L. John WOOD chancery: 37 Observatory Circle
[1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Charles J. SWINDELLS embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon,
Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1,
FPO AP 96531-1001 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 478-1701
consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in
the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
constellation
Economy New Zealand
Economy - overview: Since 1984 the government has accomplished major
economic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy
dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized,
free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has
boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder),
broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial
sector, and contained inflationary pressures. While per capita incomes
have been rising, however, they remain below the level of the four largest
EU economies, and there is some government concern that New Zealand is not
closing the gap. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly
in agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus far
the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, achieving about
3% growth in 2001, but the New Zealand business cycle tends to lag the
US cycle by about six months, so the worst of the downturn may not hit
until mid-2002.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $75.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 23% services: 69%
(1999)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 1.92 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10%
(1995)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $16.7 billion expenditures: $16.6 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01)
Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
mining
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 35.823 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26.55% hydro: 66.45%
other: 7% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 33.315 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits,
vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $14.2 billion (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: dairy products, meat, wood and wood products,
fish, machinery
Exports - partners: Australia 20.4%, US 14.5%, Japan 13.5%, UK 5.4%,
South Korea, China (2000)
Imports: $12.5 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - partners: Australia 22.5%, US 17.5%, Japan 11%, UK 4%, China,
Germany (2000)
Debt - external: $31.1 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $99.7 million (FY00/01)
Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code: NZD
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January
2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083
(1997)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications New Zealand
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.92 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.2 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and
international systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to
Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 3.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and
over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.926 million (1997)
Internet country code: .nz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 36 (2000)
Internet users: 1.78 million (2001)
Transportation New Zealand
Railways: total: 3,908 km narrow gauge: 3,908 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km
electrified) (2001)
Highways: total: 92,200 km paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km
of expressways) unpaved: 38,632 km (1996)
Waterways: 1,609 km note: of little importance in satisfying total
transportation requirements
Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied
petroleum gas or LPG 150 km
Ports and harbors: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington
Merchant marine: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 68,427 GRT/106,627
DWT note: Australia 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1,
container 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
Airports: 106 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047
m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 37 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military New Zealand
Military branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
Zealand Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,010,316 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 850,185
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 26,480
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $515.6 million (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY2001/02)
Transnational Issues New Zealand
Disputes - international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
Dependency)
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Southern Ocean
Introduction
Southern Ocean
Background: A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization
in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean
- from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica
north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic
Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's
five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean,
but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
Geography Southern Ocean
Location: body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern
Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of
water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water
lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica,
and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 20.327 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea,
Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part
of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline: 17,968 km
Climate: sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2
degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent
and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between
ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the
Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth;
in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the
Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector,
lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some
coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep
the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most
of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic
continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep - its edge
lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters);
the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square
kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September,
better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
(21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's
largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water
per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes: lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,
sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs, squid, whales, and seals -
none exploited; krill, fishes
Natural hazards: huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters;
smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter
thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large
annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by
glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and
large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most
of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues: increased solar ultraviolet radiation
resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine
primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging
the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in
recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times
more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely
to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish note:
the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after
severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements: the Southern Ocean is subject to
all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition,
it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region:
International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south
of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and
130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
(limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: many nations (including the
US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the
fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle
of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line
between the very cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer
waters to the north
Geography - note: the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence)
is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern
Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar
Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the south
from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend
entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New
Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding
with the path of the maximum westerly winds
People Southern Ocean
Population growth rate: NA%
Economy Southern Ocean
Economy - overview: Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June)
landed 112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian
toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season
landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and antarctic
toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248 tourists, most of them
seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 14,762
the previous year.
Transportation Southern Ocean
Ports and harbors: McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the Southern
Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short periods in
midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort;
most antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and,
except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels;
vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection
by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7)
Transportation - note: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit
through the Panama Canal
Transnational Issues Southern Ocean
Disputes - international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica
entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway,
and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental
shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest
in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) to include undersea ridges; the
US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims
of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia
have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in
the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Paraguay
Introduction
Paraguay
Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It
stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of
1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia.
The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown
in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent
years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held
since then.
Geography Paraguay
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 406,750 sq km water: 9,450 sq km land: 397,300 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km,
Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46
m highest point: Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore,
manganese, limestone
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment - current issues: deforestation; water pollution; inadequate
means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents;
loss of wetlands
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and
Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country
People Paraguay
Population: 5,884,491 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,156,366; female 1,119,558)
15-64 years: 56.6% (male 1,671,721; female 1,658,683) 65 years and over:
4.7% (male 128,137; female 150,026) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.57% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 30.5 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.77 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 4.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 220 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Government Paraguay
Country name: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay,
Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente
Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI
(since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government head of government: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since
28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May
2003) note: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of
the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS
Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of
Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided
in an election held in August 2000 election results: Raul CUBAS Grau
elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9 elections: Chamber of Senators - last
held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies -
last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
(judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or
Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA
[Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Luis Miguel
ANDRADA Nogues]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Oscar ACUNA
TORRES]; National Encounter Party or PEN [Mario PAZ CASTAING]; National
Republican Association - Colorado Party [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Ahorristas Estafados or AE;
National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT;
Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur,
MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: 234-4508 telephone: [1]
(202) 483-6960 through 6962
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
David N. GREENLEE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal
402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone:
[595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728
Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)
bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a
green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two
circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the
treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y
Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
all within two circles)
Economy Paraguay
Economy - overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large
informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported
consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are
difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their
living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The
formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but
GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and 2000. On a per capita basis, real
income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's
poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of
progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt,
and deficient infrastructure.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 26% services:
45% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 57.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 17.8% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)
Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2000 est.)