next election; the measure was approved by the National People's
Congress Standing Committee in August 2010; the 10 new seats will be
chosen by popular vote
elections: last held on 7 September 2008 (next to be held in
September 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy 57%;
pro-Beijing 40%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35)
DAB 13, Liberal Party 7, FTU 1, others 14; (pro-democracy 23)
Democratic Party 8, Civic Party 5, CTU 3, League of Social Democrats
3, ADPL 2, The Frontier 1, NWSC 1; others 11; independents and
non-voting LegCo president 2
Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
parties: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
[LIU Sung Lee]; Civic Party [Audrey EU Yuet-mee]; Democratic
Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM
Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; League of Social
Democrats [Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU
Kin-yee]; The Frontier (disbanded)
others: Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU; Federation of Trade
Unions or FTU; Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party,
Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB,
Liberal Party, The Professional Forum (an informal group of three
generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from
functional constituencies and one independent elected from a
geographic constituency); there is no political party ordinance, so
there are no registered political parties; politically active groups
register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
NWSC [LEUNG Yiu-chung, LegCo member] (pro-democracy); Civic Act-up
[Cyd HO Sau-lan, LegCo member] (pro-democracy)
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU,
WCO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic
and Trade Office carries out normal liaison and communication with
the US Government and other US entities
representative: Donald TONG
office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] 202 331-8947
FAX: [1] 202 331-0318
NKETO offices: New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Stephen M. YOUNG
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598
Flag description:
red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the
center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its
middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and
represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong
Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the
five stars echo those on the flag of China
National anthem:
note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyonggjun
Jinxingqu" is official (see China)
Economy ::Hong Kong
Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
international trade and finance - the value of goods and services
trade, including the sizable share of re-exports, is about four
times GDP. Hong Kong's open economy left it exposed to the global
economic slowdown, but its increasing integration with China,
through trade, tourism, and financial links, helped it recover more
quickly than many observers anticipated. The Hong Kong government is
promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the site for
Chinese renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are
allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts;
RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been
issued in Hong Kong; and RMB trade settlement is allowed. The
territory far exceeded the RMB conversion quota set by Beijing for
trade settlements in 2010 due to the growth of earnings from exports
to the mainland. RMB deposits grew to roughly 3.6% of total system
deposits in Hong Kong by October 2010, an increase of over 250%
since the beginning of the year. The government is pursuing efforts
to introduce additional use of RMB in Hong Kong financial markets
and is seeking to expand the RMB quota for 2011. The mainland has
long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about
half of Hong Kong's exports by value. Hong Kong's natural resources
are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a
result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of
mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in
2001 to 17.7 million in 2009, outnumbering visitors from all other
countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the
premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In
2009 mainland Chinese companies constituted about 40% of the firms
listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for 60% of the
Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong
Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service
industry has grown rapidly and in 2009 accounted for more than 90%
of the territory's GDP. GDP growth averaged a strong 4% from 1989 to
2008. Hong Kong's GDP fell in 2009 as a result of the global
financial crisis, but a recovery began in third quarter 2009, and
the economy grew nearly 6% in 2010. The Hong Kong government adopted
several temporary fiscal policy support measures in response to the
crisis that it may discontinue if strong growth is sustained. Credit
expansion and tight housing supply conditions caused Hong Kong
property prices to rise rapidly in 2010, and some lower income
segments of the population are increasingly unable to afford
adequate housing. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely
to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$323.3 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$305.9 billion (2009 est.)
$314.7 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$226.5 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
-2.8% (2009 est.)
2.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$45,600 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
$43,400 (2009 est.)
$44,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 7.6%
services: 92.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
3.7 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing: 6.1%
construction: 1.9%
wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 42.9%
financing, insurance, and real estate: 21.4%
transport and communications: 7.9%
community and social services: 19.7%
note: above data exclude public sector (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
5.2% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.3 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 16
Investment (gross fixed):
22.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Public debt:
18.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
37.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
-0.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 138
0.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
5% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$84.88 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 34
$75.49 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$850.8 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 18
$808.8 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$374.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
$351.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.292 trillion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 8
$1.32 trillion (31 December 2008)
$1.163 trillion (31 December 2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - production:
39.4 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - consumption:
42.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Electricity - exports:
3.926 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11.7 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Oil - consumption:
359,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Oil - exports:
160,000 bbl/day (2009)
country comparison to the world: 53
Oil - imports:
440,000 bbl/day (2009)
country comparison to the world: 29
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Natural gas - consumption:
2.83 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Natural gas - imports:
2.83 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Current account balance:
$18.07 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$18.28 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$382.6 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
$321.8 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners:
China 51.2%, US 11.6%, Japan 4.4% (2009 est.)
