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Country Profiles
(Dominica thru France)
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- People: Population Density - 244 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Black, Carib Amerindian
- Languages - English - official; French patois
- Religions - Roman Catholic (77%); Protestant (15%)
- Geography: Area - 300 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Guadeloupe, Martinique
- Government: Type - Parliamentary democracy
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Pierre Charles
(since Oct. 3, 2000)
- Capital - Rosseau (21,000)
- Local Divisions - 10 parishes
- Spending - (Defense) NA
- Economy: Industries - soap, tourism
- Minerals and Other Resources - forests
- Arable Land - 9%
- Labor - 40% agric.; 32% ind.; 28% services
- Per Capita GNP - $3,400
- Imports and Exports - $120.4 mil. and $60.8 mil.
- Major Trading Partners - US, UK
- Communications: Telephones - 21,300 main lines
- Radios - 875 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 70 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 16.54 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 70.74 - male; 76.61 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 1.06%
- Literacy - 90%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), Caricom, the
Commonwealth, OAS, OECS
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- People: Population Density - 92 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Tigrinya (50%); Tigre and
Kunama (40%); Afar (4%)
- Languages - Tigriya, Tigre and Kunama,
Afar, Amhanc, Arabic
- Religions - Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman
Catholic, Protestant
- Geography: Area - 46,800 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan
- Government: Type - In Transition
- Head of Government - NA
- Capital - Asmara (514,000)
- Local Divisions - 8 provinces
- Spending - (Defense) NA
- Economy: Industries - Food processing, textiles,
beverages
- Minerals and Other Resources - Gold, potash, zinc, copper
- Arable Land - 12%
- Labor - 80% agric.; 20% ind. and comm.
- Per Capita GNP - $750
- Imports and Exports - $489.4 mil. and $52.9 mil.
- Major Trading Partners - Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Italy, Sudan
- Communications: Telephones - 30,600 main lines
- Radios - NA
- Televisions - 6 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 75.14 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 53.73 - male; 58.71 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 3.05%
- Literacy - 20%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), OAU
- National Website
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- People: Population Density - 460 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Mixed (73%); White (16%); Black (11%)
- Languages - Spanish - official
- Religions - Roman Catholic (95%)
- Geography: Area - 18,700 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Haiti, Puerto Rico
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - President Hipolito Mejia (since Aug. 16, 2000)
- Capital - Santo Domingo (3,599,000)
- Local Divisions - 29 provinces, 1 national district
- Spending - (Defense) $2.4 bil./$3.0 bil
- Economy: Industries - Sugar processing, cement, tourism
- Minerals and Other Resources - nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
- Arable Land - 21%
- Labor - 58.7% ser. and gov't; 24.3% ind.; 17% agric.
- Per Capita GNP - $5,400
- Imports and Exports - $8.2 bil. and $5.1 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - US, Venezuela, Belgium
- Communications: Telephones - 820,900 main lines
- Radios - 154 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 97 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 34.67 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 71.34 - male; 75.64 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 2.01%
- Literacy - 82%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAS
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- People: Population Density - 82 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Estonian (65%); Russian (28%)
- Languages - Estonian - official; Russian
- Religions - Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox
- Geography: Area - 17,400 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Russia, Latvia
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Mart Laar
(Mar. 25, 1999)
- Capital - Tallinn (408, 329)
- Local Divisions - 15 counties
- Spending - (Defense) $88 mil./$1.37 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Shipbuilding, electric motors,
cement
- Minerals and Other Resources - Shale oil, peat,
phosphorite, dairy products
- Arable Land - 25%
- Labor - 69% services; 20% ind.; 11% agric. and forestry
- Per Capita GNP - $5,600
- Imports and Exports - $3.4 bil. and $2.5 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - Finland, Russia, Sweden
- Communications: Telephones - 522,800 main lines
- Radios - NA
- Televisions - 411 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 12.62 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 63.72 - male; 76.06 - female
- Natural Population Increase - -.48%
- Literacy - 100%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), OSCE
- National Website
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- People: Population Density - 123 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Mestizo (55%); Ameridian (25%); Spanish (10%); Black (10%)
- Languages - Spanish - official; Quechua, other Ameridian
- Religions - Roman Catholic (95%)
- Geography: Area - 106,800 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Colombia, Peru
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - President Gustavo Noboa Bejarano (since Jan. 22, 2000)
- Capital - Quito (1,754,000)
- Local Divisions - 21 provinces
- Spending - (Defense) $400 mil./$5.1 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Oil, food processing, metalwork, textiles
- Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, forests, seafood
- Arable Land - 6%
- Labor - 30% agric.; 25% ind.; 45% serv.
- Per Capita GNP - $4,300
- Imports and Exports - $2.8 bil. and $4.1 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - US, Colombia
- Communications: Telephones - 1,265,200 main lines
- Radios - 277 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 79 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 34.08 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 68.52 - male; 74.28 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 2.06%
- Literacy - 90%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF,IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAS
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- People: Population Density - 153 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Oromo (40%); Amhara and
Tigrean (32%); Sidamo(9%)
- Languages - Amharic - official; Tigrinya; Orominga
- Religions - Muslim (45- 50%); Ethiopian Orthodox
(35- 40%); Animist (12%)
- Geography: Area - 431, 800 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea
- Government: Type - Federal Republic
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi (since Aug. 23, 1995)
- Capital - Addis Ababa (2,639,000)
- Local Divisions - 9 states, 2 chartered cities
- Spending - (Defense) $457 mil./$1.48 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Food processing, chemicals,
textiles
- Minerals and Other Resources - Platnium, gold, copper
- Arable Land - 12%
- Labor - 80% agric.
- Per Capita GNP - $560
- Imports and Exports - $1.25 bil. and $420 mil.
- Major Trading Partners - Italy, US, Germany, Japan
- Communications: Telephones - 231,900 main lines
- Radios - 153 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 4 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 99.96 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 43.88 - male; 45.51 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 2.68%
- Literacy - 35%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), OAU
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- People: Population Density - 181 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptian, Bedouin, Berber) (99%)
- Languages - Arabic - official; English; French
- Religions - Muslim (mostly Sunni) (94%); Coptic Christian and other (6%)
- Geography: Area - 383,900 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Libya, Sudan, Israel, Gaza Strip (Palestine)
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Atef Obeid (since Oct. 5, 1999)
- Capital - Cairo (10,552,000)
- Local Divisions - 26 governorates
- Spending - (Defense) $2.5 bil./$20.8 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Textiles, tourism, chemcials, oil, food processing, cement
- Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, gas, phosphates, gypsum, iron, manganese, limestone
- Arable Land - 2%
- Labor - 38% serv. and gov't.; 40% agric.; 22% ind.
- Per Capita GNP - $3,000
- Imports and Exports - $15.8 bil. and $4.6 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - US, EU
- Communications: Telephones - 5,483,600 main lines
- Radios - 312 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 127 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 60.46 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 61.62 - male; 65.85 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 1.72%
- Literacy - 51%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), AL, OAU
- National Website
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- People: Population Density - 120 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Fijian (51%); Indian (44%)
- Languages - English - official; Fijian; Hindustani
- Religions - Christian (52%); Hindu (38%); Muslim (8%)
- Geography: Area - 7,00 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Vanuatu, Tonga
- Government: Type - In Transition
- Head of Government - NA
- Capital - Suva (196,000)
- Local Divisions - 4 divisions comprising 14
provinces and 1 dependency
- Spending - (Defense) NA
- Economy: Industries - Sugar refining, light industry,
tourism
- Minerals and Other Resources - Gold, copper, timber, fish
- Arable Land - 10%
- Labor - 67% agric.
- Per Capita GNP - $7,300
- Imports and Exports - $612 mil. and $393 mil.
- Major Trading Partners - Australia, New Zealand, UK
- Communications: Telephones - 81,500 main lines
- Radios - 561 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 89 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 14.08 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 65.83 - male; 70.78 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 1.76%
- Literacy - 91%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), the Commonwealth
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- People: Population Density - 781 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Mestizo (94%); Amerindian (5%)
- Languages - Spanish - official
- Religions - Roman Catholic (75%); many Protestant groups
- Geography: Area - 8,000 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Guatemala, Honduras
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - President Francisco Flores (since June 1, 1999)
- Capital - San Salvador (1,408,000)
- Local Divisions - 14 departments
- Spending - (Defense) $112 mil./$1.82 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Food and beverages, oil products, chemicals
- Minerals and Other Resources - Hydropower
- Arable Land - 27%
- Labor - 55% serv.; 30% agric.; 15% ind.
- Per Capita GNP - $3,100
- Imports and Exports - $4.15 bil. and $2.15 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - US and Guatemala
- Communications: Telephones - 570,000 main lines
- Radios - 373 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 91 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 28.4 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 66.43 - male; 73.81 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 2.25%
- Literacy - 71%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAS
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- People: Population Density - 44 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Finn (93%); Swede (6%)
- Languages - Finnish, Swedish - both official
- Religions - Evangelical Lutheran (89%)
- Geography: Area - 117,800 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Norway, Sweden, Russia
- Government: Type - Constitutional Monarchy
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Paavo
Lipponen (since Apr. 13, 1995)
- Capital - Helsinki (1,167,000)
- Local Divisions - 6 laanit (provinces)
- Spending - (Defense) $1.67 bil./$40 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Metal prods., shipbuilding,
wood processing, chemicals, textiles
- Minerals and Other Resources - Copper, iron,
silver, zinc, timber, dairy prod.
- Arable Land - 8%
- Labor - 46% ind., commerce, finance; 32% public
serv.; 8% agric. and forestry
- Per Capita GNP - $21,000
- Imports and Exports - $30.7 bil. and $43 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - EU, US, Russia
- Communications: Telephones - 2.831,000 main lines
- Radios - 1,385 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 535 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 3.79 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 73.92 - male; 81.36 - female
- Natural Population Increase - .09%
- Literacy - 100%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO,
IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), EU, OECD, OSCE
- National Website
- External Territories
- Aland or Ahvenanmaa: an autonomous
province, a group of small islands in
the Gulf of Bothnia, 25 mi. from
Sweden, 15 mi. from Finland. Mariehamn is
the principal port.
(Area: 590 sq. mi.)
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- People: Population Density - 45 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Fang (83%); Bubi (10%)
- Languages - Spanish, french - both official; Fang; Bubi
- Religions - Predominantly Roman Catholic
- Geography: Area - 10,800 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Gabon, Cameroon
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Candido Muatetema Rivas (since Mar. 4, 2001)
- Capital - Malabo (30,000)
- Local Divisions - 7 provinces
- Spending - (Defense) $11 mil./$43 mil.
- Economy: Industries - Oil, fishing, sawmilling
- Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, timber
- Arable Land - 5%
- Labor - NA
- Per Capita GNP - $2,000
- Imports and Exports - $300 mil. and $555 mil.
- Major Trading Partners - US, Spain
- Communications: Telephones - 5,600 main lines
- Radios - 464 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 88 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 92.9 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 51.89 - male; 56.07 - female
- Natural Population Increase - 2.46%
- Literacy - 78%
- International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), OAU
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- People: Population Density - 283 per sq. mi.
- Ethnic Groups - Celtic and Latin; Teutonic,
Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque
minorities
- Languages - French - official
- Religions - Roman Catholic (90%)
- Geography: Area - 210,400 sq. mi.
- Neighbors - Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany,
Luxembourg, Belgium
- Government: Type - Republic
- Head of Government - Prime Minister Lionel
Jospin (since June 3, 1997)
- Capital - Paris (9,624,000)
- Local Divisions - 22 administrative regions
containing 96 departments
- Spending - (Defense) $27 bil./$265 bil.
- Economy: Industries - Steel, chemicals, textiles,
tourism, wine, perfume, aircraft, machinery, electronics
- Minerals and Other Resources - Bauxite, iron,
coal, timber, dairy
- Arable Land - 33%
- Labor - 69% services; 26% ind.; 5% agric.
- Per Capita GNP - $23,300
- Imports and Exports - $280.8 bil. and $304.7 bil.
