elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 24
November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17,
PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4
Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour
d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a
or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama
or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien
Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman
Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy
and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Union of
Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor
Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph
DIATTA FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Barbro OWENS-KIRKPATRICK embassy: Rue
B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone:
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white,
and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
wheel centered in the white band
Economy Niger
Economy - overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation,
whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry,
reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining
world demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January
1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of
Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and
multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup
d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000-01, the
World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $105 million to help
support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the
government's bleak financial situation. The IMF approved a $73 million
poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced
$115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) initiative.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $820 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 17% services:
42% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.5 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%,
government 4%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $320 million, including $134 million from foreign
sources expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of
$178 million (2002 est.)
Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 220 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 404.6 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 200 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum,
cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses,
poultry
Exports: $246 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas,
onions (1998 est.)
Exports - partners: France 43.4%, Nigeria 35.0%, Spain 4.5%, US 3.9%
(2000)
Imports: $331 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery,
vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners: France 16.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.4%, US 9.6%, Nigeria
7.6% (2000)
Debt - external: $1.6 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $341 million (1997) note: the IMF approved a
$73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and
announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70
(1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the
XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Niger
Telephones - main lines in use: 20,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 6,700 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: small system of wire, radio
telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated
in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: wire, radiotelephone
communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with
3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations -
2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios: 680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)
Televisions: 125,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ne
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 3,000 (2000)
Transportation Niger
Railways: 0 km (2002)
Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996)
Waterways: 300 km note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to
Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 26 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to
2,437 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Military Niger
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Intervention
and Security Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,270,793 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,227,994
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 108,993
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.9 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Niger
Disputes - international: Niger and Benin have refered to the ICJ the
dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller islands in the Niger River, which
has never been delimited; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains
undemarcated; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon,
Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region,
the site of continuing armed clashes; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km
in northern Niger in a currently dormant dispute
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Vanuatu
Introduction
Vanuatu
Background: The British and French who settled the New Hebrides in
the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.
Geography Vanuatu
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 S, 167 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km note: includes more than
80 islands water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,528 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive
economic zone: of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 7% other: 90% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April);
volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment - current issues: a majority of the population does not
have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
People Vanuatu
Population: 196,178 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.6% (male 35,681; female 34,164) 15-64
years: 61.1% (male 61,384; female 58,473) 65 years and over: 3.3%
(male 3,473; female 3,003) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.66% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 24.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 8.25 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1.16 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 59.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 62.8 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.08 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: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Ethnic groups: indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese,
other Pacific Islanders
Religions: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%,
indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ
3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
Languages: three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as
Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.)
Government Vanuatu
Country name: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Port-Vila
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa,
Tafea, Torba
Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution: 30 July 1980
Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Father John BANI (since
25 March 1999) elections: president elected for a four-year term by an
electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the
regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last
held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is
usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members;
election for prime minister last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA
2003) note: the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in
a no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected
the new prime minister by Parliament election results: - NA%; Edward
NATAPEI reelected prime minister by Parliament cabinet: Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April 2001);
Deputy Prime Minister Serge VOHOR (since 16 April 2001)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2 May 2002
(next to be held NA 2006) note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on
matters of custom and land election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent
18; note - political party associations are fluid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the
president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of
the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders: Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI];
Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party
or NUP [Dinh Van THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR];
Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican
Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Vanuatu does not have an embassy
in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green
with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated
by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered
in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves,
all in yellow
Economy Vanuatu
Economy - overview: The economy is based primarily on subsistence
or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the
population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about
50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A
small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues
come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by
dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural
disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent
islands. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami,
caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left
thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused
extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas,
and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth has risen less than 3%
on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government
has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $257 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services:
62% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2000 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5%
(2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $94.4 million expenditures: $99.8 million, including
capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.)
Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: 39 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 36.27 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams,
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Exports: $22.8 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: copra, kava, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
Exports - partners: Japan 32%, Belgium 17%, US 17%, Germany 8% (2000)
Imports: $87.5 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners: Australia 28%, Singapore 14%, New Zealand 8%,
Japan 4%, US 1% (2000)
Debt - external: $64.6 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $45.8 million (1995)
Currency: vatu (VUV)
Currency code: VUV
Exchange rates: vatu per US dollar - 146.02 (December 2001), 145.31
(2001), 137.64 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998), 115.87 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Vanuatu
Telephones - main lines in use: 5,500 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 310 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios: 67,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
Televisions: 2,300 (1999)
Internet country code: .vu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 3,000 (2000)
Transportation Vanuatu
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Merchant marine: total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,092,838
GRT/1,329,576 DWT ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1,
combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1,
refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 6 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2,
China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, New Zealand 5, Panama 1,
Poland 1, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, US 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 31 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to
1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2001)
Military Vanuatu
Military branches: no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force
(VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues Vanuatu
Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New
Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Nigeria
Introduction
Nigeria
Background: Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian
government was completed. The president faces the daunting task of
rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered
through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic
and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic
growth and political stability.
Geography Nigeria
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin
and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 923,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km land: 910,768 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km,
Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore,
coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use: arable land: 31% permanent crops: 3% other: 66% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation;
urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water,
air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of
arable land; rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note: the Niger enters the country in the northwest and
flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta
in the Gulf of Guinea
People Nigeria
Population: 129,934,911 note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 43.6% (male 28,503,211; female 28,156,976) 15-64 years:
(male 1,832,682; female 1,844,121) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 72.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 50.6 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.49 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.06% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.7 million (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 250,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is
composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most
populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%,
Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 57.1% male: 67.3% female: 47.3% (1995 est.)
Government Nigeria
Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian rule