JESZENSZKY chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1)
475-4336, 475-4156 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4520
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and green
Economy Hungary
Economy - overview: Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic
growth and to work toward accession to the European Union. The
private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and
investment in Hungarian firms is widespread, with cumulative foreign
direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian
sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all
the Central European transition economies. Inflation and unemployment -
both priority concerns in 2001 - have declined substantially. Economic
reform measures such as health care reform, tax reform, and local
government financing have not yet been addressed by the ORBAN government.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $120.9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 34% services: 60%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.3 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.2% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 4.2 million (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8%
(1996)
Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.4 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 33.436 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58.83% hydro: 0.53%
other: 0.35% (2000) nuclear: 40.29%
Electricity - consumption: 35.095 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.2 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 5.2 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar
beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $27.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment 59.5%, other manufactures
29.4%, food products 6.9%, raw materials 2.4%, fuels and electricity 1.8%
(2000)
Exports - partners: Germany 37%, Austria 9%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5%
(2000)
Imports: $29.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 51.1%, other manufactures
35.9%, fuels and electricity 8.1%, food products 2.8%, raw materials 2.1%
(2000)
Imports - partners: Germany 25%, Russia 8%, Austria 7%, Italy 7% (2000)
Debt - external: $28.5 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: $122.7 million (1995)
Currency: forint (HUF)
Currency code: HUF
Exchange rates: forints per US dollar - 275.920 (January 2002), 286.490
(2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Hungary
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.095 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.269 million (July 1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: the telephone system has been
modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
service domestic: by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio
relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated
in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones international:
Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries;
the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very
small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 7.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 4.42 million (1997)
Internet country code: .hu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: 1.2 million (2001)
Transportation Hungary
Railways: total: 7,869 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge:
219 km 0.760-m gauge standard gauge: 7,614 km 1.435-m gauge (2,423 km
electrified; 1,236 km double-tracked) note: Hungary and Austria jointly
manage the cross-border, standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron,
and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) which has a route length of about 101 km
in Hungary and 65 km in Austria (2001)
Highways: total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 448 km of
expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Airports: 43 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047
m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524
to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 8 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 12
Heliports: 5 (2001)
Military Hungary
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air Forces
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,559,260 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,039,710
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 64,121
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.08 billion (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.75% (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues Hungary
Disputes - international: Slovakia requested additional ICJ judgment in
1998 and talks continue to set modalities to assure Hungarian compliance
with 1997 ICJ decision to proceed with construction of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
Dam, abandoned by Hungary in 1989; Hungary opposes Croatian plan to
build a hydropower dam on the boundary stream Drava
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
cannabis and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe;
limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine
and methamphetamine
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Iceland
Introduction
Iceland
Background: Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established
in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled
by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated
the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter
century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and
the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete
independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social
cohesion are first-rate by world standards.
Geography Iceland
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 103,000 sq km water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (23%
permanent pastures) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff;
inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification,
Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe;
westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national
capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of
continental Europe
People Iceland
Population: 279,384 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 33,189; female 31,155) 15-64 years:
65.1% (male 91,704; female 90,199) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,828;
female 18,309) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.52% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 14.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 82.07 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.14% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 93%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic,
none (1997)
Languages: Icelandic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Iceland
Country name: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Government
type: constitutional republic
Capital: Reykjavik
Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla)
and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur);
Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla,
Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*,
Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla,
Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la,
Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*,
Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla,
Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla,
Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
note: there may be four other counties
Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON
(since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON
(since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
and approved by Parliament election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON
ran unopposed in 2000 and was reelected elections: president elected
by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996
(next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June
2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results:
percent of vote by party - Independence Party 40.7%, The Alliance (PA,
People's Party, Women's List) 26.8%, Progressive Party 18.4%, Left-Green
Alliance 9.1%, Liberal Party 4.2%; seats by party - Independence Party 26,
The Alliance 17, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 6, Liberal
Party 2 elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur
(justices are appointed for life by the president)
Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative) or IP
[David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal
Party [Sverrir HERMANNSSON]; People's Party (Social Democratic Party)
or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP
[Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; The Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA,
Social Democratic Party or SVP, People's Movement, Women's List) [Ossur
SKARPHEDINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CBSS,
CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005-1704 consulate(s) general: Diplomatic representation
from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. GRIFFITHS embassy:
Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003,
Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100 FAX: [354] 5629123
Flag description: blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to
the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy Iceland
Economy - overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically
capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and
remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural
resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power),
the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, providing 70%
of export earnings and employing 12% of the work force. The economy
remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in
world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum,
and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its
policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting
foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and
fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned
industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily
because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing
resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and
service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software
production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The
tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism
and whale watching. Growth has been remarkably steady over the past five
years at 4%-5%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.85 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% (includes fishing 13%)
industry: 21% services: 64% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 159,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish
processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services
59.5% (1999)
Unemployment rate: 1% (April 2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion, including
capital expenditures of $467 million (1999)
Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
geothermal power; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 7.549 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.05% hydro: 83.3%
other: 16.65% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.02 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish
Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 70%, animal products,
aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon
Exports - partners: EU 64% (UK 20%, Germany 13%, France 5%, Denmark 5%),
US 15%, Japan 5% (1999)
Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products;
foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners: EU 56% (Germany 12%, UK 9%, Denmark 8%, Sweden 6%),
US 11%, Norway 10% (1999)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (1999)
Economic aid - donor: $NA
Currency: Icelandic krona (ISK)
Currency code: ISK
Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 102.430 (January 2002),
97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000), 72.335 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use: 168,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 65,746 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic service domestic:
the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave
radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note -
Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters),
shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 260,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 98,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .is
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000)
Internet users: 168,000 (2001)
Transportation Iceland
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 12,691 km paved: 3,262 km unpaved: 9,429 km (1999)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik,
Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,816
GRT/2,500 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 86 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437
m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to
1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 49 (2001)
Military Iceland
Military branches: no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 71,142 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 62,556
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $0
Military - note: defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense
Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Transnational Issues Iceland
Disputes - international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving
Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary
agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe
Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with
Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
boundary outside 200 NM
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Indonesia
Introduction
Indonesia
Background: The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia achieved
independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting
a transition to a popularly-elected government after four decades of
authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding
the military accountable for human rights violations, and resolving
growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Irian Jaya. On 30 August 1999
a provincial referendum for independence was overwhelmingly approved by
the people of Timor Timur. Concurrence followed by Indonesia's national
legislature, and the name East Timor was provisionally adopted. On 20 May
2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state.
Geography Indonesia
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and
the Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,830 km border countries: East Timor 228 km,
Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
Coastline: 54,716 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive
economic zone: Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Puncak Jaya 5,030 m
Natural resources: petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,
copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 7% other: 83% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 48,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis,
earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution from
industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze
from forest fires
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited);
straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes
from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
People Indonesia
Population: 231,328,092 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.54% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 21.87 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: NA 65 years and over: Infant mortality rate: 39.4
deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 71.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 52,000 (1999 est.)