Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long
Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa,
Texas City
note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the
Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Baker, Howland, and
Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none; offshore anchorage only
Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island
Midway Islands: Sand Island
Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon
Uruguay
Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze
Uzbekistan
Termiz (Amu Darya)
Vanuatu
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Venezuela
Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon
Vietnam
Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City
Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay
Wake Island
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Wallis and Futuna
Leava, Mata-Utu
Western Sahara
Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Yemen
Aden, Nishtun
Zambia
Mpulungu
Zimbabwe
Binga, Kariba
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2121 Railways (km)
Albania
total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Algeria
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005)
Angola
total: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)
Argentina
total: 31,902 km
broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)
Armenia
total: 845 km
broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2005)
Australia
total: 47,738 km
broad gauge: 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)
dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2005)
Austria
total: 6,011 km
standard gauge: 5,568 km 1.435-m gauge (3,427 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 21 km 1.000-m gauge; 422 km 0.760-m gauge (109 km
electrified) (2005)
Azerbaijan
total: 2,957 km
broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2005)
Bangladesh
total: 2,768 km
broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Belarus
total: 5,512 km
broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2005)
Belgium
total: 3,521 km
standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005)
Benin
total: 578 km
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Bolivia
total: 3,519 km
narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 608 km (777 km electrified)
standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Botswana
total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Brazil
total: 29,252 km
broad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified)
standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
electrified) (2005)
Bulgaria
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
Burkina Faso
total: 622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
(2005)
Burma
total: 3,955 km
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Cambodia
total: 602 km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Cameroon
total: 987 km
narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Canada
total: 48,467 km
standard gauge: 48,467 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Chile
total: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
China
total: 74,408 km
standard gauge: 74,408 km 1.435-m gauge (19,303 km electrified)
(2004)
Colombia
total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 5,138 km
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)
Congo, Republic of the
total: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Costa Rica
total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Cote d'Ivoire
total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
Faso (2005)
Croatia
total: 2,726 km
standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)
Cuba
total: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
(2005)
Czech Republic
total: 9,572 km
standard gauge: 9,473 km 1.435-m gauge (2,951 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
Denmark
total: 2,673 km
standard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005)
Djibouti
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railway)
narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)
Dominican Republic
total: 517 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m,
0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2005)
Ecuador
total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Egypt
total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2005)
El Salvador
total: 283 km
narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
disuse and lack of maintenance (2005)
Eritrea
total: 306 km
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2005)
Estonia
total: 958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2005)
Ethiopia
total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis
Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005)
European Union
total: 235,199 km
broad gauge: 28,327 km
standard gauge: 198,913 km
narrow gauge: 7,936 km
other: 23 km (2005)
Fiji
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005)
Finland
total: 5,741 km
broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)
France
total: 29,085 km
standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Gabon
total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Georgia
total: 1,612 km
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2005)
Germany
total: 47,201 km
standard gauge: 46,948 km 1.435-m gauge (19,674 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
0.750-m gauge (2005)
Ghana
total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Greece
total: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
system) (2005)
Guatemala
total: 886 km
narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Guinea
total: 837 km
standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Guyana
total: 187 km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
Honduras
total: 699 km
narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Hungary
total: 7,937 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
India
total: 63,230 km
broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge (16,528 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,106 km
0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2005)
Indonesia
total: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
0.750-m gauge (2005)
Iran
total: 7,256 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005)
Iraq
total: 2,200 km
standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Ireland
total: 3,312 km
broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
(2005)
Isle of Man
total: 65 km
standard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified)
narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified)
note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)
Israel
total: 853 km
standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Italy
total: 19,459 km
standard gauge: 18,037 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,299 km
0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2005)
Jamaica
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)
Japan
total: 23,556 km
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,264 km
1.067-m gauge (13,280 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
electrified) (2005)
Jordan
total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)
Kazakhstan
total: 13,700 km
broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2005)
Kenya
total: 2,778 km
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Korea, North
total: 5,214 km
standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2005)
Korea, South
total: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005)
Kyrgyzstan
total: 470 km
broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Latvia
total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005)
Lebanon
total: 401 km
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m
note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during
fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
Liberia
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the
civil war (2005)
Libya
0 km
note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m
gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005)
Liechtenstein
9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and
Switzerland (2006)
Lithuania
total: 1,771 km
broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Luxembourg
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005)
Macedonia
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)
Madagascar
total: 854 km
narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Malawi
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Malaysia
total: 1,890 km
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2005)
Mali
total: 729 km
narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Mauritania
717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Mexico
total: 17,562 km
standard gauge: 17,562 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Moldova
total: 1,138 km
broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Mongolia
total: 1,810 km
broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2005)
Montenegro
total: 250 km
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)
Morocco
total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005)
Mozambique
total: 3,123 km
narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)
Namibia
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Nepal
total: 59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)
Netherlands
total: 2,808 km
standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005)
New Zealand
total: 4,128 km
narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)
Nicaragua
total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Nigeria
total: 3,505 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Norway
total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005)
Pakistan
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Panama
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Paraguay
total: 36 km
standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Peru
total: 3,462 km
standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Philippines
total: 897 km
narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2005)
Poland
total: 23,072 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational;
11,910 km electrified) (2005)
Portugal
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Puerto Rico
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Romania
total: 11,385 km
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
Russia
total: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2005)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations during harvest season and for tourists (2005)
Saudi Arabia
total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
sidings) (2005)
Senegal
total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2005)
Serbia
total: 4,135 km
standard guage: 4,135 km 1.435-m guage (electrified 1,195 km) (2005)
Slovakia
total: 3,662 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2005)
Slovenia
total: 1,229 km
standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005)
South Africa
total: 20,872 km
narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,868 km electrified); 436 km
0.610-m gauge (2005)
Spain
total: 14,873 km
broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km
0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005)
Sri Lanka
total: 1,449 km
broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005)
Sudan
total: 5,978 km
narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for
cotton plantations (2005)
Swaziland
total: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Sweden
total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2005)
Switzerland
total: 4,583 km
standard gauge: 3,234 km 1.435-m gauge (3,223 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,339 km 1.000-m gauge (1,338 km electrified); 10 km
0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2005)
Syria
total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)
Taiwan
total: 2,497 km
narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)
note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar
Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry
products and limited numbers of passengers (2005)
Tajikistan
total: 482 km
broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Tanzania
total: 3,690 km
narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Thailand
total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Togo
total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Tunisia
total: 2,153 km
standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2005)
Turkey
total: 8,697 km
standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005)
Turkmenistan
total: 2,440 km
broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Uganda
total: 1,244 km
narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Ukraine
total: 22,473 km
broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2005)
United Kingdom
total: 17,156 km
standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,384 km electrified)
broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2005)
United States
total: 226,605 km
standard gauge: 226,605 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Uruguay
total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
partial use (2005)
Uzbekistan
total: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2005)
Venezuela
total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Vietnam
total: 2,600 km
standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge
dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m
gauges (2005)
World
total: 1,115,205 km
broad gauge: 257,481 km
standard gauge: 671,413 km
narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)
Zambia
total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
(TAZARA) (2005)
Zimbabwe
total: 3,077 km
narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2122 Religions (%)
Afghanistan
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%
Albania
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Algeria
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
American Samoa
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant and other 30%
Andorra
Roman Catholic (predominant)
Angola
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%
(1998 est.)
Anguilla
Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%,
Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or
unspecified 4.3% (2001 Census)
Antigua and Barbuda
Christian (predominantly Anglican with other
Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)
Argentina
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%
Armenia
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
(monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Aruba
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
Jewish
Australia
Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%,
Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none
15.3% (2001 Census)
Austria
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other
3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)
Azerbaijan
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower
Bahamas, The
Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%,
Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other
Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
Bahrain
Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8%
(2001 census)
Bangladesh
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Barbados
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,
other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Belarus
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Belgium
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%
Belize
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%,
Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist
3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)
Benin
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Bermuda
Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist
Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%,
unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)
Bhutan
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%
Bolivia
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,
other 14%
Botswana
Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%,
none 20.6% (2001 census)
Brazil
Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%,
Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%,
none 7.4% (2000 census)
British Virgin Islands
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,
Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2%
(1991)
Brunei
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%,
indigenous beliefs and other 10%
Bulgaria
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian
1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Burkina Faso
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly
Roman Catholic) 10%
Burma
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
Burundi
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%
Cambodia
Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Cameroon
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Canada
Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United
Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other
Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%
(2001 census)
Cape Verde
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);
Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Cayman Islands
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational),
Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Central African Republic
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,
Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority
Chad
Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%
Chile
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%
China
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)
Christmas Island
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%
(1997)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)
Colombia
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Comoros
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant
20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and
indigenous beliefs 10%
Congo, Republic of the
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Cook Islands
Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic
16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints
3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3%
(2001 census)
Costa Rica
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Cote d'Ivoire
Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30%
(2001)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
