agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80% of
total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought
and poor cultivation practices, and as many as 4.6 million people need
food assistance annually. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with
exports of some $260 million in 2000. Other important exports include
qat, live animals, hides, and gold. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000
and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee
production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the
Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land
tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases
to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial
sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans.
Despite this limitation, strong growth is expected to continue in the
near term as good rainfall, the cessation of hostilities, and renewed
foreign aid and debt relief push the economy forward.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $46 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 52.3% industry: 11.1% services:
36.6% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 64% (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%,
government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including
capital expenditures of $600 million (2002 est.)
Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals
processing, cement
Industrial production growth rate: 6.7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 1.63 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.84% hydro: 98.16%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.516 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane,
potatoes, qat; hides, cattle, sheep, goats
Exports: $442 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, qat, gold, leather products, oilseeds
Exports - partners: Germany 18%, Japan 11%, Djibouti 11%, Saudi Arabia 8%
(2000 est.)
Imports: $1.54 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum
products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 25%, US 9%, Italy 7%, Russia 4%
(2000 est.)
Debt - external: $5.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $308 million (FY00/01)
Currency: birr (ETB)
Currency code: ETB
Exchange rates: birr per US dollar (end of period) - 8.455 (December
2001), 8.3140 (December 2000), 8.3140 (2000), 8.1340 (1999), 7.5030
(1998), 6.8640 (1997) note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are
determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the
Central Bank
Fiscal year: 8 July - 7 July
Communications Ethiopia
Telephones - main lines in use: 231,900 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,800 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: open wire and microwave radio
relay system; adequate for government use domestic: open wire; microwave
radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies;
two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international:
open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and
Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
2 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 15.2 million (2002)
Television broadcast stations: 1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)
Televisions: 682,000 (2002)
Internet country code: .et
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)
Internet users: 20,000 (2002)
Transportation Ethiopia
Railways: total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: in 1998, Djibouti
and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that
links their capitals and since then Ethiopia has expended considerable
effort to repair and maintain the lines; in 2001, Ethiopia and Sudan
agreed to build a line from Ethiopia to Port Sudan (2000 est.)
Highways: total: 24,145 km paved: 3,290 km unpaved: 20,855 km (1998)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement
with Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border
dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for
nearly all of its imports
Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 81,933
GRT/101,287 DWT ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1,
roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 86 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047
m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 72 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to
3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 22 (2001)
Military Ethiopia
Military branches: Ethiopian National Defense Force (Ground Forces,
Air Force, militia, police) note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy;
following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained
in Eritrean possession
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,925,883 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 7,790,977
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 703,625
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $800 million (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 12.6% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Ethiopia
Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary
with Somalia in the Ogaden region is a provisional administrative line;
in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting
relationships with the Somali Transitional National Government in
Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically
stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Ethiopia agreeed in 2002 to
demarcate its entire boundary with Sudan; Eritrea and Ethiopia have
expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission
ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war;
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor
activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea
until demarcation and de-mining are complete
Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as
cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat)
for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia
(legal in all three countries)
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Europa Island
Introduction
Europa Island
Background: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded;
it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.
Geography Europa Island
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 22 20 S, 40 22 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 28 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 28 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 22.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low and flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location 24 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and
woodlands) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: wildlife sanctuary
People Europa Island
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French
military garrison (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Europa Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Europa Island local short form: Ile Europa local long form: none
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy Europa Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Communications Europa Island
Communications - note: 1 meteorological station
Transportation Europa Island
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Military Europa Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Europa Island
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Czech Republic
Introduction Czech Republic
Background: After World War II, Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet
sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended
the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize party rule and create
"socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following
year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of
Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a
peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a
"velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic
and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward
integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities
and risks.
Geography Czech Republic
Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 78,866 sq km water: 1,590 sq km land: 77,276 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km,
Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and
plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of
very hilly country
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point:
Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
Land use: arable land: 40% permanent crops: 3% other: 57% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of
northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health
risks; acid rain damaging forests
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of
oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a
traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the
Danube in central Europe
People Czech Republic
Population: 10,256,760 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 828,273; female 786,617) 15-64
years: 70.3% (male 3,605,766; female 3,603,058) 65 years and over: 14%
(male 551,852; female 881,194) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.07% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 9.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63
male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 78.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,200 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%,
German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)
Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%,
Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Languages: Czech
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male:
NA% female: NA%
Government Czech Republic
Country name: Czech Republic conventional short form: Ceska Republika
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Prague
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and
1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj,
Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky
Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday: Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it
in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2
February 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17
July 1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir SPIDLA (since 22 July 1998),
Pavel RYCHETSKY (since 22 July 1998), Jan KAVAN (since 8 December 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister elections: held 20 January 1998 (next to be held
NA January 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election
results: Vaclav HAVEL reelected president; Vaclav HAVEL received 47 of
81 votes in the Senate and 99 out of 200 votes in the Chamber of Deputies
(second round of voting)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of
the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber
of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held
12 and 19 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 19-20 June 1998 (next to be held by NA June 2002)
election results: 22, CSSD 15, ODA 7, US 4, KSCM 3, independents 2;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 32.3%, ODS 27.7%,
KSCM 11%, KDU-CSL 9.0%, US 8.6%; seats by party - CSSD 74, ODS 63,
KSCM 24, KDU-CSL 20, US 18, CSNS 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and
deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Political parties and leaders: Christian and Democratic
Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Cyril SVOBODA, chairman];
Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic
Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, chairman]; Communist Party of
Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist
Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National
Social Party of CSNS [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party
or CSSD [Milos ZEMAN, chairman]; Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK,
chairman]; Freedom Union or US [Hana MARVANOVA, chairman]; Quad Coalition
[Karel KUHNL, chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU); Republicans
of Miroslav SLADEK or RMS [Miroslav SLADEK, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Confederation of
Trade Unions [Richard FALBR]
International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia
Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
consulate(s) general: 363-6315 chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street
NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Craig R. STAPLETON embassy: Trziste 15,
use embassy street address telephone:
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to
the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Economy Czech Republic
Economy - overview: Basically one of the most stable and prosperous of
the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from
recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-01 was led by exports to the
EU, especially Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is
reviving. Uncomfortably high fiscal and current account deficits could
be future problems. Unemployment is gradually declining as job creation
continues in the rebounding economy; inflation is up to 4.7% but still
moderate. The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in
preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and direction
to structural reform. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications, and
energy privatization will add to foreign investment, while intensified
restructuring among large enterprises and banks and improvements in the
financial sector should strengthen output growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $147.9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 41% services: 54%
(2000)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 26 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 5.203 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 40%, services 55%
(2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.5% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $16.7 billion expenditures: $18 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass,
armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (2001)
Electricity - production: 69.589 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 77.75% hydro: 2.5%
other: 1.2% (2000) nuclear: 18.55%
Electricity - consumption: 54.701 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 18.74 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 8.725 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
pigs, poultry
Exports: $32.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 44%,
intermediate manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7%
(2000)
Exports - partners: Germany 40.4%, Slovakia 7.7%, Austria 6.0%, Poland
5.4%, UK 4.3% (2000)
Imports: $37.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 40%,
intermediate manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11%
(2000)
Imports - partners: Germany 26.7%, Russia 6.4%, Slovakia 6.0%, Italy
5.2%, Austria 4.9% (2000)
Debt - external: $24.6 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)
Currency code: CZK
Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 36.325 (January 2002), 38.035
(2001), 38.598 (2000), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Czech Republic
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.869 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.346 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing
steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly
vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper
subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber
Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)
Radios: 3,159,134 (December 2000)
Television broadcast stations: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)
Televisions: 3,405,834 (December 2000)
Internet country code: .cz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 300 (2000)
Internet users: 1.1 million (2001)
Transportation Czech Republic
Railways: total: 9,444 km standard gauge: 9,350 km 1.435-m gauge (2,843
km electrified; 1,929 km double-track) narrow gauge: 94 km 0.760-m gauge
(2000 est.)
Highways: total: 55,432 km paved: 55,432 km (including 499 km of
expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways: 303 km note: (the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river) (2000)
Pipelines: natural gas 3,550 km (2000)
Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Airports: 121 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047
m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 48 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Czech Republic
Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial
Defense Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,637,128 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,012,779
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 69,393
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1,190,200,000 (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Czech Republic
Disputes - international: Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution
for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918;
individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated
in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor
dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power plant and
post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor
transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of
synthetic drugs for local and regional markets
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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French Guiana
Introduction
French Guiana