partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE
(observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo
KATO FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) consulate(s) general: Honolulu,
Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Howard H. BAKER, Jr. embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81]
(03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s):
Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun
without rays) in the center
Economy Japan
Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work
ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense
allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary
rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy
in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world
after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is
the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in
closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been
the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the
urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most
important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly
subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15%
of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had
been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s,
and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely
because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses
from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive
economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered
in 2000-01 by the slowing of the US and Asian economies. The crowding
of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two major
long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength,
with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots".
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.45 trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 36% services: 62%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8%
highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 24.9 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 67.7 million (December 2000)
Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 30%, agriculture 5%
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $441 billion expenditures: $718 billion, including
capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion (FY01/02
est.)
Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers
of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate: -8.3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 1.015 trillion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.69% hydro: 8.54%
other: 1.82% (2000) nuclear: 28.95%
Electricity - consumption: 943.71 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork,
poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
Exports: $404.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery,
chemicals
Exports - partners: US 29.7%, Taiwan 7.5%, South Korea 6.4%, China 6.3%,
Hong Kong 5.7% (2000 est.)
Imports: $331.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, office
machinery
Imports - partners: US 19%, China 14.5%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.7%,
Indonesia 4.3%, Australia 3.9% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)
Currency: yen (JPY)
Currency code: JPY
Exchange rates: yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53
(2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Japan
Telephones - main lines in use: 60.381 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 63.88 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and
international service domestic: high level of modern technology and
excellent service of every kind international: satellite earth stations -
5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian
Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions);
submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485
repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001)
Radios: 120.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in
addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services
(1999)
Televisions: 86.5 million (1997)
Internet country code: .jp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 73 (2000)
Internet users: 47.08 million (2001)
Transportation Japan
Railways: total: 23,654 km (15,895 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,059
km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge
(entirely electrified); 20,491 km 1.067-m gauge (12,732 km electrified);
27 km 0.762-m gauge (entirely electrified) (2000)
Highways: total: 1,152,207 km paved: 863,003 km (including 6,114 km of
expressways) unpaved: 289,204 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,770 km approximately note: seagoing craft ply all coastal
inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas
1,800 km
Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate,
Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro,
Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai
Merchant marine: total: 615 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,995,839
GRT/14,405,159 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered
here as a flag of
China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: ore/oil 3,
container 19, liquefied gas 50, passenger 9, passenger/cargo
2, petroleum tanker 189, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 48,
short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 54
Airports: 173 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 142 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to
3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 31 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 37
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2001)
Heliports: 16 (2001)
Military Japan
Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime
Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force),
Japanese Coast Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 29,644,498 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 25,637,387
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 765,817
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $40,774,300,000 (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Japan
Disputes - international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and
Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in
1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks
(Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai)
claimed by China and Taiwan
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Jersey
Introduction
Jersey
Background: The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.
Geography Jersey
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest
of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 116 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30%
of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People Jersey
Population: 89,775 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 8,287; female 7,729) 15-64 years:
67.3% (male 30,099; female 30,347) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 5,729;
female 7,584) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.78 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.57 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: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect
spoken in country districts
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Jersey
Country name: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Dependency
status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections:
by the monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander
in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001)
and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995) cabinet:
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members
- 12 senators, 12 constables or heads of parishes, 29 deputies; all
elected for six-year terms, half elected every third year; the bailiff
and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey,
the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the
monarch elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52
Judicial branch: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college
and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: white with a diagonal red cross extending to the
corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow
crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow
Economy Jersey
Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on international
financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower,
tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped
mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide
and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the
economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has
encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an
electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing
of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported,
as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death
duties make the island a popular tax haven.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93%
(1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1998)
Labor force: 57,050 (1996)
Unemployment rate: 0.7% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $601 million expenditures: $588 million, including
capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France
Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy
products
Exports: $NA
Exports - commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs,
textiles
Exports - partners: UK
Imports: $NA
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners: UK
Debt - external: none
Economic aid - recipient: none
Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Currency code: GBP
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002),
0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106
(1997); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Jersey
Telephones - main lines in use: 65,500 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,400 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international:
3 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .je
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: NA
Transportation Jersey
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 577 km (1995) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Jersey
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Jersey
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Jamaica
Introduction
Jamaica
Background: Jamaica gained full independence within the British
Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections
in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent
governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred
elections during the 1990s.
Geography Jamaica
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,022 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive
economic zone: the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 9% other: 75% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal
waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to
coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
People Jamaica
Population: 2,680,029 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 399,249; female 380,864) 15-64
years: 64.1% (male 858,433; female 859,174) 65 years and over: 6.8%
(male 81,321; female 100,988) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.56% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 17.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81
male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 77.73 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.71% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,900 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 650 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican
Ethnic groups: black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,
mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
Religions: Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican
5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United
Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),
Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%
Languages: English, patois English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Jamaica
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Jamaica
Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital: Kingston
Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston,
Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint
Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)
Constitution: 6 August 1962
Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
August 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON
(since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since
NA 1993) cabinet: minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the
prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by
the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a
21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations
of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the
House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next
to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general
on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA];
National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National
Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: New Beginnings Movement or NBM;
Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS
consulate(s) general: chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Sue McCourt COBB embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road,
3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use
[1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX:
Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four
triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
Economy Jamaica
Economy - overview: The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and
bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession,
the economy grew 0.8% in 2000 and 1.1% in 2001, but the global economic
slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September
terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic recovery. Serious problems
include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured,
sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit;
and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to
various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial
sector. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest,
including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will
depend upon encouraging investment, maintaining a competitive exchange
rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and
monetary policies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)