Administrative divisions: 29 provinces (provincias, singular -

provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,

Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor,

Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez,

Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto

Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San

Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde

Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution: 28 November 1966

Legal system: based on French civil codes

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons

regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote

Executive branch: chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA

Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH

(since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA

Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH

(since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state

and head of government cabinet: elected on the same ticket by popular

vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be

held NA May 2004) election results: Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez

(PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional

consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular

vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara

de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve

four-year terms) elections: Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to

be held NA May 2002) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party

- NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies -

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by

a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches

with the president presiding)

Political parties and leaders: Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel

FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS];

Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Collective of Popular

Organizations or COP

International organization participation: ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC,

FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,

IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA

(observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN,

UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo

GUILIANI Cury consulate(s): Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce

(Puerto Rico) consulate(s) general: Philadelphia, San Francisco, and

San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202)

332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador

Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle

Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing

[1] (809) 221-7121 FAX:

Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges

divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side)

and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat

of arms is at the center of the cross

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview: The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth

over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane

Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as

an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service

sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer,

due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from

marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives

less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy 40% of national

income. A US $500 million foreign bond issue in September 2001 will

contribute to increased public investment spending.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.1% industry: 34.1% services:

54.8% (2000)

Population below poverty line: 25% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 39.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.3 million - 2.6 million

Labor force - by occupation: services and government 58.7%, industry

24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.2 billion, including

capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining,

textiles, cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 9.475 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 87.21% hydro: 12.53%

other: 0.26% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 8,812.029 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,

beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,

tobacco, meats, consumer goods

Exports - partners: US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7%

(2000 est.)

Imports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics,

chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3%

(2000 est.)

Debt - external: $5.4 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $239.6 million (1995)

Currency: Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code: DOP

Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002),

16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use: 709,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 130,149 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient

system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network international: 1

coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic

Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 25 (1997)

Televisions: 770,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .do

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000)

Internet users: 25,000 (1999)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways: total: 757 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central

Romana Railroad) miscellaneous gauge: 240 km operated by sugar companies

in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000 est.)

narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)

Highways: total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)

Waterways: none

Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports and harbors: Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata,

San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587

GRT/1,165 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)

Airports: 29 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047

m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to

1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2001)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,323,088 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,455,887

(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 87,404

(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $180 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined

for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from

the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Ecuador

Introduction

Ecuador

Background: The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries

that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others

being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost

territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war

with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Geography Ecuador

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the

Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 283,560 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands water:

6,720 sq km land: 276,840 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km,

Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: claims continental shelf between

mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea: 200 NM

Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher

elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra),

and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:

Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 5% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;

floods; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;

desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes

in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental

Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate

Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous

Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical

Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none

of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population: 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095)

15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957) 65 years and over:

4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03

male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over:

0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.57 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility

rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 232 (2001)

Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,

Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total

population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Government

type: republic

Capital: Quito

Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provincias, singular -

provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El

Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,

Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,

Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August

(1809)

Constitution: 10 August 1998

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory

ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons

ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano

(since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed

President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28

January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates

submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief

of state and head of government elections: formerly, the president

and vice president were elected on the same ticket by popular vote for

four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff

election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) head of

government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000)

selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD;

Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by

National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President

NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results:

results of the last election prior to the coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected

president; percent of vote - 51% note: a military-indigenous coup toppled

democratically-elected President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the

military quickly handed power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on

22 January 2000; National Congress then elected a new vice president

from a slate of candidates submitted by NOBOA; the new administration

is scheduled to complete the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire

in January 2003

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional

(123 seats; 20 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to

serve four-year terms; 103 members are popularly elected by province

to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be

held 20 October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;

seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3,

MPD 2, CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are

commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held

by the various parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are

elected by the full Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP

[Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos];

Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE [Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO]; Independent

National Movement or MIN [Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP

[Miguel LLUCO]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular

Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front

or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM

Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Indigenous

Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator

of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous

Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National

Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN

[Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation: CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,

WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI

consulate(s) general: Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202)

667-3482 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 chancery: 2535 15th Street NW,

Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador

(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry L. PALMER embassy: Avenida 12 de

Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone:

[593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width),

blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the

flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear

a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich

agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such

as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can

have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade

Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession

commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98

drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999

saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented

default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability

drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced

a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The

move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the

government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000,

has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations

with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first

standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December

2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million

standby credit agreement.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 25% services:

64% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2%

highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 43.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (urban)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%

(2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)

Budget: revenues: $5.6 billion expenditures: planned $5.6 billion,

including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper

products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production: 10.395 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.01% hydro: 74.99%

other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 9.667 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc

(tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy

products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Exports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa,

cut flowers, fish

Exports - partners: US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3%

(2000)

Imports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials,

fuels; consumer goods

Imports - partners: US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%,

Brazil 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $14 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: $120 million (2001)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0 (January 2002), 25,000.0

(2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997)

note: on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new exchange

system whereby the US dollar was adopted as the main legal tender in

Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central Bank of Ecuador

started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed rate of 25,000 sucres

per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions are denominated in

US dollars

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,115,272 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 384,000 (1999)

Telephone system: generally elementary but being expanded domestic:

earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios: 5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code: .ec

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (2001)

Internet users: 180,000 (2001)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 965 km narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,165 km unpaved: 35,032 km (2001)

Waterways: 1,500 km

Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto

Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant marine: total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 239,876

GRT/393,680 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here

as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.) ships by type:

cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum

tanker 23, specialized tanker 1

Airports: 205 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 61 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047

m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 19 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 144 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under

914 m: 113 (2001)

Heliports: 1 (2001)

Military Ecuador

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National

Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,337,944

(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 132,978

(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $720 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: significant transit country for cocaine originating in

Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production

of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub; increased activity

on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Egypt

Introduction

Egypt

The 2002 CIA World Factbook · 第 34 / 156 段