(70%) and Christian (20%)
Croatia
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%,
Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
Cuba
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
represented
Cyprus
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic,
and other 4%
Czech Republic
Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%,
unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Denmark
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%
Djibouti
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Dominica
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
other 6%, none 2%
Dominican Republic
Roman Catholic 95%
East Timor
Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)
Ecuador
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Egypt
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
El Salvador
Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
Catholic, pagan practices
Eritrea
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Estonia
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
(including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,
none 6.1% (2000 census)
Ethiopia
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%,
other 3%-8%
European Union
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
primarily Anglican, Roman
Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
Faroe Islands
Evangelical Lutheran
Fiji
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%,
Muslim 8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority
Finland
Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland
1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)
France
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,
Buddhist, pagan
French Polynesia
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no
religion 6%
Gabon
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Gambia, The
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Gaza Strip
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,
Jewish 0.6%
Georgia
Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian
3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
Germany
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,
unaffiliated or other 28.3%
Ghana
Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%
Gibraltar
Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other
Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or
unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)
Greece
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Greenland
Evangelical Lutheran
Grenada
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%
Guam
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Guatemala
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Guernsey
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
Congregational, Methodist
Guinea
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Guinea-Bissau
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Guyana
Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Haiti
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal
4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%
note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Holy See (Vatican City)
Roman Catholic
Honduras
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
Hong Kong
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Hungary
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)
Iceland
Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church
2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%,
other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4%
(2004)
India
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Indonesia
Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)
Iran
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
Christian, and Baha'i 2%
Iraq
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Ireland
Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian
1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)
Isle of Man
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
Presbyterian, Society of Friends
Israel
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other
Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
Italy
approximately 90% Roman Catholic (about one-third regularly
attend services); mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a
growing Muslim immigrant community
Jamaica
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist
9%, Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%,
United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian
1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%
Japan
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)
Jersey
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian
Jordan
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but
some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Kazakhstan
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Kenya
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%,
Muslim 10%, other 2%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
beliefs vary widely
Kiribati
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of
God (1999)
Korea, North
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian
and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom
Korea, South
no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%,
Confucianist 1%, other 1%
Kuwait
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi,
and other 15%
Kyrgyzstan
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Laos
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%)
Latvia
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Lebanon
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or
Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite
Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic,
Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt,
Protestant), other 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Lesotho
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Liberia
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Libya
Sunni Muslim 97%
Liechtenstein
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,
other 6.2% (June 2002)
Lithuania
Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant
(including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other
or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)
Luxembourg
87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
(2000)
Macau
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
est.)
Macedonia
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim
33.3%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
Madagascar
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Malawi
Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998
census)
Malaysia
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia
Maldives
Sunni Muslim
Mali
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Malta
Roman Catholic 98%
Marshall Islands
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman
Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian
3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Mauritania
Muslim 100%
Mauritius
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%,
Muslim 16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Mayotte
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Mexico
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Micronesia, Federated States of
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%,
other 3%
Moldova
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
(2000)
Monaco
Roman Catholic 90%
Mongolia
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%,
Muslim 4% (2004)
Montenegro
Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic
Montserrat
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
Morocco
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Mozambique
Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%,
other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)
Namibia
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
beliefs 10% to 20%
Nauru
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Nepal
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other
0.9% (2001 census)
note: only official Hindu state in the world
Netherlands
Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%,
Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)
Netherlands Antilles
Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%,
Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other
or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
New Caledonia
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
New Zealand
Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian
10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other
Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Nicaragua
Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%,
Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)
Niger
Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian
Nigeria
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Niue
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints
8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)
Norfolk Island
Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church
in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian
2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none
18.1% (2001 census)
Northern Mariana Islands
Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Norway
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%,
other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Oman
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Pakistan
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and
other 3%
Palau
Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8%
(indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness
0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other religion 3.1%, unspecified or
none 16.4% (2000 census)
Panama
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Papua New Guinea
Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant
10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Paraguay
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%
Peru
Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian
0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)
Philippines
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni
Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other
1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)
Pitcairn Islands
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
Poland
Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox
1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)
Portugal
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Puerto Rico
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Qatar
Muslim 95%
Romania
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)
Russia
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%
(2006 est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large
populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy
of over seven decades of Soviet rule
Rwanda
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
Saint Helena
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
Roman Catholic
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Saint Lucia
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%,
Pentecostal 5.7%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%,
Rastafarian 2.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001
census)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Roman Catholic 99%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant
Samoa
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
San Marino
Roman Catholic
Sao Tome and Principe
Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New
Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Saudi Arabia
Muslim 100%
Senegal
Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous
beliefs 1%
Serbia
Serbian Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Seychelles
Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day
Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other
non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)
Sierra Leone
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Singapore
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%,
Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000
census)
Slovakia
Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic
4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
Slovenia
Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim
2.4%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002
census)
Solomon Islands
Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South
Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church
10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other
2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
Somalia
Sunni Muslim
South Africa
Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%,
Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%,
other Christian 36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none
15.1% (2001 census)
Spain
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Sri Lanka
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Sudan
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian
5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Suriname
Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian),
Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%
Swaziland
Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous
ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
Sweden
Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
Jewish, Buddhist
Switzerland
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%,
other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none
11.1% (2000 census)
Syria
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Taiwan
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
4.5%, other 2.5%
Tajikistan
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Tanzania
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Thailand
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1%
(2000 census)
Togo
indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%
Tokelau
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
the Congregational Christian Church predominant
Tonga
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Trinidad and Tobago
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%,
Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%,
Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9%
(2000 census)
Tunisia
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Turkey
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
and Jews)
Turkmenistan
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Turks and Caicos Islands
Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%,
Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
Tuvalu
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Uganda
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
beliefs 18%
Ukraine
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no
particular jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow
Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)
United Arab Emirates
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and
other 4%
United Kingdom
Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,
Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or
none 23.1% (2001 census)
United States
Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish
1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)
Uruguay
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population
attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing
or other 31%
Uzbekistan
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Vanuatu
Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
Venezuela
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Vietnam
Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)
Virgin Islands
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
other 7%
Wallis and Futuna
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
West Bank
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
and other 8%
Western Sahara
Muslim
World
Christians 33.03% (of which Roman Catholics 17.33%,
Protestants 5.8%, Orthodox 3.42%, Anglicans 1.23%), Muslims 20.12%,
Hindus 13.34%, Buddhists 5.89%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other
religions 12.61%, non-religious 12.03%, atheists 2.36% (2004 est.)
Yemen
Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small
numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Zambia
Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
beliefs 1%
Zimbabwe
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@2123 Suffrage
Afghanistan
18 years of age; universal
Albania
18 years of age; universal
Algeria
18 years of age; universal
American Samoa
18 years of age; universal
Andorra
18 years of age; universal
Angola
18 years of age; universal
Anguilla
18 years of age; universal
Antigua and Barbuda
18 years of age; universal
Argentina
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Armenia
18 years of age; universal
Aruba
18 years of age; universal
Australia
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria
18 years of age; universal
Azerbaijan
18 years of age; universal
Bahamas, The
18 years of age; universal
Bahrain
18 years of age; universal
Bangladesh
18 years of age; universal
Barbados
18 years of age; universal
Belarus
18 years of age; universal
Belgium
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize
18 years of age; universal
Benin
18 years of age; universal
Bermuda
18 years of age; universal
Bhutan
each family has one vote in village-level elections; note -
in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law
Bolivia
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 years of age, universal
Botswana
18 years of age; universal
Brazil
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military
conscripts do not vote
British Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal
Brunei
none
Bulgaria
18 years of age; universal
Burkina Faso
universal
Burma
18 years of age; universal
Burundi
NA years of age; universal adult
Cambodia
18 years of age; universal
Cameroon
20 years of age; universal
Canada
18 years of age; universal
Cape Verde
18 years of age; universal
Cayman Islands
18 years of age; universal
Central African Republic
21 years of age; universal
Chad
18 years of age; universal
Chile
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
China
18 years of age; universal
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA
Colombia
18 years of age; universal
Comoros
18 years of age; universal
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
