controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest
reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as
the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The
petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of
GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the private
sector. Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the
Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Riyadh expects
to have a budget deficit in 2002, in part because of increased spending
for education and other social programs. The government in 1999 announced
plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the
ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government
is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the
kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for
the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population
growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency
in agricultural products.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 48% services: 45%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001)
Labor force: 7 million note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age
group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63%
(1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $42 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: 123.5 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 114.855 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus;
mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Exports: $66.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners: US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore
5.3%, India (2000)
Imports: $29.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals,
motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners: US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000)
Debt - external: $23.8 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction
of Lebanon; since 1993, Saudi Arabia has committed $208 million for
assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development
in Afghanistan
Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR)
Currency code: SAR
Exchange rates: Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since
June 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Saudi Arabia
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.1 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million note: in 1998, the government
contracted for the installation of 575,000 additional Group Speciale
Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone lines over 15 months to raise the total
number of subscribers to more than one million; Riyadh planned to further
expand the GSM system in 1999 by adding an additional one million lines
(1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system domestic: extensive
microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems
international: Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable
to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat
(3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian
Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 6.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 117 (1997)
Televisions: 5.1 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sa
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 42 (2001)
Internet users: 570,000 (2001)
Transportation Saudi Arabia
Railways: total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724
km are double-tracked) (2001)
Highways: total: 146,524 km paved: 44,104 km unpaved: 102,420 km
(1997 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas
2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km)
Ports and harbors: Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh,
Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu'
al Sinaiyah
Merchant marine: total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,071,315
GRT/1,412,125 DWT ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 10, container
4, livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated
cargo 3, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea passenger 8 note: includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 3,
Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, United Arab Emirates 1, United
Kingdom 3 (2002 est.)
Airports: 209 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: 12 11 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with
unpaved runways: total: 138 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m:
79 under 914 m: 15 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 39
Heliports: 5 (2001)
Military Saudi Arabia
Military branches: Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,359,849
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 233,402
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $18.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 13% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia
Disputes - international: demarcation of delimited boundary with Yemen
involves nomadic tribal affiliations; because details of 1974 and 1977
treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi
Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto
Illicit drugs: death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption
of heroin and cocaine
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Background: First settled by the French in the early 17th century,
the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast
North American possessions.
Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
south of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 W
Map references: North America
Area: total: 242 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint
Pierre and the Miquelon groups water: 0 sq km land: 242 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn
are windy
Terrain: mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% other: 87% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime
hazard
Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters
around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would
impact the environment
Geography - note: vegetation scanty
People Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Population: 6,954 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 904; female 864) 15-64 years:
64.4% (male 2,288; female 2,193) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 303;
female 402) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.35% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 80.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.1 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: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions: Roman Catholic 99%
Languages: French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.)
Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint
Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local long form: Departement
de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Dependency status: self-governing territorial collectivity of France
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint-Pierre
Administrative divisions: none (territorial collectivity of France);
note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by
the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon
at the second order
Independence: none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under
French control since 1763)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law with special adaptations for local conditions,
such as housing and taxation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois TALLON (since
NA) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round -
5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the French
president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president
of the General Council is elected by the members of the council head of
government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held
19 and 26 Marach 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR
5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint
Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly;
elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June
2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - UDF 1
Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur
d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour
la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA];
Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity
of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity
of France)
Flag description: a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on
a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the
hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part
is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by
a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part
has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top
of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Economy - overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their
livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the
coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because
of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel
awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle
a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents
only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized
by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government
hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test
drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented
by annual payments from France of about $60 million
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 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): 2.1% (1991-96 average)
Labor force: 3,000 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly
fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.8% (1997)
Budget: revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million, including
capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)
Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 41 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 38.13 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Exports: $12 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed,
mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts
Exports - partners: US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999)
Imports: $55 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment,
machinery, building materials
Imports - partners: France 44%, Canada 40% (1999)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: approximately $60 million in annual grants
from France
Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Currency code: EUR; FRF
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540
(2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998),
5.8367 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA
international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the
world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 4,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters
which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .pm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saint Pierre
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis
Background: First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became
an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of
Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis
achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum
to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.
Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis
Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of
the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) water:
0 sq km land: 261 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 135 km
Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: tropical tempered
by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy
season (May to November)
Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 3% other: 80% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed,
but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and
ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel
called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped
Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of
its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that
of its sister island
People Saint Kitts and Nevis
Population: 38,736 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.4% (male 5,827; female 5,571) 15-64 years:
61.9% (male 11,980; female 12,005) 65 years and over: 8.7% (male 1,383;
female 1,970) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.01% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 18.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -9.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7
male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 74.26 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.39 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: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian,
Nevisian
Ethnic groups: predominantly black some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Religions: Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Saint Kitts and Nevis
Country name: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and
Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation
of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type: constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
parliament
Capital: Basseterre
Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town,
Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint
Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity
Palmetto Point
Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution: 19 September 1983
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
(since 1 January 1996) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the
governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general;
deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet
appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister
head of government: Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed
and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members
serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1 elections: last held 6 March 2000
(next to be held by July 2005)
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia;
one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action
Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or
SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal
WILLIAMS chancery: 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited
to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a
broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band
is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis
Economy - overview: Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the
St. Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates
the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented
manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the
economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands'
foreign exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following
the September 11 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The
government revised estimates of 2001 growth down to 1% and faces dim
recovery prospects in 2002, given the depressed state of the tourism
industry, low sugar prices, and a growing budget deficit.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $339 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services:
70.7% (2001)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 18,172 (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1997)
Budget: revenues: $85.7 million expenditures: $95.6 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing,
footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 95 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 88.35 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Exports: $51.7 million (2000 est.)