total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 429,998 GRT/771,227 DWT
ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 5, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1
(1999 est.)
Airports: 67 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 15 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)
@Switzerland:Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification
Guards
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,855,808 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,579,921 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 42,169 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.1 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY98)
@Switzerland:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations, used
significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for
and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
______________________________________________________________________
SYRIA
@Syria:Introduction
Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World
War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in
1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon,
ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. Talks with Israel over the
return of the Golan Heights have recently been revived.
@Syria:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Lebanon and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota
Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 41 nm
territorial sea: 35 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus
Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores,
asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 28%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 43%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 22% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage
and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable
water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land
use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.)
@Syria:People
Population: 16,305,659
note: in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700
Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 3,410,417; female 3,210,215)
15-64 years: 56% (male 4,688,967; female 4,476,022)
65 years and over: 3% (male 254,448; female 265,590) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.58% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 31.11 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 34.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.46 years
male: 67.35 years
female: 69.64 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.06 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects
16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in
Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
@Syria:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Data code: SY
Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963
Capital: Damascus
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As
Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif
Dimashq, Tartus
Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special
religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); note
- President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed
presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president
in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim
ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA
(since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohammad Mustaf MIRU (since 13
March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11
March 1984), Dr. Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid
AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 8 February 1999 (next to be held NA
2006); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote -
Hafiz al-ASAD 99%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab
(250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%;
seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution
guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive
one-half of the seats
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed
for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of
Cassation; State Security Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front (NPF)
(includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist
Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) ; Arab
Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Hafiz al-ASAD,
president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and
chairman of the National Progressive Front]; Arab Socialist Unionist
Movement or ASU ; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani
KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party ; Syrian
Arab Socialist Party or ASP ; Syrian
Communist Party or SCP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist party ineffective;
conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile
in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective
political influence
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 232-6313
FAX: (202) 234-9548
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783
FAX: (11) 224-7938
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal
line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which
has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle
centered in the white band
@Syria:Economy
Economy - overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a
shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive
economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains
underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent
on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in
the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance
between major water supplies and population centers poses serious
distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid
population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the
agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling
off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international
markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded
technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to
future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and
Israel.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $42.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 22%
services: 49% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 15%-25%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services
40% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12%-15% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.5 billion
expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
phosphate rock mining
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 17.5 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 42.86%
hydro: 57.14%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 16.275 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas,
olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Exports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods
10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%,
phosphates 1% (1998 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 14%, Turkey 13%, Italy 12%, France 9%,
Lebanon 9%, Spain (1998 est.)
Imports: $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals
20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998
est.)
Imports - partners: Ukraine 16%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%,
France 4%, South Korea, Japan, US (1998 est.)
Debt - external: $22 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $199 million (1997 est.)
Currency: 1 Syrian pound = 100 piastres
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds per US$1 - 46 (1998), 41.9 (January
1997); official fixed rate - 11.225 Syrian pounds per US$1
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Syria:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 930,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey;
participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 4.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 54 (of which 36 are low-power and
repeater stations) (1997)
Televisions: 1.05 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Syria:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,750 km
standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge (2000)
Highways:
total: 36,377 km
paved: 26,299 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 10,078 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Merchant marine:
total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 429,005 GRT/626,069 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 120, livestock carrier 5,
roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)
Airports: 104 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 63 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
@Syria:Military
Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air
Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,220,578 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,358,973 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 196,616 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $800 million-$1 billion (FY97
est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual
spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY98)
@Syria:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute
with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central,
and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for
regional and Western markets
______________________________________________________________________
TAIWAN
@Taiwan:Introduction
Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
Japan, however it reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government that over
five decades has gradually democratized and incorporated the native
population within its structure. Throughout this period, the island
has prospered to become one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The
dominant political issue continues to be the relationship between
Taiwan and China and the question of eventual reunification.
@Taiwan:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware
combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,566.3 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone,
marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 55%
other: 15%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution from
industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water
supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste
disposal
Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Taiwan:People
Population: 22,191,087 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 2,485,421; female 2,292,901)
15-64 years: 70% (male 7,869,939; female 7,629,195)
65 years and over: 8% (male 1,013,074; female 900,557) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.81% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 14.42 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.35 years
male: 73.62 years
female: 79.32 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
aborigine 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka
dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86% (1980 est.); note - literacy for the total
population has reportedly increased to 94% (1998 est.)
male: 93% (1980 est.)
female: 79% (1980 est.)
@Taiwan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code: TW
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly
elected president
Capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to
be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions
include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian
Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan
and the Pescadores islands); note - the more commonly referenced
administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties
(hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and
plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and
plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*,
Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*,
T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the
provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the
Chinese Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
note: President-elect CHEN Shui-bian is scheduled to take office on 20
May 2000
chief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency
following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988,
elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular
vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996);
Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Vincent
SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the
Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10 December 1997)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 18 March 2000
(next to be held NA March 2004); premier appointed by the president;
vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the
premier
election results: CHEN Shui-bian elected president; percent of vote -
CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 39.3%, James SOONG (independent) 36.84%, LIEN
Chan (KMT) 23.1%, HSU Hsin-liang (independent) .63%, LEE Ao (CNP) .13%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168
elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of
nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight
elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the
proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political
parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal
populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National
Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 5 December 1998 (next to be
held NA December 2001); National Assembly - last held 23 March 1996
(next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT
46%, DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by
party - KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6;
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP
14%, other 1%; seats by party - KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president
with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Chinese New Party or CNP [CHOU
Yang-sun]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LIN Yi-hsiung,
chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, acting
chairman]; Taiwan Independence Party or TAIP ; other
minor parties