figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),
Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%,
Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)
Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox
4.1%, other 17.5%
Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Slovakia
Country name: conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional
short form: Slovakia local short form: Slovensko local long form:
Slovenska Republika
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bratislava
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj);
Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky,
Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993;
changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
membership
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with
the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15
June 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since
30 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by
direct, popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 May 1999
(next to be held NA May/June 2004); following National Council elections,
the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the president note: government
coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER
elected president in the first direct, popular election; percent of vote -
Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic
or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected
on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing coalition 93
(SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14); note
- seating as of January 2002 - governing coalition 90 (SDK 23, SDL 21,
SOP 16, SMK 15, KDH 9, DS 6), opposition 51 (HZDS 43, SNS 8), PSNS 6,
independents 3 elections: Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are
elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed
by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
[Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction
(Smer) [Robert FICO]; Liberal Democratic Union or LDU [Jan BUDAJ];
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir
MECIAR]; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK]; note - SSDS
and SZS joined the SOP parliamentary caucus; Party of the Democratic
Left or SDL [Pvel KONCOS]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK
[Bela BUGAR]; Real Slovak National Party or PSNS [Jan SLOTA]; Slovak
Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; note - this
is DZURINDA's new party for the 2002 elections; he remains chairman of
a rump and splintering SDK; Slovak Democratic Coalition or SDK (loose
parliamentary club grouping, representing members of the smaller SSDS,
SZS, and those committed to run under SDKU in 2002) [Mikulas DZURINDA];
Slovak National Party or SNS [Anna MALIKOVA]; Yes (ANO) [Paval RUSKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association of Employers of
Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of
Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin
BUTORA chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX:
[1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ronald WEISER embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava telephone: [421] (2)
5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue,
and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the
hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
Economy Slovakia
Economy - overview: Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult
transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market
economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress in 2001 in
macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations
are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign
hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
expectations in 2001, despite recession in key export markets. Revival
of domestic demand, partly due to a rise in real wages, offset slowing
export growth to help drive the economy to its strongest expansion since
1998. Solid domestic demand is expected to boost economic growth to 3.4%
in 2002, and about 4% in 2003. Unemployment, rising to 19.8% at the end
of 2001, remained the economy's Achilles' heel. The government faces
other strong challenges in 2002, especially the maintenance of fiscal
balance ahead of the September 2002 parliamentary election, cutting
budget and current account deficits, and privatization of the Slovak
energy and power monopolies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $62 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 32% services: 64%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 26.3 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%,
construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 19.8% (yearend 2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.2 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,
gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;
paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;
textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 27.53 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.34% hydro: 17.11%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 47.55%
Electricity - consumption: 25.203 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 4.9 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 4.5 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Exports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 39.4%,
intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods
13%, chemicals 8% (1999)
Exports - partners: EU 59.0% (Germany 26.8%, Italy 9.2%, Austria 8.4%),
Czech Republic 17.4% (2000)
Imports: $14.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.7%,
intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%,
miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)
Imports - partners: EU 48.9% (Germany 25.1%, Italy 6.2%), Russia 17.0%,
Czech Republic 14.7% (2000)
Debt - external: $7.8 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $421.9 million (1995)
Currency: Slovak koruna (SKK)
Currency code: SKK
Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 47.792 (September 2001), 46.035
(2000), 41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Slovakia
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,934,558 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 736,662 (April 1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: a modernization and privatization
program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing
the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service
quality domestic: and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
added international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava
and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating
in several international telecommunications projects that will increase
the availability of external services
Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 3.12 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 2.62 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 700,000 (2000)
Transportation Slovakia
Railways: total: 3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge narrow gauge:
51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2001) standard gauge:
3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1,505 km electrified; 1,011 km double-tracked)
Highways: total: 17,710 km paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km of
expressways) unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 172 km (all on the Danube)
Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km
Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,191
GRT/19,489 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 (2002 est.)
Airports: 34 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047
m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Slovakia
Military branches: Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces,
Home Guards (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway
Armed Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post,
and Telecommunications)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,486,728 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,136,775
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 45,502
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $406 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.89% (2002)
Transnational Issues Slovakia
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
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound
for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Palmyra Atoll
Introduction
Palmyra Atoll
Background: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US
included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago
in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll,
which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization
is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding
waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to
the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife
Refuge in January 2001.
Geography Palmyra Atoll
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way
between Hawaii and American Samoa
Geographic coordinates: 5 52 N, 162 06 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 11.9 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 11.9 sq km
Area - comparative: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 14.5 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: equatorial, hot, and very rainy
Terrain: very low
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location 2 m
Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and
woodlands) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation,
coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall
People Palmyra Atoll
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff,
US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Palmyra Atoll
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Palmyra Atoll
Dependency status: incorporated territory of the US; privately owned,
but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service
of the US Department of the Interior
Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy Palmyra Atoll
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Palmyra Atoll
Highways: much of the road and many causeways built during World War
II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: West Lagoon
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Palmyra Atoll
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Liechtenstein
Introduction
Liechtenstein
Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within
the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until
the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude
a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II
(in which Liechtenstein remained neutral) the country's low taxes have
spurred outstanding economic growth. However, shortcomings in banking
regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the
financial institutions for money laundering.
Geography Liechtenstein
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 160 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 35 km,
Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain;
cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point:
Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land
Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations
based on elevation
People Liechtenstein
Population: 32,842 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 3,003; female 3,001) 15-64 years:
70.5% (male 11,530; female 11,639) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 1,494;
female 2,175) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.94% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 82.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.5 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: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9%
(1996)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total
population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)
Government Liechtenstein
Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short
Liechtenstein local long form:
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde);
Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman
Empire
National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13
November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent
Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) elections: none;
the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader
of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of
government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party
in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the
monarch cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet, confirmed by the monarch
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001)
and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001)
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to
serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party -
FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court
or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or FL
[Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA,
ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,
WHO (observer), WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 633 Third Avenue, 27th floor, New York,
NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-0220 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0064
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited
to Liechtenstein
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with
a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy Liechtenstein
Economy - overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European
neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy
incorporation rules have induced 73,700 holding or so-called letter box
companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30%
of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with
Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It
imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has
been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as
a bridge between European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since
May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies
with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001)
Labor force: 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from
Austria and Switzerland to work each day
Labor force - by occupation: industry, trade, and building 45%, services
53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.8% (February 1999)
Budget: revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% other: NA% hydro:
NA% nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock,
dairy products
Exports: $2.47 billion (1996)
Exports - commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products,
stamps, hardware, pottery
Exports - partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%)
(1995)
Imports: $917.3 million (1996)
Imports - commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs,
motor vehicles
Imports - partners: EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt - external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: none
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code: CHF
Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002),
1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Liechtenstein
Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: NA international: Radio broadcast stations: AM 0,
FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)