country comparison to the world: 146
Oil - imports:
77,720 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Current account balance:
-$1.382 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
-$876 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$1.487 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
$1.263 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals,
wearing apparel, mineral fuels
Exports - partners:
US 38.19%, Canada 12.2%, UK 10.79%, Norway 4.89%, Netherlands 4.69%
(2009)
Imports:
$5.378 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
$4.581 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and
accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials
Imports - partners:
US 28.32%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.98%, Venezuela 12.14%, China
4.61%, Brazil 4.18% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.85 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
$2.081 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$12.66 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
$10.56 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar - 87.41 (2010), 87.894 (2009),
72.236 (2008), 69.034 (2007), 65.768 (2006)
Communications ::Jamaica
Telephones - main lines in use:
302,300 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 113
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.971 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 114
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: the 1999 agreement to open the market for
telecommunications services resulted in rapid growth in
mobile-cellular telephone usage while the number of fixed-lines in
use has declined; combined mobile-cellular teledensity exceeded 110
per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 1-876; the Fibralink submarine cable
network provides enhanced delivery of business and broadband traffic
and is linked to the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1)
submarine cable in the Dominican Republic; the link to ARCOS-1
provides seamless connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean,
Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Broadcast media:
privately-owned Radio Jamaica Limited and its subsidiaries operate
multiple television stations, subscription cable services, and radio
stations; 2 other privately-owned television stations broadcast;
roughly 70 radio stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.jm
Internet hosts:
3,099 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 143
Internet users:
1.581 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 80
Transportation ::Jamaica
Airports:
27 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 124
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 7 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
under 914 m: 15 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 21,552 km
country comparison to the world: 108
paved: 15,937 km (includes 33 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,615 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 19
country comparison to the world: 100
by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 5, container 4, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 19 (Denmark 1, Germany 10, Greece 8) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Discovery Bay (Port Rhoades), Kingston, Montego Bay, Port Antonio,
Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Rocky Point
Military ::Jamaica
Military branches:
Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may
be conscripted with parental consent (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 712,627
females age 16-49: 730,845 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 581,033
females age 16-49: 590,437 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 32,723
female: 32,098 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Transnational Issues ::Jamaica
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America
and Europe; illicit cultivation and consumption of cannabis;
government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering
activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit
financial transactions
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Jan Mayen (Europe)
Introduction ::Jan Mayen
Background:
This desolate, arctic, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano
resumed activity in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985.
It is the northernmost active volcano on earth.
Geography ::Jan Mayen
Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
Sea, northeast of Iceland
Geographic coordinates:
71 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 377 sq km
country comparison to the world: 203
land: 377 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
124.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Terrain:
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen on Beerenberg 2,277 m
note: Beerenberg volcano has numerous peaks; the highest point on
the volcano rim is named Haakon VII Toppen, after Norway's first
king following the reestablishment of Norwegian independence in 1905
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
dominated by the volcano Beerenberg
volcanism: Beerenberg (elev. 2,227 m, 7,306 ft) is Norway's only
active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent
eruption occurred in 1985
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
People ::Jan Mayen
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
the weather and coastal services radio station
Government ::Jan Mayen
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen
Dependency status:
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo
through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service
Legal system:
the laws of Norway where applicable apply
Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used
Economy ::Jan Mayen
Economy - overview:
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
resources, although surrounding waters contain substantial fish
stocks and potential untapped petroleum resources. Economic activity
is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and
meteorological stations on the island.
Communications ::Jan Mayen
Broadcast media:
a coastal radio station has been remotely operated since 1994 (2008)
Transportation ::Jan Mayen
Airports:
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 220
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military ::Jan Mayen
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues ::Jan Mayen
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@Japan (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Japan
Background:
In 1603, after decades of civil warfare, the Tokugawa shogunate (a
military-led, dynastic government) ushered in a long period of
relative political stability and isolation from foreign influence.
For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy a
flowering of its indigenous culture. Japan opened its ports after
signing the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854 and began to
intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and
early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to
defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea,
Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan
occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of
China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry
into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast
Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an
economic power and an ally of the US. While the emperor retains his
throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians hold
actual decision-making power. Following three decades of
unprecedented growth, Japan's economy experienced a major slowdown
starting in the 1990s, but the country remains a major economic
power.
Geography ::Japan
Location:
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Geographic coordinates:
36 00 N, 138 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 377,915 sq km
country comparison to the world: 61
land: 364,485 sq km
water: 13,430 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
29,751 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international
straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
Natural resources:
negligible mineral resources, fish
note: with virtually no energy natural resources, Japan is the
world's largest importer of coal and liquefied natural gas, as well
as the second largest importer of oil
Land use:
arable land: 11.64%
permanent crops: 0.9%
other: 87.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
25,920 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
430 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 88.43 cu km/yr (20%/18%/62%)
per capita: 690 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
volcanism: both Unzen (elev. 1,500 m, 4,621 ft) and Sakura-jima
(elev. 1,117 m, 3,665 ft), which lies near the densely populated
city of Kagoshima, have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the
Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and
close proximity to human populations; other notable historically
active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano,
Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima,
Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
resources in Asia and elsewhere
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, 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,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location in northeast Asia
People ::Japan
Population:
126,804,433 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Age structure:
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 8,804,465/female 8,344,800)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 41,187,425/female 40,533,876)
65 years and over: 22.2% (male 11,964,694/female 16,243,419) (2010
est.)
Median age:
total: 44.6 years
male: 42.9 years
female: 46.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.242% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Birth rate:
7.41 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
Death rate:
9.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 96
Urbanization:
urban population: 66% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.056 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.79 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 219
male: 2.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.17 years
country comparison to the world: 5
male: 78.87 years
female: 85.66 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.2 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Nationality:
noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups:
Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
(2004)
Religions:
Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%
note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to
both Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)
Languages:
Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 126
Government ::Japan
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan
local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku
local short form: Nihon/Nippon
Government type:
a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Tokyo
geographic coordinates: 35 41 N, 139 45 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
Yamaguchi, Yamanashi
Independence:
3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji
Constitution); notable earlier dates: 660 B.C. (traditional date of
the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU); 29 November 1890
(Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
National holiday:
Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Constitution:
3 May 1947
Legal system:
modeled after European civil law systems with English-American
influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Naoto KAN (since 8 June 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: Diet designates the prime minister; constitution requires
that the prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
legislative elections, the leader of majority party or leader of
majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
minister; the monarchy is hereditary
Legislative branch:
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or
Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for fixed six-year terms; half
reelected every three years; 146 members in multi-seat
constituencies and 96 by proportional representation) and the House
of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
maximum four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180
members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs); the
prime minister has the right to dissolve the House of
Representatives at any time with the concurrence of the cabinet
elections: House of Councillors - last held on 11 July 2010 (next to
be held in July 2013); House of Representatives - last held on 30
August 2009 (next to be held by August 2013)
election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
DPJ 31.6%, LDP 24.1%, YP 13.6%, NK 13.1%, JCP 6.1%, SDP 3.8%, others
7.7%; seats by party - DPJ 106, LDP 84, NK 19, YP 11, JCP 6, SDP 4,
others 12
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party (by proportional
representation) - DPJ 42.4%, LDP 26.7%, NK 11.5%, JCP 7.0%, SDP
4.3%, others 8.1%; seats by party - DPJ 308, LDP 119, NK 21, JCP 9,
SDP 7, others 16 (2009)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
cabinet)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Naoto KAN]; Japan Communist Party
or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sadakazu
TANIGAKI]; New Komeito or NK [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]; People's New Party
or PNP [Shizuka KAMEI]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho
FUKUSHIMA]; Your Party or YP [Yoshimi WATANABE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: business groups; trade unions
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAS,
EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit,
Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Nashville
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John V. ROOS
embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: Unit 9800, Box 300, APO AP 96303-0300
telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
Flag description:
white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
the center
National anthem:
name: "Kimigayo" (The Emperor"s Reign)
lyrics/music: unknown/Hiromori HAYASHI
note: adopted 1999; in use as unofficial national anthem since 1883;
oldest anthem lyrics in the world, dating to the 10th century or
earlier; there is some opposition to the anthem because of its
association with militarism and worship of the emperor
Economy ::Japan
Economy - overview:
In the years following World War II, government-industry
cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a
comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan
develop a technologically advanced economy. Two notable
characteristics of the post-war economy were the close interlocking
structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as
keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial
portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding
under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic
demographic change. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent
on imported raw materials and fuels. A tiny agricultural sector is
highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest
in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan imports about
60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the
world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the
global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had
been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the
1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the
1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of
inefficient investment and an asset price bubble in the late 1980s
that required a protracted period of time for firms to reduce excess
debt, capital, and labor. The Japanese financial sector was not
heavily exposed to sub-prime mortgages or their derivative
instruments and weathered the initial effect of the recent global
credit crunch, but a sharp downturn in business investment and
global demand for Japan's exports in late 2008 pushed Japan further
into recession. Government stimulus spending helped the economy
recover in late 2009 and 2010, but Tokyo is warning that GDP growth
will slow in 2011. Prime Minister Kan's government has proposed
opening the agricultural and services sectors to greater foreign
competition and boosting exports through free-trade agreements, but
debate continues on restructuring the economy and funding new
stimulus programs in the face of a tight fiscal situation. Japan's
huge government debt, which is approaching 200 percent of GDP,
persistent deflation, and an aging and shrinking population are
major complications for the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.338 trillion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$4.211 trillion (2009 est.)
$4.442 trillion (2008 est.)