Exports - partners: US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5%
(1995 est.)
Imports: $141.3 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners: US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3%
(1995 est.)
Debt - external: $140 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $5.5 million (1995)
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code: XCD
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed
rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis
Telephones - main lines in use: 17,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 205 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: good interisland and international
connections domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and
Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by
VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are
carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to
submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe
and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 28,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 10,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .kn
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: 2,000 (2000)
Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis
Railways: total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts
to serve sugarcane plantations (2002)
Highways: total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Basseterre, Charlestown
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 Kitts and Nevis
Military branches: Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast
Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special
Service Unit)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Seychelles
Introduction
Seychelles
Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the
islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence
came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
constitution and free elections in 1993.
Geography Seychelles
Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast
of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 4 35 S, 55 40 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 455 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 491 km
Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical
marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to
September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly;
others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Morne Seychellois 905 m
Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 13% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are
rare; short droughts possible
Environment - current issues: water supply depends on catchments to
collect rainwater
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: 40 granitic and
about 50 coralline islands
People Seychelles
Population: 80,098 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 11,238; female 11,002) 15-64
years: 66% (male 25,763; female 27,086) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male
1,667; female 3,342) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.47% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 17.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.63 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective:
Seychellois
Ethnic groups: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Religions: Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%,
other 4.1%
Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.)
Government Seychelles
Country name: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Government
type: republic
Capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins,
Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie
Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand'
Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise,
Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka
Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK)
National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Constitution: 18 June 1993
Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and
customary law
Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President France Albert RENE (since 5
June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
2006) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent
of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 44.95%,
Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that presidential elections
have been held separately from legislative elections cabinet: Council
of Ministers appointed by the president head of government: President
France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional
basis to parties winning at least 10 % of the vote; members serve
five-year terms) elections: percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%,
UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1 note: the 9
awarded seats are apportioned according to the percentage that each
party won of the total vote
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts
are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM];
Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or
UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF
[France Albert RENE] - the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; trade
unions
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claude
Sylvestre MOREL chancery: 800 Second
[1] (212) 972-1786 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles
Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Economy Seychelles
Economy - overview: Since independence in 1976, per capita output in
this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which
employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard
currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government
has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other
services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the
dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing,
and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector
was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf
war and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on
the US. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget
deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs, and further
privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2001, due
to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange
rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term
economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is
half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency
the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper
destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $605 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 26.3% services:
70.6% (1999)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.1% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10%
(1989)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $249 million expenditures: $262 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir
(coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 160 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 148.8 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes,
cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Exports: $182.6 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: canned tuna, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
products (reexports)
Exports - partners: UK 48.1%, Italy 23.1%, France 14.8%, Netherlands 2.7%
(1999)
Imports: $360.2 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals
Imports - partners: Italy 13.3%, South Africa 10.7%, France 9.9%,
UK 8.0%, Singapore 7.7% (1999)
Debt - external: $240 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $16.4 million (1995)
Currency: Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Currency code: SCR
Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.7458 (January 2002),
5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000), 5.3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Seychelles
Telephones - main lines in use: 19,635 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 16,316 (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: effective system domestic:
radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago
international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island
countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 42,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 11,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .sc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 6,000 (2001)
Transportation Seychelles
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 280 km paved: 176 km unpaved: 104 km (1997)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Victoria
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,086
GRT/10,192 DWT ships by type: cargo 2 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Africa 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 14 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m:
4 (2001)
Military Seychelles
Military branches: Army, Coast Guard (includes Air Wing), Presidential
Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard), Police Force (includes
Police Mobile Unit, a special weapons and tactics unit capable of
assisting the Army in maintaining internal stability)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 23,210 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 11,554
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $11 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Seychelles
Disputes - international: claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
British Indian Ocean Territory)
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
South Africa
Introduction South Africa
Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886)
spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the
native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were
defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa
operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the
races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in
black majority rule.
Geography South Africa
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km note: includes Prince
Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,862 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km,
Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km,
Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days,
cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or
lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth
in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural
runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil
erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
completely surrounds Swaziland
People South Africa
Population: 43,647,658 note: South Africa took a census October 1996
that showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for
a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); 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: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,943,761; female 6,849,745) 15-64
years: 63.4% (male 13,377,011; female 14,300,850) 65 years and over: 5%
(male 816,222; female 1,360,069) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.02% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 45.68 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 19.94% (2000 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 5.2 million (2000 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 300,000 (2000 est.)
Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about
60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60%
of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele,
Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 85% male: 86% female: 85% (2000 est.)
Government South Africa
Country name: Republic of South Africa conventional short form:
Government type: republic
Capital: Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and
Bloemfontein the judicial center
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province
(may have become Limpopo), Western Cape
Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by
the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President
MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997;
it is being implemented in phases
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June
1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election
last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July
2004) head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet:
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system
of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National
Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine
provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to
protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and
linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the
implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former
Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces
with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although
the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by
the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council
of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other
2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF
3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party
or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC
[Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger
of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP; note -
NP split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr. Pieter
MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
president]; New National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK];
Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United
Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade
Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African
Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African
National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national
president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC,
NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU
consulate(s) general: [1] (202) 232-4400 chancery: 3051 Massachusetts
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Cameron H. HUME embassy: 877 Pretorius
P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: Town, Durban, Johannesburg