18 years of age; universal and
compulsory
Congo, Republic of the
18 years of age; universal
Cook Islands
NA years of age; universal adult
Costa Rica
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age; universal
Croatia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Cuba
16 years of age; universal
Cyprus
18 years of age; universal
Czech Republic
18 years of age; universal
Denmark
18 years of age; universal
Djibouti
18 years of age; universal adult
Dominica
18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic
18 years of age, universal and compulsory;
married persons regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
East Timor
17 years of age; universal
Ecuador
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Egypt
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
El Salvador
18 years of age; universal
Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age; universal adult
Eritrea
18 years of age; universal
Estonia
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Ethiopia
18 years of age; universal
European Union
18 years of age; universal
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
18 years of age; universal
Faroe Islands
18 years of age; universal
Fiji
21 years of age; universal
Finland
18 years of age; universal
France
18 years of age; universal
French Polynesia
18 years of age; universal
Gabon
21 years of age; universal
Gambia, The
18 years of age; universal
Georgia
18 years of age; universal
Germany
18 years of age; universal
Ghana
18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar
18 years of age; universal, plus other British citizens
who have been residents six months or more
Greece
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Greenland
18 years of age; universal
Grenada
18 years of age; universal
Guam
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections
Guatemala
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the
armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on
election day)
Guernsey
18 years of age; universal
Guinea
18 years of age; universal
Guinea-Bissau
18 years of age; universal
Guyana
18 years of age; universal
Haiti
18 years of age; universal
Holy See (Vatican City)
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Honduras
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kong
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of
functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
government bodies
Hungary
18 years of age; universal
Iceland
18 years of age; universal
India
18 years of age; universal
Indonesia
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
of age
Iran
15 years of age; universal
Iraq
18 years of age; universal
Ireland
18 years of age; universal
Isle of Man
16 years of age; universal
Israel
18 years of age; universal
Italy
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
where minimum age is 25)
Jamaica
18 years of age; universal
Japan
20 years of age; universal
Jersey
18 years of age; universal
Jordan
18 years of age; universal
Kazakhstan
18 years of age; universal
Kenya
18 years of age; universal
Kiribati
18 years of age; universal
Korea, North
17 years of age; universal
Korea, South
19 years of age; universal
Kuwait
adult males who are not in the military forces, and adult
females (as of 16 May 2005); all voters must have been citizens for
20 years
Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age; universal
Laos
18 years of age; universal
Latvia
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Lebanon
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education
Lesotho
18 years of age; universal
Liberia
18 years of age; universal
Libya
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Liechtenstein
18 years of age; universal
Lithuania
18 years of age; universal
Luxembourg
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macau
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent
residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect
election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"
(257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee
drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and
central government bodies
Macedonia
18 years of age; universal
Madagascar
18 years of age; universal
Malawi
18 years of age; universal
Malaysia
21 years of age; universal
Maldives
21 years of age; universal
Mali
18 years of age; universal
Malta
18 years of age; universal
Marshall Islands
18 years of age; universal
Mauritania
18 years of age; universal
Mauritius
18 years of age; universal
Mayotte
18 years of age; universal
Mexico
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Micronesia, Federated States of
18 years of age; universal
Moldova
18 years of age; universal
Monaco
18 years of age; universal
Mongolia
18 years of age; universal
Montenegro
18 years of age; universal
Montserrat
18 years of age; universal
Morocco
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Mozambique
18 years of age; universal
Namibia
18 years of age; universal
Nauru
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal
18 years of age; universal
Netherlands
18 years of age; universal
Netherlands Antilles
18 years of age; universal
New Caledonia
18 years of age; universal
New Zealand
18 years of age; universal
Nicaragua
16 years of age; universal
Niger
18 years of age; universal
Nigeria
18 years of age; universal
Niue
18 years of age; universal
Norfolk Island
18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands
18 years of age; universal; indigenous
inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections
Norway
18 years of age; universal
Oman
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,
suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members
of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura
elections are scheduled for 2007
Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Palau
18 years of age; universal
Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Papua New Guinea
18 years of age; universal
Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
note - for the first time in recent elections, members of the
military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006
elections
Philippines
18 years of age; universal
Pitcairn Islands
18 years of age; universal with three years
residency
Poland
18 years of age; universal
Portugal
18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar
18 years of age; universal
Romania
18 years of age; universal
Russia
18 years of age; universal
Rwanda
18 years of age; universal adult
Saint Helena
NA years of age
Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age; universal
Saint Lucia
18 years of age; universal
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
18 years of age; universal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18 years of age; universal
Samoa
21 years of age; universal
San Marino
18 years of age; universal
Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age; universal
Saudi Arabia
adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections held nationwide from February through
April 2005
Senegal
18 years of age; universal
Serbia
18 universal
Seychelles
17 years of age; universal
Sierra Leone
18 years of age; universal
Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Slovakia
18 years of age; universal
Slovenia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Solomon Islands
21 years of age; universal
Somalia
18 years of age; universal
South Africa
18 years of age; universal
Spain
18 years of age; universal
Sri Lanka
18 years of age; universal
Sudan
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Suriname
18 years of age; universal
Swaziland
18 years of age
Sweden
18 years of age; universal
Switzerland
18 years of age; universal
Syria
18 years of age; universal
Taiwan
20 years of age; universal
Tajikistan
18 years of age; universal
Tanzania
18 years of age; universal
Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Togo
NA years of age; universal adult
Tokelau
21 years of age; universal
Tonga
21 years of age; universal
Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age; universal
Tunisia
20 years of age; universal except for active duty military
Turkey
18 years of age; universal
Turkmenistan
18 years of age; universal
Turks and Caicos Islands
18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal
Uganda
18 years of age; universal
Ukraine
18 years of age; universal
United Arab Emirates
none
United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal
United States
18 years of age; universal
Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Uzbekistan
18 years of age; universal
Vanuatu
18 years of age; universal
Venezuela
18 years of age; universal
Vietnam
18 years of age; universal
Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Wallis and Futuna
18 years of age; universal
Western Sahara
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
not yet completed
Yemen
18 years of age; universal
Zambia
18 years of age; universal
Zimbabwe
18 years of age; universal
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2124 Telephone system
Afghanistan
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
service; many Afghans utilize growing cellular phone coverage in
major cities
domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of
several wireless telephone service providers in 2005 and 2006;
approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone
main lines remain limited.
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity
Albania
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is
widespread and generally effective
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from
the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)
Algeria
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
fixed main lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6
million, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much
of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; submarine cables - 5; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2005)
American Samoa
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Andorra
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain
Angola
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to
government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29;
fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to
Europe and Asia (2005)
Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
of locations
international: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobile
Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,
aircraft, and most field parties
Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba
(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Argentina
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
market to competition and foreign investment with the
"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology;
fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
of telephone service is improving; however, telephone density is
presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
available will take time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
use is rapidly expanding
international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112;
Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways
near Buenos Aires (2005)
Armenia
general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3
(2005)
Aruba
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
links
Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 19 (10
Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)
Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in
addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
(2005)
Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 14 main lines per 100
persons is low (2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2
(2005)
Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 2 (2005)
Bahrain
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)
Bangladesh
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 6;
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries (2005)
Barbados
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1
(Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
Saint Lucia
Belarus
general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in
upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom,
is the sole provider of fixed line local and long distance service;
modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly
domestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas
continue to be underserved; four GSM wireless networks are
experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on
telecommunications technologies
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Belgium
general assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satellite
earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005)
Belize
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 8
(Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2005)
Benin
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
cellular connections
international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7
(Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Bermuda
general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
trunk lines
international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber
optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005)
Bhutan
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor
especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
international: country code - 975; international telephone and
telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
satellite earth station - 1 (2005)
Bolivia
general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
general assessment: telephone and telegraph
network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
republics
domestic: NA
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations
Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Brazil
general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station
British Indian Ocean Territory
general assessment: separate
facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: international telephone service is carried by
satellite (2000)
British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle
East, Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2006)
Bulgaria
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Burkina Faso
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Burma
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for
local and intercity service for business and government;
international service is fair
domestic: NA
international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat
Burundi
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Cambodia
general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone
coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region)
Cameroon
general assessment: available only to business and
government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Canada
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Cape Verde
general assessment: effective system, extensive
modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber
optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet
access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cayman Islands
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in
falling prices and improving services
international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables
(Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Central African Republic
general assessment: fair system
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chad
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Chile
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with three earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
China
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications
infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand
its global reach; three of China's six major telecommunications
operators are part of an international consortium which, in December
2006, signed an agreement with Verizon Business to build the first
next-generation optical cable system directly linking the US
mainland and China
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; mobile cellular
subscribership is increasing rapidly; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)
Christmas Island
general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one
INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1
INTELSAT satellite earth station
Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables
Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
general assessment: poor
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Congo, Republic of the
general assessment: services barely adequate
for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cook Islands
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Costa Rica
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)
Croatia
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece
Cuba
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service
expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)
Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both area under government
control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish
Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); tropospheric
scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2
Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Czech Republic
general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)
Djibouti
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections
to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
microwave radio relay telephone network
Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Dominican Republic
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
East Timor
NA
Ecuador
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Egypt
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
cellular service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel
El Salvador
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System
Equatorial Guinea
general assessment: poor system with adequate
government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Eritrea
general assessment: inadequate
domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is
seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
international: country code - 291; note - international connections
exist
Estonia
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
the country
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
Ethiopia
general assessment: adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
the national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
European Union
note - see individual country entries of member states
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries
Faroe Islands
general assessment: good international communications;
good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable
Fiji
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
communications center
domestic: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; 2
satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)
Finland
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
France
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe
- 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262
French Polynesia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Gabon
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Gambia, The
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Gaza Strip
general assessment: NA
domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the
Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services
international: country code - 970
Georgia
general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi, K'ut'aisi, and Batumi have cellular
