coal, iron ore, silver
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from
the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
visibility
Environment - current issues: overgrazing; desertification; limited
fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part
of the country
People Botswana
Population: 1,591,232 note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 319,988; female 316,961) 15-64
years: 55.8% (male 428,638; female 458,777) 65 years and over: 4.2%
(male 26,965; female 39,903) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.18% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 28.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 26.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 64.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 35.43 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.6 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 35.8% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 290,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 24,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
including Kgalagadi and white 7%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%
Languages: English (official), Setswana
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9% (1995 est.)
Government Botswana
Country name: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Gaborone
Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*; Central,
Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng,
Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Pikwe*, South-East, Southern
Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)
Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April
1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of
government: Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by
the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for
a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president election
results: Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House
of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of
the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats,
40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by
the majority party; members serve five-year terms) elections: National
Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October
2004) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 54.3%, BNF 24.7%,
other 21%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts
(one in each district)
Political parties and leaders: Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus
MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana
Congress Party or BCP [Otiandisa KOOSQLEDSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement
or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO] note: a number of minor parties joined
forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary
seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu
SETSHWAELO], the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO],
and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kgosi
SEEPAPITSO IV chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John E. LANGE embassy: address NA, Gaborone
[267] 353982 FAX:
Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe
in the center
Economy Botswana
Economy - overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest
growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest
countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of
$7,800 in 2001. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best
credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of expansion and
currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for four-fifths
of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising
are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with
high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%,
but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection
rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive
economic gains.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 44% (including
36% mining) services: 52% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 47% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 264,000 formal sector employees (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.3 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02)
Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
processing; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 500 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.451 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 986 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans,
sunflowers, groundnuts
Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: diamonds 80%, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat,
textiles (2001)
Exports - partners: EFTA 85%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
10%, Zimbabwe 2% (1999)
Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,
metal and metal products (2000)
Imports - partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 77%, EFTA 9%,
Zimbabwe 4% (1999)
Debt - external: $325 million (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: $73 million (1995)
Currency: pula (BWP)
Currency code: BWP
Exchange rates: pulas per US dollar - 6.8353 (January 2002), 5.8412
(2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Botswana
Telephones - main lines in use: 150,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 200,000 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: the system is expanding with
the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional
development domestic: radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
cellular service is growing fast international: two international
exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios: 252,720 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 31,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2001)
Internet users: 33,000 (2001)
Transportation Botswana
Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)
Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,620 km unpaved: 4,597 km (1999)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 92 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to
2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 81 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to
1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 22 (2001)
Military Botswana
Military branches: Botswana Defense Force (including Army and Air Wing),
Botswana National Police
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 384,888 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 202,685
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 19,479
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $135 million (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.5% (FY01/02)
Transnational Issues Botswana
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Bermuda
Introduction
Bermuda
Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues
to be important to the island's economy, although international business
has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly
successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was
soundly defeated in 1995.
Geography Bermuda
Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of North Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W
Map references: North America
Area: total: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 53.3 sq km
Area - comparative: about one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Town Hill 76 m
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (55% developed,
45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution;
preservation of open space; sustainable development
Geography - note: consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with
ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed
and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
People Bermuda
Population: 63,960 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225) 15-64 years:
69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163;
female 4,122) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.69% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.97
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 79.27 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups: black 58%, white 36%, other 6%
Religions: non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%,
other 19%
Languages: English (official), Portuguese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.)
Government Bermuda
Country name: Bermuda former: Dependency status: overseas territory
of the UK
Government type: parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government
Capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire,
Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's,
Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May
Constitution: 8 June 1968, amended 1989
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: by the premier, appointed by the governor elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch;
governor invites the leader of largest party in Parliament to form a
government as premier
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an
11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition)
and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last general election held
9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results:
percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%;
seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline
WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda
Party or UBP [Dr. Grant GIBBONS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Employer's Union
[Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS];
Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union
of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC,
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Acting Consul
General Karen EMMERSON consulate(s)
Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: Department
of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233
Flag description: red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a
red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea
Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy Bermuda
Economy - overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita
incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing
financial services for international business and luxury facilities for
tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and
negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of
new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to
the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On
the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which
derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as
American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment
and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source
of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small,
although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited,
only 6% of the land being arable.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89%
(1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (July 2001)
Labor force: 37,472 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%,
professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%,
sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1993)
Budget: revenues: $609.5 million expenditures: $574.6 million, including
capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01)
Industries: tourism, international business, light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 595 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 553.35 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy
products
Exports: $51 million (2000)
Exports - commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners: EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999)
Imports: $719 million (2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction
materials, chemicals, food and live animals
Imports - partners: EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia
14.6% (1999)
Debt - external: $145 million (FY99/00)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Bermudian dollar (BMD)
Currency code: BMD
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate
pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,980 (1996)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern, fully
automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 82,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 66,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000)
Internet users: 25,000 (2000)
Transportation Bermuda
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 450 km paved: NA note: public roads - 209 km; private
roads - 241 km (2002) unpaved: NA
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard
Merchant marine: total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450
GRT/8,782,869 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered
here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1,
Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United
States 13 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16,
liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16,
roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3
Airports: 1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2960 m)
(2002)
Military Bermuda
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda
Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4,027,970 (January 2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.11% (FY00/01)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Bermuda
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Belgium
Introduction
Belgium
Background: Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830
and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European
state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking
Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have
led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions
formal recognition and autonomy.
Geography Belgium
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
the Netherlands
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km,
Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Coastline: 66 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: median line with neighbors
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors
(extends about 68 km from coast)
Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal
de Botrange 694 m
Natural resources: coal, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% note: includes Luxembourg
(1998 est.) other: 75%
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land,
protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Environment - current issues: the environment is exposed to intense
pressures from human activities: breeding and crop cultivation; air
and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol