most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result
of intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World
War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part
domestic: exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable,
coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system;
cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly,
and includes roaming service to many foreign countries international:
Germany's international service is excellent worldwide, consisting of
extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations
in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems
(2001)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 77.8 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 51.4 million (1998)
Internet country code: .de
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001)
Internet users: 28.64 million (2001)
Transportation Germany
Railways: total: 44,000 km (including at least 20,300 km electrified);
most routes are double- or multiple-track note: since privatization in
1994, Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG) no longer publishes details of the track it
owns; in addition to the DBAG system there are 102 privately owned railway
companies which own approximately 3,000 to 4,000 km of track (2001 est.)
Highways: total: 656,140 km paved: 650,891 km (including 11,400 km of
expressways) unpaved: 5,249 km (all-weather) (1998 est.)
Waterways: 7,500 km note: major rivers include the Rhine and Elbe; Kiel
Canal is an important connection between the Baltic Sea and North Sea
(1999)
Pipelines: crude oil 2,240 km (2001)
Ports and harbors: Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne,
Dresden, Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart
Merchant marine: total: 388 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
5,758,942 GRT/7,132,525 DWT ships by type: cargo 132, chemical tanker
10, container 219, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7,
railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea
passenger 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Finland 5, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3,
Switzerland 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 625 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 325 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047
m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 127 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65
Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 59
(2001)
Military Germany
Military branches: Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force,
Medical Corps, Joint Support Service
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 20,854,329 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 17,734,977
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 482,318
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $38.8 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.38% (2002)
Transnational Issues Germany
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Glorioso Islands
Introduction
Glorioso Islands
Background: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are
composed of two lushly vegetated islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys)
and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio
station on Ile Glorieuse.
Geography Glorioso Islands
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
northwest of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 5 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte
Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock water: 0 sq km land: 5 sq km
Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 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 12 m
Natural resources: guano, coconuts
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush
vegetation and coconut palms) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive
reef system
People Glorioso Islands
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French
military garrison (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Glorioso Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Glorioso Islands local short form: Iles Glorieuses 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
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy Glorioso Islands
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Communications Glorioso Islands
Communications - note: 1 meteorological station
Transportation Glorioso Islands
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 Glorioso Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Guadeloupe
Introduction
Guadeloupe
Background: Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern
portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles
and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe
Geography Guadeloupe
Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast
of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 1,780 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine
inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante,
La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite
Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: 74 sq km land: 1,706 sq km
Area - comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles
(Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
Coastline: 306 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands
are volcanic in origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Soufriere 1,484 m
Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster
tourism
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe
is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe
proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
eastern Grande-Terre
People Guadeloupe
Population: 435,739 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 55,393; female 53,047) 15-64
years: 66.2% (male 142,945; female 145,757) 65 years and over: 8.9%
(male 16,168; female 22,429) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.04% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 16.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 80.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.92 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: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
Chinese less than 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)
Government Guadeloupe
Country name: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form:
la Guadeloupe
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois CARENCO
(since NA July 1999) election results: NA elections: French president
elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by
the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the
members of those councils head of government: President of the General
Council Jacques GILLOT (since 23 March 2001); President of the Regional
Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections:
General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004);
Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1;
Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2002);
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA election results:
General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
diverse left parties 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, diverse right parties 5,
PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - RPR 48.03%,
PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, diverse right parties
5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2,
diverse right parties 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG
[Christian CELESTE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic
Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Aldo BLAISE];
Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Union for French Democracy or
UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian Movement for the
Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe
Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement
for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI
International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department
of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy Guadeloupe
Economy - overview: The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies
and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US;
an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The
traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such
as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant,
and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local
consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food,
mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most
manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially
high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services:
68% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 125,900 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)
Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including
capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.39 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.293 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and
vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Exports: $140 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: bananas, sugar, rum
Exports - partners: France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1997)
Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other
consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners: France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands
Antilles 2% (1997)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies
Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Currency code: EUR; FRF
Exchange rates: Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar -
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Guadeloupe
Telephones - main lines in use: 171,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica,
and Martinique
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 113,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (plus several low-power repeaters)
(1997)
Televisions: 118,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .gp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 4,000 (2000)
Transportation Guadeloupe
Railways: total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Highways: total: 2,560 km paved: 965 km unpaved: 1,595 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot,
Pointe-a-Pitre
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240
GRT/109 DWT ships by type: passenger 1 note: includes a foreign-owned
ship registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 9 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m:
2 under 914 m: 5 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Military Guadeloupe
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces,
Gendarmerie
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Guadeloupe
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Guam
Introduction
Guam
Background: Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by
the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.
Geography Guam
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 549 sq km
Area - comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 125.5 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center,
mountains in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Lamlam 406 m
Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially
from Japan)
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% other: 78% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare,
but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Environment - current issues: extirpation of native bird population
by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive
species
Geography - note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
People Guam
Population: 160,796 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.1% (male 29,706; female 26,813) 15-64
years: 58.6% (male 49,457; female 44,697) 65 years and over: 6.3%
(male 5,070; female 5,053) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.99% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 24.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.11
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 80.72 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.73 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: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups: Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, and other 27%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)
Government Guam
Country name: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Dependency
status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy
relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office
of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type: NA
Capital: Hagatna (Agana)
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Independence: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system: modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in
US presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20
January 2001) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent
of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket
for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held
3 November 1998 (next to be held 5 November 2002) head of government:
Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor
Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) cabinet: executive departments;
heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held 5 November 2002) note: Guam elects one nonvoting
delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held 5 November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was
reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Democratic Party 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7
Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the
president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year
terms by the governor)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (party of Governor
GUTIERREZ) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature)
[leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border
on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
national flag
Economy Guam
Economy - overview: The economy depends on US military spending,
tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage
payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over
the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More
than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently
suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the
Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and
industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up
the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: 15% (1993)
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)