. Tax revenues
fell as old taxes lapsed and the government failed to implement new
tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the allocation of new Dutch
development funds was frozen as Surinamese Government relations with
the Netherlands deteriorated. Economic growth slowed in 1998, with
decline in the mining, construction, and utility sectors. Rampant
government expenditures, poor tax collection, a bloated civil service,
and reduced foreign aid in 1999 contributed to the fiscal deficit,
estimated at 11% of GDP. The government sought to cover this deficit
through monetary expansion, which led to a dramatic increase in
inflation and exchange rate depreciation. Suriname's economic
prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed commitment to
responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of
structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.48 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,400 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 170% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 100,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $393 million
expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1997 est.)
Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina and aluminum production,
lumbering, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.008 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 24.65%
hydro: 75.35%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 1.867 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts,
plantains, peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp
Exports: $406.1 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports - commodities: alumina, aluminum, crude oil, lumber, shrimp
and fish, rice, bananas
Exports - partners: Norway 24%, Netherlands 23.8%, US 21.7%, France
7.3%, Japan 4.9%, UK (1998 est.)
Imports: $461.4 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs,
cotton, consumer goods
Imports - partners: US 31.2%, Netherlands 17.3%, Trinidad and Tobago
16.1%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4%, Brazil (1998)
Debt - external: $175.6 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: Netherlands provided $37 million for project
and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium
$2 million (1998)
Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1
- 995 (December 1999), 710 (May 1999), 850 (January 1999); central
bank midpoint rate: 639.50 (1st Qtr 1999), 401.00 (1998), 401.00
(1997), 401.26 (1996), 442.23 (1995); parallel rate: 1,325 (December
1999), 2000 (May 1999), 800 (December 1998), 412 (December 1995)
note: beginning in July 1994, the central bank midpoint exchange rate
was unified and became market determined; during 1998, the exchange
rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the
government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the
black-market rate plunged
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Suriname:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 56,844 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,671 (1995)
Telephone system: international facilities good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 300,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 63,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Suriname:Transportation
Railways:
total: 166 km (single track)
standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 4,530 km
paved: 1,178 km
unpaved: 3,352 km (1996 est.)