Imports:
$413 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$348.7 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods,
foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners:
China 46.4%, Japan 8.8%, Taiwan 6.5%, Singapore 6.5%, US 5.3% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$262.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
$255.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$69.86 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$655.1 billion (30 September 2009)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$962.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
$912.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$873.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
$834.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.78 (2010), 7.7518 (2009),
7.751 (2008), 7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006)
Communications ::Hong Kong
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.188 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 35
Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.207 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 56
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine
cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East,
and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China
Broadcast media:
2 commercial terrestrial television networks each with multiple
stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems are
available; 3 radio networks, one of which is government-funded,
operate about 15 radio stations (2008)
Internet country code:
.hk
Internet hosts:
817,701 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 45
Internet users:
4.873 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 47
Transportation ::Hong Kong
Airports:
2 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 206
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Heliports:
9 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 2,050 km
country comparison to the world: 173
paved: 2,050 km (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 1,429
country comparison to the world: 5
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 629, cargo 177, carrier 11,
chemical tanker 134, container 274, liquefied gas 37, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 139, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle
carrier 8
foreign-owned: 855 (Belgium 16, Bermuda 12, Canada 70, China 432,
Cyprus 3, Denmark 41, France 3, Germany 10, Greece 22, Indonesia 8,
Iran 1, Japan 84, Libya 1, Norway 49, Russia 1, Singapore 13, South
Korea 3, Taiwan 26, UAE 2, UK 27, US 31)
registered in other countries: 297 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 5, Cambodia
11, China 15, Cyprus 2, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, India 1, Kiribati 1,
Liberia 47, Malaysia 8, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 3, former
Netherlands Antilles 1, NZ 1, Panama 125, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 4, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 4, Singapore 38, Thailand
1, Tuvalu 1, UK 8, unknown 11) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Hong Kong
Military ::Hong Kong
Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's
People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground
Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the
direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and
under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
Region (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,729,179
females age 16-49: 1,899,296 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,405,324
females age 16-49: 1,526,196 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 41,717
female: 38,240 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues ::Hong Kong
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult
challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Hungary (Europe)
Introduction ::Hungary
Background:
Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many
centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in
Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot
Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The
country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a
revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met
with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership
of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy,
introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first
multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It
joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.
Geography ::Hungary
Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 93,028 sq km
country comparison to the world: 109
land: 89,608 sq km
water: 3,420 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 2,185 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 49.58%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 48.36% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
120 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 21.03 cu km/yr (9%/59%/32%)
per capita: 2,082 cu m/yr (2001)
Environment - current issues:
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy
efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU
requirements will require large investments
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions
People ::Hungary
Population:
9,992,339 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 763,553/female 720,112)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,384,961/female 3,475,135)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 566,067/female 995,768) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 40 years
male: 37.8 years
female: 42.6 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.156% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
Birth rate:
9.7 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Death rate:
12.67 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Net migration rate:
1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Urbanization:
urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.057 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.38 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 183
male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.57 years
country comparison to the world: 92
male: 70.8 years
female: 78.55 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.39 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic
2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated
14.5% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 48
Government ::Hungary
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Budapest
geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 urban counties (singular
- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,
Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
capital city: Budapest
Independence:
16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25
December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding
date); 30 March 1867 (dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary created)
National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August
Constitution:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18
October 1989; and 1997
note: 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system
Legal system:
based on the German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pal SCHMITT (since 6 August 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010)
cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National
Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers
proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their
duties by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on
29 June 2010 (next to be held by June 2015); prime minister elected
by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president;
election last held 29 May 2010