Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
Taoist, Confucianist
Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 93.5% male: 97% female: 89.8% (1999)
Government Singapore
Country name: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Singapore
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
of Singapore Constitution)
Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Sellapan Rama
(S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime
Minister Chok Tong GOH (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime
Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Hsien Loong LEE (since 28 November 1990)
and Keng Yam Tony TAN (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: president elected
by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999
(next to be held by August 2005); following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama
(S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who
came closet to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency"
member elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007)
election results: other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the
president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are
appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court
of Appeals
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
[leader NA]; People's Action Party or PAP [Chok Tong GOH, secretary
general] - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA
[CHIAM See Tong] (includes Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See
Tong], Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan], National
Solidarity Party [leader NA], Singapore Justice Party [leader NA], and
Singapore Malay National Organization [leader NA]); Workers' Party or WP
[J. B. JEYARETNAM]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heng
Chee CHAN consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 chancery: 3501
International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing
address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96534-0001 telephone: [65] 476-9100 FAX:
[65] 476-9340
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white;
near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
(closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Economy Singapore
Economy - overview: Singapore, a highly developed and successful
free-market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free
environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics
and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and
the slump in the technology sector. In 2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The
economy is expected to recover in 2002 in response to improvements
in the US economy, and GDP growth for 2002 is projected to be 3% to
4%. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than
the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to
establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NEGL% industry: 33% services:
67% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.19 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other services 35%,
manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%,
other 22%
Unemployment rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $27.9 billion expenditures: $19.5 billion, including
capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (FY00/01 est.)
Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products,
processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate: -17.5% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 27.9 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 25.947 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables;
poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish
Exports: $122 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics),
consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners: Malaysia 18%, US 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7.5%,
Taiwan 6%, Thailand 4.3%, China 4%, South Korea 3.6%, Germany 3%,
Netherlands 3% (2000)
Imports: $116 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Japan 17%, Malaysia 17%, US 15%, China 5%, Taiwan
4.4%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 3.6%, Saudi Arabia 3% (2000)
Debt - external: $8.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)
Currency code: SGD
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.8388 (January 2002),
1.7917 (2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Singapore
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.95 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.74 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: major consideration given to
serving business interests; excellent international service domestic:
excellent domestic facilities international: submarine cables to Malaysia
(Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and
1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 2.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)
Televisions: 1.33 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)
Internet users: 2.12 million (2001)
Transportation Singapore
Railways: total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note:
there is also a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
Highways: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved:
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Singapore
Merchant marine: total: 876 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,686,612
GRT/32,647,743 DWT ships by type: bulk 131, cargo 100, chemical tanker
81, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 6, container 168, liquefied
gas 35, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 1,
petroleum tanker 287, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea
passenger 1, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 32 note: includes
some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4, Monaco 22, Netherlands 2,
Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3, Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13,
Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46, Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, United Arab Emirates 4,
United Kingdom 14, United States 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 9 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Military Singapore
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force,
Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,354,857 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 986,101
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.47 billion (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.9% (FY01/02)
Transnational Issues Singapore
Disputes - international: Singapore and Malaysia are considering taking
the unresolved dispute over Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca Island)
to ICJ; Malaysia concerned over Singapore's land reclamation works on
Johor, which affects the maritime boundary, shipping lanes, and water
ecology in the Tebrau Reach
Illicit drugs: as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore
is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to use as a transit
point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Somalia
Introduction
Somalia
Background: The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for eleven years. In May
of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland
that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed,
Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government,
this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming
dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by
British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions
of Bari and Nugaal comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
legitimate, representative government. Puntland also claims Sool and
eastern Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort
(primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but
when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties,
order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government
(TNG) was created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended
by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year
mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does
not recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but so far has
been unable to reunite either Somaliland or Puntland with the unstable
regions in the south. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting
for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of
Somali links with global terrorism complicate the picture.
Geography Somalia
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 637,657 sq km water: 10,320 sq km land: 627,337 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km,
Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon,
moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October -
southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular
rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:
Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore,
tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern
plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water
contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
People Somalia
Population: 7,753,310 note: this estimate was derived from an official
census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in
Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee
movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,737,491; female 1,730,237)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,054,243; female 2,019,980) 65 years and over:
2.7% (male 92,617; female 118,742) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.46% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 46.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 17.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 122.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 48.65 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 7.05 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: Somali(s) adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including
Arabs 30,000)
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
Government Somalia
Country name: Somalia former: Government type: no permanent national
government; transitional, parliamentary national government
Capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka);
Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada
Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe,
Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,
which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship
on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960);
note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has a
mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years
Legal system: no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in
some localities
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since
26 August 2000); note - Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for
a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a
transitional government; the present political situation is still
unstable, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and
random banditry election results: at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace
Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans
that comprised a transitional National Assembly head of government:
Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12 November 2001) cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000;
as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a
no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note:
fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began
to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based
in Mogadishu
Judicial branch: following the breakdown of national government, most
regions have reverted to Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for
appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions
are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy
in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other
factions have representatives in Washington
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi
at Mombasa Road; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi;
APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in
the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
Government - note: An interim Transitional National Government -
with a president, prime minister, and 245-member National Assembly -
was established in Mogadishu in October 2000. However, other governing
bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and
faction strongholds.
Economy Somalia
Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest and least
developed countries, Somalia has few resources and is prone to
drought. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by civil war
since 1991. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock
accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads
and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood,
make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, charcoal,
and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn,
fish, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's
small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural
products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the
seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and
grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major
cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In
the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have
sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and
$500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers
a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels
continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. Ongoing
civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any
broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. The
failure of spring rains caused major food shortages in the south in 2001.
Economic data is scare and prone to a wide margin of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $550 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services:
25% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 100% (businesses print their
own money) (2000 est.)
Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers) (1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism)
71%, industry and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures
of $NA
Industries: a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 250 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 232.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn,
coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish
Exports: $186 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal,
scrap metal (1999)
Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia 29%, UAE 29%, Yemen 28% (calculated
through partners) (2000)
Imports: $314 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs,
construction materials, qat (1995)
Imports - partners: Djibouti 27%, Kenya 12%, India 9% (2000)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $60 million (1999 est.)
Currency: Somali shilling (SOS)
Currency code: SOS
Exchange rates: Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November
2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January
1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995) note: the Republic of Somaliland,
a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign
government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
Fiscal year: NA
Communications Somalia
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: the public telecommunications
system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war
factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities
and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic:
local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu
and in several other population centers international: international
connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 5 (2001)
Radios: 470,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 note: two in Mogadishu; one in Hargeisa
(2001)
Televisions: 135,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .so
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa,
and Mogadishu) (2000)
Internet users: 200 (2000)
Transportation Somalia
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors: Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca,
Mogadishu