machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners: Japan 19%, US 9%, South Korea 7%, China 6%, New
Zealand 5.8%, Singapore 4% (2001 est.)
Imports: $70.2 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers
and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil
and petroleum products
Imports - partners: US 20%, Japan 13%, China 7.7%, UK 6%, Germany 5%,
South Korea 4%, NZ 4%, Malaysia 3.6% (2001 est.)
Debt - external: $168.7 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code: AUD
Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002),
1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Australia
Telephones - main lines in use: 10.05 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.6 million (2000)
Telephone system: 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: submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat
(4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific
Ocean regions) (1998)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 25.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997)
Televisions: 10.15 million (1997)
Internet country code: .au
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 603 (2001)
Internet users: 10.06 million (2001)
Transportation Australia
Railways: total: 33,819 km (2,540 km electrified) broad gauge: 3,719
km 1.600-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge standard gauge:
15,422 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999 est.)
Highways: total: 913,000 km paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of
expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996)
Waterways: 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)
Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas
5,600 km
Ports and harbors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport
(Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Merchant marine: total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,469,362
GRT/1,869,262 DWT ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4,
container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll
on/roll off 6, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag
of convenience: France 2, United Kingdom 2, United States 14 (2002 est.)
Airports: 421 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: Airports - with
unpaved runways: total: 139 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 111
under 914 m: 12 (2001)
Military Australia
Military branches: Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal
Australian Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,013,406 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,321,387
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 142,686
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.3 billion (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY01/02)
Transnational Issues Australia
Disputes - international: Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working
to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor
Gap"; Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its
continental shelf
Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit
opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of
opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Introduction
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Background: These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in
1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports
a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National
Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine
reserve.
Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest
of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 12 14 S, 123 05 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 5 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and
East Islets) and Cartier Island water: 0 sq km land: 5 sq km
Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 74.1 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth
or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive fishing
zone: 200 NM
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low with sand and coral
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass
and sand) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime
hazards
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in
August 1983
People Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are
allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West
Island
Population growth rate: NA
People - note: the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote
Island has become an ongoing problem
Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier
Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian
Department of Transport and Regional Services
Legal system: the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws
of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic
visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Austria
Introduction
Austria
Background: Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent
occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained
unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation,
recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with
Germany. A constitutional law of that same year declared the country's
"perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This
neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity,
has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and
Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country,
Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.
Geography Austria
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 83,858 sq km water: 1,120 sq km land: 82,738 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 2,562 km border countries: Czech Republic 362
km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km,
Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain
in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point:
Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite,
copper, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% other: 82% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 457 sq km (2000 est.)
Natural hazards: landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air
and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural
chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired
power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
between northern and southern Europe
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of
central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys;
major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
People Austria
Population: 8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 686,205; female 652,840) 15-64
years: 68.2% (male 2,814,866; female 2,756,777) 65 years and over: 15.4%
(male 484,313; female 774,928) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 9.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.31 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 843 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian
Ethnic groups: German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians,
Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes
those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
Languages: German
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Austria
Country name: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Oesterreich
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular -
Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich,
Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence: 1156 (from Bavaria)
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates
the State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation
and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review
of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative
and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July
1992) head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since
4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since
4 February 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president
on the advice of the chancellor elections: president elected by direct
popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 19 April
1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally
chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council;
in the case of the current coalition, the chancellor was chosen from
another party after the plurality party failed to form a government;
vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe election results: Thomas
KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%,
Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung
consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent
each of the states on the basis of population, but with each state having
at least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results:
National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 33.2%, OeVP 26.9%,
FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party - SPOe 65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52,
Greens 14 elections: National Council - last held 3 October 1999 (next
to be held in the fall of 2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders: Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang
SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Susanne RIESS-PASSER];
Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The
Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Austrian Trade Union Federation
(primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented
League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church,
including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite
leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business,
labor, and farmers
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter
MOSER chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202)
895-6750 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador William Lee LYONS
BROWN, Jr. embassy: address telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43]
(1) 3100682
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and red
Economy Austria
Economy - overview: Austria, with its well-developed market economy
and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,
especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market
and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing growth in Germany and
elsewhere in the world slowed the economy to only 1.2% growth in 2001;
the economy is expected to do little better in 2002. To meet increased
competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will
need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to
deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $220 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29% services: 69%
(2001)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 19.3% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 23.1 (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001)
Labor force: 4.3 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 67%, industry and crafts 29%,
agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.8% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $53 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals,
lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications
equipment, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 60.285 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28.46% hydro: 68.64%
other: 2.9% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 54.764 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 15.11 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 13.809 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit;
dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Exports: $70 billion (f.o.b., 2001) (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and
parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel;
textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 35%, Italy 9%, France 5%),
Switzerland 5%, US 5%, Hungary 4% (2000)
Imports: $73 billion (c.i.f., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,
chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 42%, Italy 7%, France 5%), US 6%,
Switzerland 3%, Hungary 2% (2000)
Debt - external: $12.1 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $410 million (2000)
Currency: euro (EUR); Austrian schilling (ATS) note: on 1 January 1999,
the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to
be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January
2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within
the member countries
Currency code: EUR; ATS
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Austrian schillings per US dollar -
11.86 (January 1999), 12.91 (1999), 12.379 (1998), 12.204 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Austria
Telephones - main lines in use: 4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog
main lines plus 400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections);
in addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 6 million (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic
net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services
are available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition,
there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters),
shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 6.08 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 4.25 million (1997)
Internet country code: .at
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 37 (2000)
Internet users: 3 million (2000)
Transportation Austria
Railways: total: 6,095.2 km (3,643.3 km electrified) standard gauge:
5,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (3,521.2 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33.9
km 1.000-m gauge (28.1 km electrified); 497.1 km 0.760-m gauge (94 km
electrified) (2001 est.)
Highways: total: 133,361 km paved: 133,361 km (including 1,613 km of
expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998)
Waterways: 358 km (1999)
Pipelines: crude oil 777 km; natural gas 840 km (1999)
Ports and harbors: Linz, Vienna, Enns, Krems
Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,563
GRT/59,278 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, combination bulk 1,
container 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 55 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047
m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 14 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Austria
Military branches: Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,092,623 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,728,191
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 50,580
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,497,100,000 (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY01/02)
Transnational Issues Austria
Disputes - international: minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia
continue over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of
German-speaking minorities
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
American cocaine destined for Western Europe
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Anguilla
Introduction
Anguilla
Background: Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century,
when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated
into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several
attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt,
Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally
recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency.
Geography Anguilla
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 61 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Crocus Hill 65 m
Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock
with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July
to October)