total: 359
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 271 (2010)
Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 332 km
country comparison to the world: 119
narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 14,095 km
country comparison to the world: 124
paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)
Waterways:
990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
during high-water season) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 66
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Military ::Guatemala
Military branches:
National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG),
Guatemalan Navy (Marina Nacional, includes Marines), Guatemalan Air
Force (Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca, FAG) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for
military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24
months; women can serve as officers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,062,027
females age 16-49: 3,266,655 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,494,903
females age 16-49: 2,827,208 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 168,959
female: 166,414 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 166
Transnational Issues ::Guatemala
Disputes - international:
annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the
Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue
to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the
Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002
Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary
to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of
Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of
impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the
porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs,
although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over
three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination
country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the
purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human
trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the country;
Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for
commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and the United
States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked
within the country, and to Mexico and the United States, for forced
labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year,
Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons,
particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are
appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors
initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems
in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive
anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its
protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in
2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated
100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source
of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of
pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption;
proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
(particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem;
corruption is a major problem
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Guernsey (Europe)
Introduction ::Guernsey
Background:
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants
of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France
and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by
German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British crown
dependency but is not part of the UK or of the European Union.
However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its
defense and international representation.
Geography ::Guernsey
Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 78 sq km
country comparison to the world: 227
land: 78 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands
Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are
overcast
Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m
Natural resources:
cropland
Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People ::Guernsey
Population:
64,775 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 4,799/female 4,673)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 22,056/female 22,410)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 5,009/female 6,537) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.9 years
male: 40.9 years
female: 42.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.466% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Birth rate:
10.25 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Death rate:
8.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Net migration rate:
2.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Urbanization:
urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.049 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 210
male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.08 years
country comparison to the world: 6
male: 79.43 years
female: 84.87 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:
British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
European countries
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist
Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy:
NA
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Guernsey
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Saint Peter Port
geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint
Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint
Saviour, Torteval, Vale
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
the laws of the UK where applicable apply; justice is administered
by the Royal Court
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28
October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008);
Bailiff Sir Geoffrey ROWLAND (since June 2005)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of Deliberation
election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of
vote of the States of Deliberation NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - Alderney and Sark
have parliaments
elections: last held on 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Judicial branch:
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts
[Colin FALLAIZE]
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross; the
red cross represents the old ties with England and the fact that
Guernsey is a British Crown dependency; the gold cross is a replica
of the one used by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings
National anthem:
name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)
lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO
note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown
dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United
Kingdom)
Economy ::Guernsey
Economy - overview:
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account
for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in this
tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and
horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining.
Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have
been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax
haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is
changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.742 billion (2005)
country comparison to the world: 178
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.742 billion (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$44,600 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 13
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)
Labor force:
31,470 (March 2006)
country comparison to the world: 203
Unemployment rate:
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (June 2006)
country comparison to the world: 102
Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
Guernsey cattle
Industries:
tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Exports:
$NA
Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
vegetables
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Guernsey pound 0.6504 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418
(2006)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Communications ::Guernsey
Telephones - main lines in use:
45,100 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 164
Telephones - mobile cellular:
43,800 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 198
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available;
combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100
persons
international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable
Broadcast media:
multiple UK terrestrial television broadcasts - received via a
transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney
- will begin switching from analog to digital broadcasts in November
2010; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1
other radio station operating (2009)
Internet country code:
.gg
Internet hosts:
197 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 195
Internet users:
48,300 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 174
Transportation ::Guernsey
Airports:
2 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 209
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
Military ::Guernsey
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,404
females age 16-49: 12,510 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 347
female: 350 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Guernsey
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 11, 2011
======================================================================
@Guinea (Africa)
Introduction ::Guinea
Background:
Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule since gaining its
independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in
1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the
first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic
elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military
government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was
reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls were
marred by irregularities. History repeated itself in December 2008
when following President CONTE's death, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA
led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution.
His unwillingness to yield to domestic and international pressure to
step down led to heightened political tensions that culminated in
September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition
rally killing more than 150 people, and in early December 2009 when
CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and evacuated to
Morocco and subsequently to Burkina Faso. A transitional government
led by General Sekouba KONATE held democratic elections in 2010 and
Alpha CONDE was elected president in the country's first free and
fair elections since independence.
Geography ::Guinea
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 245,857 sq km
country comparison to the world: 78
land: 245,717 sq km
water: 140 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline:
320 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Land use:
arable land: 4.47%
permanent crops: 2.64%
other: 92.89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
950 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
226 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%)
per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
environmental damage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in
the Guinean highlands
People ::Guinea
Population:
10,324,025 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,175,852/female 2,128,518)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,701,184/female 2,704,161)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 153,053/female 195,207) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.649% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Birth rate:
37.21 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Death rate:
10.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Urbanization:
urban population: 34% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 63.09 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 31
male: 66.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.6 years
country comparison to the world: 192
male: 56.13 years
female: 59.12 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.6% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
87,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages:
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 29.5%
male: 42.6%
female: 18.1% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 7 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 175
Government ::Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Conakry
geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
Tougue, Yomou
Independence:
2 October 1958 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Constitution:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alpha Conde (since 21 December 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24
December 2010)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes
cast to be elected president; election last held on 27 June 2010
with a runoff election held on 7 November 2010
election results: Alpha CONDE elected president in a runoff
election; percent of vote Alpha CONDE 52.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO
47.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Populaire (114 seats; members elected by a mixed system of direct
popular vote and proportional party lists)
elections: last held on 30 June 2002 (legislative elections first
due in 2007 have been rescheduled multiple times and are currently
unscheduled)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Judicial branch:
Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of
Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG [Mamadou SYLLA]; Guinean Union for
Democracy or UGD; New Democratic Forces or NDF [Muoctar DIALLO];
Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Sekouba KONATE]; Rally for the
Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal
or UPR [Ousmane BAH]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG
[Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union of Democratic Forces of
Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or
UFR [Sidya TOURE]; United Front for Democracy and Change or FUDEC
[Francois FALL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean
Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of
Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of
Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]); Syndicate of Guinean
Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis M'Bemba SOUMAH]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), ECOWAS (suspended), FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: