Mercer REYNOLDS III embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse
use embassy street address telephone:
Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in
the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
Economy Switzerland
Economy - overview: Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern
market economy with a per capita GDP higher than that of the big
western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their
economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU
membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements
to further liberalize trade ties. They continue to discuss further areas
for cooperation. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because
it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's
long-term external value. The GDP growth rate dipped to 1.6% in 2001,
and the government projects that it will slow further to 1.3% in 2002.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $226 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $31,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 34% services: 64%
(2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 33.1 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001)
Labor force: 4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture
4.6% (1998)
Unemployment rate: 1.8% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $30 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
instruments
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2001)
Electricity - production: 64.182 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.96% hydro: 56.81%
other: 2.3% (2000) nuclear: 36.93%
Electricity - consumption: 52.62 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 31.4 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 24.33 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Exports: $91.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, metals, watches,
agricultural products
Exports - partners: EU 59% (Germany 21%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 6%,
Austria 3%), US 13%, Japan 4% (2000)
Imports: $91.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals;
agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners: EU 74% (Germany 29%, France 10%, Italy 9%,
Netherlands 6%, UK 6%), US 8%, Japan 3% (2000)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Currency code: CHF
Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002),
1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Switzerland
Telephones - main lines in use: 4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.967 million (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and
international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio
relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations),
shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 7.1 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code: .ch
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein)
(2000)
Internet users: 3.41 million (2001)
Transportation Switzerland
Railways: total: 4,406 km standard gauge: 3,440 km 1.435-m gauge dual
gauge: 56 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (3 rail system) note: Swiss
railways are virtually all electrified (2001) narrow gauge: 900 km
1.000-m gauge; 10 km 0.800-m gauge
Highways: total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) paved:
71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Waterways: 65 km note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the
Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also
12 navigable lakes
Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
Ports and harbors: Basel
Merchant marine: total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 509,943
GRT/896,309 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 4,
petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of convenience:, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 66 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047
m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 15 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 under 914 m: 24 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Switzerland
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,841,867 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,561,689
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 42,597
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.548 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Switzerland
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations, used
significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for
and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
United Arab Emirates
Introduction
United Arab Emirates
Background: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK
control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In
1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah,
Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per
capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its
generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have
allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
Geography United Arab Emirates
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,
between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi
Arabia 457 km
Coastline: 1,318 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of
vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point:
Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 1% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 720 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
from oil spills
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait
of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People United Arab Emirates
Population: 2,445,989 note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July
2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545) 15-64
years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275) 65 years and over: 2.6%
(male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.58% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.41 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: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
2.46 male(s)/female total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 77.1 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati
Ethnic groups: Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%,
other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note:
less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.)
Government United Arab Emirates
Country name: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: UAE former:
Trucial Oman, Trucial States local short form: none
Government type: federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE
federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy
(Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Constitution: 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal
system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal,
and high courts
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since
6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since
8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) note: there is also a Federal
Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is
the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general
policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year;
Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8
October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin
Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected
by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election
last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister
and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results:
ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote -
NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected
vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis
al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of
the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none note:
reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
president)
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 telephone: [1] (202)
243-2400 chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Marcelle M. WAHBA (since 4 Oct. 2001) embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week
is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971]
(2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white,
and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
Economy United Arab Emirates
Economy - overview: The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita
income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and
gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate
with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone
a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert
principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At
present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more
than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation
and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater
private sector involvement.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 46% services: 51%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 1.6 million (2000 est.) note: 73.9% of the population in
the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7%
(2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $20 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials,
some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000)
Electricity - production: 38.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 35.991 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
dairy products; fish
Exports: $47.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
fish, dates
Exports - partners: Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%,
Oman, Iran (1999)
Imports: $28.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners: Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South
Korea (1999)
Debt - external: $12.6 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: $NA
Currency: Emirati dirham (AED)
Currency code: AED
Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point
rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications United Arab Emirates
Telephones - main lines in use: 915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system of microwave radio
relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic:
microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric
scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 820,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 15 (1997)
Televisions: 310,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ae
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 735,000 (2001)
Transportation United Arab Emirates
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids,
870 km
Ports and harbors: 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,
Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid,
Umm al Qaywayn
Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401
GRT/1,251,015 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7,
liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll
off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag
of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 38 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: 3 3 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with
unpaved runways: 1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: Heliports: 2 (2001)
Military United Arab Emirates
Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air
Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 773,938 note:
includes non-nationals (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 419,851
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 25,482
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.1% (FY00)
Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates
Disputes - international: Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in
1999, but complete UAE-Oman boundary line is not expected until the
end of 2002; undefined segments remain with Ra's al-Khaymah and Ash
Shariqah (Sharjah) emirates, including the Musandam Peninsula, where
an administrative boundary substitutes for an international boundary;
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; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international
support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb
al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by
Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE
and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy
completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called
Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
Illicit drugs: The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers
given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the
UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money
laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by
the president on 25 January 2002
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Trinidad and Tobago
Introduction
Trinidad and Tobago
Background: The islands came under British control in the 19th century;
independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most
prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas
production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for
expansion and is growing.
Geography Trinidad and Tobago
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive
economic zone: edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 9% other: 76% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical
storms
Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural
chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;
deforestation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements
Geography - note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the
world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
People Trinidad and Tobago
Population: 1,163,724 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 136,807; female 131,177) 15-64
years: 70.2% (male 419,847; female 396,643) 65 years and over: 6.8%
(male 35,146; female 44,104) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.52% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 13.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -10.02 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 71.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.05% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,800 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 530 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian,
Tobagonian
Ethnic groups: black 39.5%, East Indian (a local term - primarily
immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese
and other 1.2%
Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim
5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%
Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 94% (2000) male: 95.9% (1999) female: 91.7% (1999)
Government Trinidad and Tobago
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**;
Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David,
Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria
Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution: 1 August 1976
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal