of export earnings, and 58% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves
of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels
for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of
the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves
of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world
total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural
gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the
development of offshore natural gas reserves. In 2000, Qatar posted its
highest ever trade surplus of $7 billion, due mainly to high oil prices
and increased natural gas exports, and managed to maintain the surplus
in 2001.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 49% services: 50%
(1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001)
Labor force: 280,122 (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $5 billion expenditures: $4.8 billion, including
capital expenditures of $900 million (FY01/02 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 9.2 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 8.556 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products,
beef; fish
Exports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel
Exports - partners: Japan 43%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6%, US 4%,
UAE 2% (1999)
Imports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, US 6% (1998)
Debt - external: $13.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Qatari rial (QAR)
Currency code: QAR
Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Qatar
Telephones - main lines in use: 142,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 43,476 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave
radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 256,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 230,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .qa
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 75,000 (2001)
Transportation Qatar
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)
Merchant marine: total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 679,081
GRT/1,051,088 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2,
container 7, petroleum tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 3
(2002 est.)
Airports: 4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to
1,523 m: 1
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Qatar
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 316,885 note:
includes non-nationals (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 166,214
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,797
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $723 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 10% (FY00/01)
Transnational Issues Qatar
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Reunion
Introduction
Reunion
Background: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in
1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented
by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the
island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the
island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.
Geography Reunion
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references: World
Area: total: 2,512 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 2,502 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 207 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and
dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April);
Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: this mountainous, volcanic island has an active
volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center
at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the
Indian Ocean
People Reunion
Population: 743,981 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.7% (male 120,864; female 115,251) 15-64
years: 62.5% (male 228,864; female 235,991) 65 years and over: 5.8%
(male 17,459; female 25,552) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.52% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 20.7 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.51 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: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.74 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.55 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: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese
Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.)
Government Reunion
Country name: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Bourbon
Island
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there are
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government,
but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
elections: appointed by the French president on the advice of the French
Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government:
President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998)
and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote
to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March
1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998
(next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 27,
PCR 10, PS 10, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4,
various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5 note:
Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections
last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies
to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002
(next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Reunion or PCR
[Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE];
Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy
or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department
of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy Reunion
Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on
agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century,
and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has
been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high
unemployment, which amounts to more than 40% of the labor force. The gap
in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts
for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities
are substantially better off than other segments of the population,
often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the
poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African
continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates
the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (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): NA%
Labor force: 261,000 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73%
(1990)
Unemployment rate: 42.8% (1998)
Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures
of $NA
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
extraction
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.09 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.05% hydro: 44.95%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.014 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits,
vegetables, corn
Exports: $214 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences
2%, lobster 3%, (1993)
Exports - partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994)
Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco,
machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum
products
Imports - partners: France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (1994)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies
from France
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 Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use: 268,500 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 197,000 (September 2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system; principal center
is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay
network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France,
Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 173,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 127,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .re
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 10,000 (1999)
Transportation Reunion
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,724 km paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane
road) note: 370 km of road are maintained by national authorities, 754
km by departmental authorities and 1,600 km by local authorities (1994)
unpaved: 1,424 km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264 GRT/44,885
DWT note: France 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: chemical tanker 1
Airports: 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Military Reunion
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French forces
(including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 194,485 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 99,251
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,243
(2002 est.)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Reunion
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Marshall Islands
Introduction
Marshall Islands
Background: After almost four decades under US administration as the
easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of
Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear
testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands
have been home to the US Army Base Kwajalein (USAKA) since 1964.
Geography Marshall Islands
Location: Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 181.3 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak,
Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik water: 0 sq km land: 181.3 sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 370.4 km
Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: wet season
from May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed
minerals
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 0% other: 83% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water;
pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from
fishing vessels
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and
1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
missile test range
People Marshall Islands
Population: 73,630 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 49.1% (male 18,443; female 17,704) 15-64
years: 48.9% (male 18,347; female 17,628) 65 years and over: 2% (male 720;
female 788) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.89% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 44.98 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.07 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 38.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 6.49 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: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective:
Marshallese
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Religions: Christian (mostly Protestant)
Languages: English (widely spoken as a second language, both English
and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects
from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)
Government Marshall Islands
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands
District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Government type: constitutional government in free association with
the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Capital: Majuro
Administrative divisions: 33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap,
Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
Utirik, Wotho, Wotje
Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)
Constitution: 1 May 1979
Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3
January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since
3 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government cabinet: elections: president elected by Parliament
from among its own members for a four-year term; election last held
15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results:
Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections:
last held 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) note: the
Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on matters affecting
customary law and practice election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally
organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles
factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,
formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"
have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party
[Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW (signatory),
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny
DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Honolulu FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 telephone: [1]
(202) 234-5414
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael J. SENKO embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro,
[692] 247-4011 FAX:
Flag description: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with
four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
Economy Marshall Islands
Economy - overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny
island economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and
is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts,
tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of
foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains
the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural
resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the
Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $39 million in annual
aid. Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government
downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and
foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less
income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth
to an average of 1% over the past decade.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services:
70% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 28,698
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%,
services 57.7%
Unemployment rate: 30.9% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Industries: copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood,
and pearls
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear:
0% other: 1% (solar)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,
fruits; pigs, chickens
Exports: $9 million (f.o.b., 2000)