telephone networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100
people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity
facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and
K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available
international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
international service is available by microwave, landline, and
satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
and telex service are available
Germany
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)
Ghana
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Gibraltar
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Greece
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Greenland
general assessment: adequate domestic and international
service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)
Grenada
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad
Guam
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Guatemala
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
city of Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)
Guernsey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable
Guinea
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Guinea-Bissau
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: country code - 245
Guyana
general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Haiti
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Holy See (Vatican City)
general assessment: automatic digital
exchange
domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Honduras
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System
Hong Kong
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Hungary
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals
Iceland
general assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
India
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth;
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
remains low at about ten for each 100 persons nationwide and only
one per 100 persons in rural areas; there remains a national waiting
list of over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with
modest growth in fixed lines
domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
circles each with about three private service providers and one
state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
Satellite system (INSAT), with six satellites supporting 33,000 very
small aperture terminals (VSAT)
international: country code - 91; nine satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 6 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with
landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG)
with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE)
with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking to Singapore with landing
sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom
linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant
increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic
(2006)
Indonesia
general assessment: domestic service fair, international
service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Iran
general assessment: inadequate, but currently being modernized
and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and
exchange systems installed by Iran's state owned telecom company
have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line
availability has more than doubled to 19 million lines since 1995;
additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving some
8.5 million subscribers in 2005
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
4 Inmarsat
Iraq
general assessment: the aftermath of the liberation of Iraq in
2003 severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including
international connections; USAID repaired switching capabilities and
constructed a mobile and satellite communication facility; landlines
now exceed pre-war levels
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 have
been completed, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching
capacity is improving access; cellular service is widely available
in major cities and centered on three regional GSM networks,
improving country-wide connectivity. There are currently 8.7 million
users of cellular services.
international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
despite a new satellite gateway, international calls outside of
Baghdad are sometimes problematic
Ireland
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Isle of Man
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
earth station, submarine cable
Israel
general assessment: most highly developed system in the
Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
all systems are digital
international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Italy
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
automated telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Jamaica
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Japan
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)
Jersey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables
Jordan
general assessment: service has improved recently with
increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000
Kazakhstan
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat
Kenya
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat
Kiribati
general assessment: generally good quality national and
international service
domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati
(Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF
radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999
international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Pacific Ocean)
Korea, North
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing
Korea, South
general assessment: excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables -
1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China,
1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1
Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)
Kuwait
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat
Kyrgyzstan
general assessment: development of telecommunications
infrastructure is slow; fixed line penetration remains low and
concentrated in Bishkek
domestic: mobile cellular subscribership has risen sharply since
2000 reaching 541,700 in 2005 as three companies compete for the
rapidly expanding market; main line availability has been virtually
flat over the same timeframe; four major providers compete for
shares of the main line market
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line
Laos
general assessment: service to general public is poor but
improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to
communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Latvia
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing
competition to the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the
number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands
domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,
the incumbent monopoly
international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now
connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden
Lebanon
general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,
severely damaged during the civil war, now complete
domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;
political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new
technologies
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Lesotho
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Liberia
general assessment: the limited services available are found
almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .23 fixed
main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Libya
general assessment: telecommunications system is being
modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in
1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)
Liechtenstein
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay
Lithuania
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
provide an improved international capability and better residential
access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
applications
international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite
Luxembourg
general assessment: highly developed, completely
automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Macau
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)
Macedonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389
Madagascar
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Malawi
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Malaysia
general assessment: modern system; international service
excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)
Maldives
general assessment: Telephone services have improved; each
island now has at least one public telephone, and there are mobile
cellular networks with expanding subscribership
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax
service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Mali
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Malta
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal
requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Marshall Islands
general assessment: digital switching equipment;
modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international
calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
and mini-satellite telephones
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)
Mauritania
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Mauritius
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Mayotte
general assessment: small system administered by French
Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros
Mexico
general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main
lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but
Telmex remains dominant
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth
stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk
connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable
with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco,
Spain, and Italy (2005)
Micronesia, Federated States of
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Moldova
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way
domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait
for service; two private operators of GSM mobile cellular telephone
service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; license for
one CDMA mobile telephone network currently being tendered.
