expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence),
coffee, copra
Exports: $3.44 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra,
coconuts, coffee, cinnamon
Exports - partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion
Imports: $141.3 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports - commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transportation
equipment, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (1997)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $107.7 million (1995); note - extensive French
financial assistance
Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Currency code: EUR; FRF
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar -
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use: 9,314 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: small system administered by French
Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international:
microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros
(2001)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001)
Televisions: 3,500 (1994)
Internet country code: .yt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: NA
Transportation Mayotte
Railways: 0 km (2002)
Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Mayotte
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France; small
contingent of French forces stationed on the island
Transnational Issues Mayotte
Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Mongolia
Introduction
Mongolia
Background: The Mongols entered history in the 13th century when under
GENGHIS KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their
original steppe homelands and came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its
independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed
in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national
election in 1996. Over the next four years the DUC put forward a number
of key reforms to modernize the economy and democratize the political
system. However, the former Communists were a strong opposition that
stalled additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In
2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72
of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it
continues many of the reform policies, the MPRP is focusing on social
welfare and public order priorities.
Geography Mongolia
Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 1.565 million sq km water: 9,600 sq km land: 1,555,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 8,162 km border countries: China 4,677 km,
Russia 3,485 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
ranges)
Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point:
Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m
Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates,
tin, nickel, zinc, wolfram, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron, phosphate
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 840 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
"zud", which is harsh winter conditions
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
in some areas; policies of the former Communist regime promoting
rapid urbanization and industrial growth have raised concerns about
their negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal
in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws have
severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing,
the converting of virgin land to agricultural production have increased
soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities
have also had a deleterious effect on the environment
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
People Mongolia
Population: 2,694,432 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 438,176; female 422,960) 15-64
years: 64.1% (male 864,033; female 865,172) 65 years and over: 3.9%
(male 45,080; female 59,011) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.48% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76
male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 51.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 66.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian
Ethnic groups: Mongol (predominantly Khalkha) 85%, Turkic (of which
Kazakh is the largest group) 7%, Tungusic 4.6%, other (including Chinese
and Russian) 3.4% (1998)
Religions: Tibetan Buddhist Lamaism 96%, Muslim (primarily in the
southwest), Shamanism, and Christian 4% (1998)
Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000)
Government Mongolia
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Mongolia local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia local long
form: none
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag)
and 1 municipality* (hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan,
Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar,
Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs
Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China)
National holiday: Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)
Constitution: 12 February 1992
Legal system: blend of Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Western systems
of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects
of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since
20 June 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR
(since 26 July 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great
Hural in consultation with the president elections: president nominated
by parties in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA May
2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party
or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State
Great Hural; election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president; percent of vote
- Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP)
36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR
elected prime minister by a vote in the State Great Hural of 68 to 3
Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural (76 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held
2 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2004) election results: percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPRP 72, other 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's
and provincial courts, but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;
judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts for approval by
the president)
Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Will Party or CWP (also called
Civil Will Party or Civil Courage Party) [Sanjaasurengyn OYUN]; Democratic
Party or DP [D. DORLIGJAN]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP
[Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or MNSDP
[B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIHAN]
note: the MPRP is the ruling party
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB,
ASEAN (observer), CCC, CP (provisional), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jalbuugiyn CHOINHOR chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 telephone: [1]
(202) 333-7117
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John DINGER embassy: inner northeast part of the Big Ring Road, just west
of the Selbe Gol, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: United States Embassy in
Mongolia, P. O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar
[976] (11) 329095 FAX:
Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue,
and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national
emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)
Economy Mongolia
Economy - overview: Economic activity traditionally has been based
on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive
mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold
account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance,
at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91,
at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into
deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's
(MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic
Coalition (DC) government has embraced free-market economics, easing price
controls, liberalizing domestic and international trade, and attempting
to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic
privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of
foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution
company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by
the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought
about through four successive governments under the DC. Economic growth
picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural
disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August
and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban
on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable
in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO)
in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million
per year at the last Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar
in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, is anxious to
improve the investment climate; it must also deal with a heavy burden
of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects of
weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP growth
in 2000-01.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry: 30% services:
38% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 24.5% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.2 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.8% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 1.4 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: primarily herding/agricultural
Unemployment rate: 20% (2000)
Budget: revenues: $262 million expenditures: $328 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: construction materials, mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages, processing of animal
products
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.77 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 2.732 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 25 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 181 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops; sheep,
goats, cattle, camels, horses
Exports: $466.1 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere,
wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports - partners: China 59%, US 20%, Russia 10%, Japan 2% (2000)
Imports: $614.5 million (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, food products,
industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports - partners: Russia 34%, China 21%, Japan 12%, South Korea 9%,
US 4% (2000)
Debt - external: $760 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $208.7 million (1999 est.)
Currency: togrog/tugrik (MNT)
Currency code: MNT
Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,101.29 (December 2001),
1,097.70 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,072.37 (1999), 840.83 (1998), 789.99
(1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Mongolia
Telephones - main lines in use: 104,100 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 110,000 (2001)
Telephone system: general assessment: very low density: about 3.5
telephones for each thousand persons domestic: NA international: satellite
earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios: 155,900 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many
low powered repeaters) (1999)
Televisions: 168,800 (1999)
Internet country code: .mn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)
Internet users: 30,000 (2001)
Transportation Mongolia
Railways: 1,815 km broad gauge: 1,815 km 1.524-m gauge (2001)
Highways: total: 3,387 km paved: 1,563 km note: there are also 45,862
km of rural roads that consist of rough, unimproved, cross-country tracks
(2000) unpaved: 1,824 km
Waterways: 400 km (1999)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 34 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m:
1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to
3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2001)
Military Mongolia
Military branches: Mongolian Armed Forces (includes General Purpose
Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Troops); note - Border
Troops are under Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs in peacetime
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 772,619 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 501,493
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 30,230
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $24.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Mongolia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Montserrat
Introduction
Montserrat
Background: Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds
of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995.
Geography Montserrat
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto
Rico
Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 102 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)
Environment - current issues: land erosion occurs on slopes that have
been cleared for cultivation
Geography - note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains
seven active volcanoes
People Montserrat
Population: 8,437 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island
following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have
returned (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.6% (male 1,001; female 986) 15-64 years:
65% (male 2,624; female 2,864) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 508;
female 454) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 8.43% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 74.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1.12 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.81 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: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian
Ethnic groups: black, white
Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Montserrat
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Montserrat
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)
Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges,
Saint Peter
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
(1926)
Constitution: present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Legal system: English common law and statutory law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor Anthony LONGRIGG (since NA May 2001)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually
becomes chief minister head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE
(since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor,
the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and
the finance secretary
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly
elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to
9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting
as ex-officio members elections: last held NA April 2001 (next to be held
by November 2006) note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a
single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council election results:
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,
one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides
over the High Court)
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben
T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Caricom, CDB, ECLAC
(associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
the UK)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half
of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
harp with her arm around a black cross
Economy Montserrat
Economy - overview: Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995,
has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in
June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island.
Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The
agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land
for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy
depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public
sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8
million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island
is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -1.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,400 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services:
81% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%