- Major Trading Partners - Germany, UK, Italy, US
- Communications: Telephones - 34,114,000 main lines
- Radios - 943 per 1,000 people
- Televisions - 606 per 1,000 people
- Social Services: Infant Mortality - 4.46 per 1,000
- Life Expectancy at Birth - 75.01 - male; 83.01 - female
- Natural Population Increase - .3%
- Literacy - 99%
- International Organization Memberships: UN and
most of its specialized agencies, EU, NATO, OECD,
OSCE
- National Website
- Overseas Provinces
- French Guiana: Along the NE coast of South
America. Guiana sends one senator and 2
deputies to the French Parliament and is
administered by a prefect and a Council
General of 16 elected members. Thick forests
cover 88% of the land and the most important
industries are fishing (shrimping), forestry
and gold mining.
(Area: 34,400; Pop: 177,562; Capital: Cayenne)
- Guadeloupe: Consists of two large islands in the
West Indies that are separated by the
Salt River, along with several smaller islands
including St. Martin. The department is
represented by 2 senators and 4 deputies in the
French Parliament. It is a popular tourist
attraction and the chief exports are rum,
bananas and sugar.
(Area: 687 sq. mi.; Pop: 431,170)
- Martinque: Northermost Windward Island, in the
West Indies and is represented in the
French Parliament by 2 senators and 4
deputies. It is a popular tourist attraction
and the chief exports are bananas, rum and
petroleum products.
(Area: 436 sq. mi.; Pop: 418,454; Capital: Fort-de-France)
- Reunion: A volcanic island in the Indian Ocean
and 30% of the islands population is of French
heritage. It is represented in the French
Parliament by 5 deputies and 3 senators
and sugar is the primary export.
(Area: 970 sq. mi.; Pop: 732,570; Capital: Saint- Denis)
- Overseas Territorial Collectivites
- Corsica: In the Mediteranean N of Sardina that
comprises 2 departments. It elects 2 senators
and 3 deputies to the French Parliament.
Violence by separatists on the island has
hurt tourism, but it is still the island's
leading industry.
(Area: 3,369 sq. mi.; Pop: 258,000; Capital: Ajaccio)
- Mayotte: Voted in 1976 to become a territorial
collectivity of France. Island is NW of
Madagascar.
(Area: 144 sq. mi.; Pop: 163,366; Capital: Mamoutzou)
- St. Pierre and Miquelon: Since 1985 have elected
a deputy and a senator to the French
Parliament. Consists of 2 groups of rocky
islands near the SW coast of New
Foundland, inhabited by fisherman. The main export
is fish products.
(Area: 93 sq. mi; Pop: 6,928; Capital: St. Pierre)
- Overseas Territories
- French Polynesia: Comprises 130 islands widely
scattered among 5 archipelagos in the South
Pacific that are administered by a Council
of Ministers, headed by a President, who
meet in Tahiti.
(Area: 1,400 sq. mi; Pop: 253,506)
- Adelie Land: Territory of the French Southern
and Antarctic Lands, including 4 island groups
in the Indian Ocean. Islands include
Kergielen Archipelago, Crozel Archipelago, Saint
Paul and French Amsterdam and their main
industries are cod and rock lobster fishing
and tourism. The area on Antarctica holds
a research
station.
- New Caledonia: A group of islands in the Pacific
Ocean, about 1,115 mi. E of Australia.
Dependencies included are Loyalty Islands, Isle
of Pines, Belep Archipelago and Huon Islands.
Mining is the chief industry (nickel) and
there is a popularly elected congress elected
as well as 1 senator for the
French Parliament. Beginning in 1998, a joint-
sovereignty agreement was signed for the next
20 years, at which point New Caledonia
will become independent of France.
(Area: 8,548; Pop: 204,863)
- Wallis and Futuna Islands: 2 islands groups in
the SW Pacific, N of Fiji. Alofi, which is
attached to Futuna is uninhabited. Chief products
include copra, yams, taro roots, bananas and
coconuts. A senator and a deputy are
elected to the French Parliament.
(Area: 106 sq. mi.; Pop: 15,435; Capital: Mata- Utu)
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