Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez
(since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government head of government: President Alfonso Antonio
PORTILLO Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco
REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held
26 December 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results:
Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected president; percent of vote -
Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32%
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de
la Republica (113 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 1999 (next to be held
NA November 2003) note: for the 7 November 1999 election, the number of
congressional seats increased to 113 from 80 election results: percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FRG 63, PAN 37, ANN 9, DCG 2,
UD/LOV 1, PLP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
(thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president
of the Court each year from among their number; the president of
the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the
country, who are named to five-year terms); Constitutional Court or
Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the
Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the
Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected
by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by
Colegio de Abogados)
Political parties and leaders: Authentic Integral Development or DIA
[Jorge Luis ORTEGA]; Democratic Union or UD [Jose Luis CHEA Urruela];
Green Party or LOV [Jose ASTURIAS Rudecke]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy
or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity
or URNG [Pablo MONSANTO, also known as Jorge SOTO]; Guatemalan Republican
Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; New Nation Alliance or ANN [leader NA],
which includes the URNG; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ
Rodas]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO;
Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC;
Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and
Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ariel RIVERA Irias chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Prudence BUSHNELL embassy: 7-01 Avenida
APO AA 34024 telephone:
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),
white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band;
the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821
(the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a
pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath
Economy Guatemala
Economy - overview: The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth
of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee,
sugar, and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU
(1996-2000) worked to implement a program of economic liberalization
and political modernization. The 1996 signing of the peace accords,
which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign
investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to
Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Ongoing challenges include increasing
government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international
donors, and increasing the efficiency and openness of both government
and private financial operations. Despite low international prices
for Guatemala's main commodities, the economy grew by 3% in 2000 and
2.3% in 2001. Guatemala, along with Honduras and El Salvador, recently
concluded a free trade agreement with Mexico and has moved to protect
international property rights. However, the PORTILLO administration has
undertaken a review of privatizations under the previous administration,
thereby creating some uncertainty among investors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $48.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 20% services:
57% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 46% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 55.8 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% (2001)
Labor force: 4.2 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35%
(1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.1 billion expenditures: $2.5 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1999)
Electricity - production: 5.929 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.35% hydro: 44.54%
other: 5.11% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 4.797 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 840 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 123 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans,
cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Exports: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables,
cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity
Exports - partners: US 57%, El Salvador 8.7%, Costa Rica 3.7%, Nicaragua
2.8%, Germany 2.6% (2000)
Imports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: fuels, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners: US 35.2%, Mexico 12.6%, South Korea 7.9%, El Salvador
6.4%, Venezuela 3.9% (2000)
Debt - external: $4.5 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $212 million (1995)
Currency: quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
Currency code: GTQ; USD
Exchange rates: quetzales per US dollar - 8.0165 (January 2002), 7.8586
(2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999), 6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Guatemala
Telephones - main lines in use: 665,061 (June 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 663,296 (September 2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modern network centered
in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: connected to
Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
Radios: 835,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.323 million (1997)
Internet country code: .gt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)
Internet users: 65,000 (2000)
Transportation Guatemala
Railways: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single-track) note: Highways: total:
13,856 km paved: 4,370 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved:
9,486 km (1998)
Waterways: 990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km
navigable during highwater season
Pipelines: crude oil 275 km
Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose,
Santo Tomas de Castilla
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 475 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: 2 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with
unpaved runways: 9 914 to 1,523 m: Military Guatemala
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,186,894 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,080,504
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 140,358
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $120 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Guatemala
Disputes - international: the "Line of Adjacency", established as an
agreed limit in 2000 to check squatters settling in Belize, remains in
place while OAS assists states to resolve Guatemalan territorial claims
in Belize and Guatemalan maritime access to the Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer
of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;
proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
(cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a serious problem;
corruption is a major problem
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Guinea
Introduction
Guinea
Background: Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He
was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into
Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.
Geography Guinea
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610
km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km,
Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline: 320 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June
to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium,
hydropower, fish
Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% other: 94% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 950 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
during dry season
Environment - current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies
of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion;
overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have
led to environmental damage
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the
Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the
Guinean highlands
People Guinea
Population: 7,775,065 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,660,795; female 1,669,850)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 2,067,991; female 2,165,625) 65 years and over:
2.7% (male 86,968; female 123,836) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.23% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: as a result
of civil war in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately
150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 127.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 48.82 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.32 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.54% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 55,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,600 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic
groups 10%
Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages: French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Government Guinea
Country name: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Republique
de Guinee
Government type: republic
Capital: Conakry
Administrative divisions: 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone
special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba,
Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou,
Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa,
Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita,
Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou
Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and
decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of
military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December
1993) head of government: Ministers appointed by the president elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must
receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election
last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the
prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana
CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%,
Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next
election postponed indefinitely) election results: percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2,
PDG-AST 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Guinea or PDG-AST
[Marcel CROS]; Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally
or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP;
Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party;
People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean
People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR; note -
Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP and Union for the New Republic or
UNR merged into UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG
[Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for the New Republic or UNR
[Mamadou Boye BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed
Aly THIAM FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 chancery:
2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Barrie WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603,
Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side),
yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Guinea
Economy - overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and
agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second
largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of
exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements,
literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out
of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management
in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October
2000 assessment. However, escalating fighting along the Sierra Leonean
and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to
direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor
confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while
panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets.
Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
debt relief - and single digit inflation should permit 5% growth in 2002.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $15 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,970 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 38% services:
38% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40% (1994 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.3 (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
(2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $395.7 million expenditures: $472.4 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)
Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light
manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)
Electricity - production: 770 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 46.1% hydro: 53.9%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 716.1 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $694.5 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish,
agricultural products
Exports - partners: Belgium, US, Ireland, Russia
Imports: $555.2 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport
equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners: France, US, Belgium, Cote d'Ivoire
Debt - external: $3.6 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $359.2 million (1998)
Currency: Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code: GNF
Exchange rates: Guinean francs per US dollar - 1,974.4 (December 2001),
1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.8 (1998), 1,095.3
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Guinea
Telephones - main lines in use: 37,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 21,567 (1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire
lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave
radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone
communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus
7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios: 357,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 85,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .gn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)
Internet users: 8,000 (2000)
Transportation Guinea
Railways: total: 1,086 km standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow
gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service
from Kankan to Conakry) (2000 est.)
Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996)
Waterways: 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)
Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 15 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to
1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Military Guinea
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential
Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
National)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,812,131 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 915,028
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $137.6 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.3% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Guinea
Disputes - international: major border incursions from Revolutionary
United Front combatants from Sierra Leone, dissident Guinean forces,
Liberian Army, and mercenaries between September 2000 and March 2001
killed over 1,500 Guinean civilians and military personnel; the borders
remain mostly sealed
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Guyana
Introduction
Guyana
Background: Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a
republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program,
which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled, socialist
economy towards a more open, free market system. Results through the
first decade have proven encouraging.
Geography Guyana
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 214,970 sq km water: 18,120 sq km land: 196,850 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km,
Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline: 459 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the outer edge of the
continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds;
two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south