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
and Intersputnik
Monaco
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
connected by cable into the French communications system
Mongolia
general assessment: network is improving with international
direct dialing available in many areas
domestic: very low density of about 5.5 main lines per 100 persons;
two wireless providers cover all but two provinces
international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Montenegro
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with
access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with
national coverage, is growing rapidly
international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by
Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two
international switches connect the national system
Montserrat
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664
Morocco
general assessment: modern system with all important
capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 main lines
available for each 100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
Tunisia (1998)
Mozambique
general assessment: fair system but not available
generally (extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100
persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Namibia
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each
100 persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
by open wire; 100% digital
international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South
African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;
satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)
Nauru
general assessment: adequate local and international
radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Nepal
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)
Netherlands
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)
Netherlands Antilles
general assessment: generally adequate
facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
New Caledonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
New Zealand
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
systems
domestic: NA
international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and
Fiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7
other
Nicaragua
general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by
foreign investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Niger
general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
southwestern area of Niger
domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Nigeria
general assessment: expansion and modernization of the
fixed-line telephone network has been slow due to faltering efforts
at privatization
domestic: the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002
resulted in faster growth in this service; wireless telephony has
grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the
fixed-line network; four wireless (GSM) service providers operate
nationally; the combined growth resulted in a sharp increase in
teledensity reported to be over 18% in March 2006
international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Niue
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
island
international: country code - 683
Norfolk Island
general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station
Northern Mariana Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Norway
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
systems instead of fixed-wire systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)
Oman
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable
domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Pakistan
general assessment: the telecom infrastructure is improving
dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line
and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed,
approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in
2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to
aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only
marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties
getting main line service to rural areas.
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
cellular, and satellite networks
international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational
international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006)
Palau
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Panama
general assessment: domestic and international facilities
well developed
domestic: NA
international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
the Central American Microwave System
Papua New Guinea
general assessment: services are adequate;
facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service
Paraguay
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal
switching center is in Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Peru
general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable
Philippines
general assessment: good international radiotelephone
and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service
adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular
communications now dominate the industry with roughly 10 mobile
cellular subscribers for every fixed-line subscriber
international: country code - 63; 11 international gateways;
submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan,
Brunei, and Malaysia among others
Pitcairn Islands
general assessment: satellite phone services
domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)
Poland
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications
network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in
2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned
company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony
domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service
available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks,
has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third
generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage
is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed-line service is
growing slowly and still lags in rural areas
international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with
automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik)
Portugal
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has
achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed
capabilities
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned
Puerto Rico
general assessment: modern system integrated with that
of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US
Qatar
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Romania
general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and
international service, especially in wireless telephony
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in
2003 is transforming telecommunications; there has been 20% growth
in fixed lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households;
nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster with four major
providers and a penetration rate of 32%
international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 10
(Intelsat 4); digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest (2005)
Russia
general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing
significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to
offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved,
particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are
improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1
million in 1998 to 120 million in 2005; a large demand for main line
service remains unsatisfied, but fixed-line operators continue to
grow their services
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems
Rwanda
general assessment: telephone system primarily serves
business and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 250; international connections employ
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
service)
Saint Helena
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic digital network
international: country code - 290; international direct dialing;
satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations -
5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
general assessment: good inter-island and
international connections
domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic
cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
November 2004
international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
by submarine cable or Intelsat
Saint Lucia
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
satellite system
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines
international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
Saint Lucia
Samoa
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
San Marino
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
Italian system
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
international network
Sao Tome and Principe
general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Saudi Arabia
general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
fiber-optic cable systems
international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Senegal
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Serbia
general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications
network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999
war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was
only 65% digitalized in 2005
domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring
states; GSM wireless service, available through two providers with
national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications
service limited to urban centers
international: country code - 381
Seychelles
general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Sierra Leone
general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph
service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Singapore
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless
service in February 2005
international: country code - 65; 9 submarine cables provide direct
connection to more than 100 countries; 4 satellite earth stations,
supplemented by VSAT coverage
Slovakia
general assessment: Slovakia has a modern
telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent
years with the growth in cellular services
domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is
being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger
cities; three companies provide nationwide cellular services
international: country code - 421; three international exchanges
(one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;
Slovakia is participating in several international
telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of
external services
Slovenia
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: country code - 386
Solomon Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Somalia
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
charge the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are
available from Mogadishu by satellite
South Africa
general assessment: the system is the best developed
and most modern in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Spain
general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries
Sri Lanka
general assessment: telephone services have improved
significantly and are available in most parts of the country.
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular
subscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low (2006)
international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia,
Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)
Sudan
general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
1996 and have expanded substantially
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)
Suriname
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Svalbard
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)
Swaziland
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Sweden
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)