since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999,
military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the
secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000
Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution
and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002.
Geography Comoros
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel,
about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern
Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,170 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 340 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to
low hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Le Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 18% other: 47% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to
April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from
crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but
not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique
Channel
People Comoros
Population: 614,382 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 132,013; female 131,282) 15-64
years: 54.2% (male 164,245; female 168,793) 65 years and over: 2.9%
(male 8,588; female 9,461) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.99% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: NEGL 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 63.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
Government Comoros
Country name: conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the
Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local short form: Comores local
long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
Government type: independent republic
Capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan
(Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities
named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution: 23 December 2001 note: a Transitional National Unity
Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of
the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections
on 14 April 2002
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26
May 2002); note - AZALI Assoumani became president on 6 May 1999 after
a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999; on 16 January 2002, President AZALI
resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections;
during that time, Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO served as interim
president election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president
with 75% of the vote elections: president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA
April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president head of government:
Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO (since NA November 2000); note - on
16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the
14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO
was appointed interim president and Djaffar SALIM interim deputy prime
minister cabinet: Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists
of the Senate (15 seats - five from each island); members selected by
regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee
Federale (42 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms); note - the Federal Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30
April 1999 elections: Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December 1996
(next to be held NA) note: the Federal Assembly (two from each island)
are permitted to be in the opposition, but if no party accomplishes
that, the second most successful party will be in the opposition; in the
elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed
by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one
elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents
of the republic)
Political parties and leaders: Front National pour la Justice or FNJ
(Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR,
Soidiki M'BAPANOZA]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND
(party of the government) [Ali Bazi SELIM]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
(associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and
permanent representative to the UN) telephone: [1] (212)
[1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699 chancery: Republic of the Comoros to
the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street,
New York, NY 10022
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white,
red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist;
centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side
facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in
a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali,
Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but
claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional
symbols of Islam
Economy Comoros
Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made
up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young
and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level
of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign
grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting,
and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and
provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food
production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The
government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training,
to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health
services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the
high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if
the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000
Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56%
(2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate: -2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 19 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.47% hydro: 10.53%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra,
coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners: France 46%, US 18%, Singapore 18%, Germany 9% (1999)
Imports: $44.9 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods;
petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners: France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 7%, Pakistan 4%
(1999)
Debt - external: $225 million (yearend 2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $10 million (2001 est.)
Currency: Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code: KMF
Exchange rates: Comoran francs per US dollar - 557.09 (January 2002),
549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French
franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999,
the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran
francs per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: sparse system of microwave
radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF
radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international:
HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .km
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,500 (2001)
Transportation Comoros
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,779
GRT/205,369 DWT ships by type: cargo 6 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1,
Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 3 (2001)
Military Comoros
Military branches: Comoran Security Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 86,455
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $6 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Comoros
Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte; the island
of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros again after recent
military coup
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Colombia
Introduction
Colombia
Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths
of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks
the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the
government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to be
several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for
control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and
the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While
Bogota continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries
worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
Geography Colombia
Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Ecuador and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km note: includes
Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank water:
100,210 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total: 6,004 km border countries: Brazil 1,643 km,
Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km
Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean
1,448 km)
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
eastern lowland plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has
the same elevation
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel,
gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 2% other: 96% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 2%
Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality
damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota,
from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note: only South American country with coastlines on both
North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
People Colombia
Population: 41,008,227 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 31.6% (male 6,552,961; female 6,399,666) 15-64 years:
(male 886,921; female 1,098,961) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.6% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 21.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 74.83 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.31% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 71,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,700 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian
Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 91.3% male: 91.2% female: 91.4% (1995 est.)
Government Colombia
Country name: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Government
type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Capital: Bogota
Administrative divisions: 32 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas,
Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar,
Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba,
Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta,
Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada
Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
Constitution: 5 July 1991
Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after
US procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Andres PASTRANA (since
7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL Lemus (since 7 August
1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government head of government: BELL Lemus (since 7 August 1998);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties -
the PL and PSC - and independents elections: election last held 26
May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: on 26 May
2002, President-elect Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote;
Vice President-elect Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket;
they will take office in August 2002
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the
Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) elections: of Representatives - last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: Senate - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents
and smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54,
PSC 21, independents and other parties 91
Judicial branch: four, coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court
of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justical (highest court of criminal law;
judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice
for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative
law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of
Justice for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity
and supremacy of the constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws,
amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Higher
Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary;
members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts
arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts
and Congress for eight-year terms)
Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN
Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Horatio SERPA Uribe]; Patriotic Union or
UP is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia or FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO];
19 of April Movement or M-19 [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff] note: Colombia has
about 60 formally recognized political parties, most of which do not
have a presence in either house of Congress
Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups
active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and
National Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary
group is United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC
International organization participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom (observer),
CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington,
DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
and Washington, DC consulate(s): Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON embassy: Calle 22D-BIS,
numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45,
Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57]
(1) 315-2197
Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width),
blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears
the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
Economy Colombia
Economy - overview: Colombia's economy suffered from weak domestic
demand, austere government budgets, and a difficult security situation. A
new president takes office in 2002 and will face economic challenges
ranging from pension reform to reduction of unemployment. Two of
Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee, face an uncertain future; new
exploration is needed to offset declining oil production, while coffee
harvests and prices are depressed. Problems in public security are a
concern for Colombian business leaders, who are calling for progress in
the government's peace negotiations with insurgent groups. Colombia is
looking for continued support from the international community to boost
economic and peace prospects.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $255 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services:
55% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 55% (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 44% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 57.1 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% (2001)
Labor force: 18.3 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24%
(1990)
Unemployment rate: 17% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $24 billion expenditures: $25.6 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)