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Country Profiles
(Afghanistan thru The Bahamas)

Afghanistan

Argentina
People: Population Density - 107 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Pashtun (38%); Tajik (25%); Hazara (19%); Uzbek (6%)
Languages - Pashtu (35%), Afghan Persian (Dari) (50%) - both official; Turkic (11%)
Religions - Sunni Muslim (84%); Shi'a Muslim (15%)
Geography: Area - 249,700 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China
Government: Type - In Transition
Head of Government - NA
Capital - Kabul (2,590,000)
Local Divisions - 32 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $250 mill/NA
Economy: Industries - Textiles, soap, furniture, cement
Minerals and Other Resources - Gas, oil, copper, coal, zinc, iron, wool, karakul, pelts, multon
Arable Land - 12%
Labor - 68% agric.; 16% industry
Per Capita GNP - $800
Imports and Exports - $150 mil. and $80 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Japan, EU
Communications: Telephones - 29,000 main lines
Radios - 73.7 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 10 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 147.02 per 1,0000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 46.97 male; 45.47 female
Natural Population Increase - 2.37%
Literacy - 31.5%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, WHO)
National Website
People: Population Density - 35 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - White (85%) - mostly Spanish and Italian; Mestizo, Amerindian, other non- whites (15%)
Languages - Spanish - official; English; Italian
Religions - Nominally Roman Catholic (90%)
Geography: Area - 1,055,400 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - NA
Capital - Buenos Aires (12,560,000)
Local Divisions - 23 provinces, 1 federal district
Spending - (Defense) $3.8 bil./$60 bil.
Economy: Industries - Food processing autos, chemicals, textiles, printing
Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, lead, sinc, iron, copper, tin, uranium
Arable Land - 9%
Labor - NA
Per Capita GNP - $10,000
Imports and Exports - $25 bil and $23 bil.
Major Trading Partners - EU, Brazil, US
Communications: Telephones - 7,894,200 main lines
Radios - 595 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 289 per 1,0000
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 17.75 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 71.88 male; 78.82 female
Natural Population Increase - 1.08%
Literacy - 96%
International Organization Memberships: UN (DAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAS

Albania

Armenia
People: Population Density - 332 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Albanians (95%); Greeks (3%)
Languages - Albanian - official; Greek
Religions - Muslim (70%); Albanian Orthodox (20%); Roman Catholic (10%)
Geography: Area - 10,600 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Greece, Yugoslavia, Macedonia
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Ilir Meta (since Oct. 29, 1999)
Capital - Tirana (279,000)
Local Divisions - 36 districts, 1 municipality
Spending - (Defense) $43 mil./$996 mil.
Economy: Industries - Cement, textiles, food processing
Minerals and Other Resources - Chromium, coal, oil, gas, timber
Arable Land - 21%
Labor - 49.5% agric.; 50.5% industry and services
Per Capita GNP - $1,650
Imports and Exports - $925 mil. and $242 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Italy and Greece
Communications: Telephones - 140,000
Radios - 157 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 89 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 39.99 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 69.01 male; 74.87 female
Natural Population Increase - 1.25%
Literacy - 100%
International Organization Memberships: UN (IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), OSCE
National Website
Additional Website
People: Population Density - 290 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Armenian (93%); Azeri (3%); Russian
(2%); Kurd and others (2%)
Languages - Armenian - official
Religions - Armenian Orthodox (94%)
Geography: Area - 11,500 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Georgia, Iran, Turkey
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Andranik Markarian
(since May 12, 2000)
Capital - Yerevan (1,284,000)
Local Divisions - 10 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $96 mil./$424 mil.
Economy: Industries - Manufacturing, machinery,
chemicals (Most industry is shut down)
Minerals and Other Resources - Copper, gold, zinc
Arable Land - 17%
Labor - 55% agric.; 25% services
Per Capita GNP - $2,700
Imports - $782 mil. and $240 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Russia, Turkmenistan
Communications: Telephones - 547,300
Radios - NA
Televisions - 241 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 41.27 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 62.12 - male; 71.08 - female
Natural Population Increase - 17%
Literacy - 99%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, WHO), CIS, OSCE

Algeria

Australia
People: Population Density - 35 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Arab-Berber (99%)
Languages - Arabic - official; French; Berber dialects
Religions - Sunni Muslim - state religion (99%)
Geography: Area - 918,500,00 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya,
Tunisia
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Ali Benflis
(since Aug. 26, 2000)
Capital - Algiers (El Djazair) (1,885,000)
Local Divisions - 48 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $1.8bil./$14.4 bil.
Economy: Industries - Oil, natural gas,
light industries, food processing
Minerals and Other Resources - Iron, oil, gas, phosphates,
zinc, lead
Arable Land - 3%
Labor - 30% gov't; 27% industry, service, commerce; 22% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $4,700
Imports and Exports - $9.3 bil. and $13.7 bil.
Major Trading Partners - France, Italy, USA
Communications: Telephones - 1,761,300
Radios - 122 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 71 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 40.56 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 68.6 male; 71.34 female
Natural Population Increase - 1.75%
Literacy - 62%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), AL, OAU,
OPEC
People: Population Density - 7 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Caucasian (92%); Asian (7%); aboriginal
and other (1%)
Languages - English - official; Aboriginal langauges
Religions - Anglican (26%); Roman Catholic (26%);
Other Christian (24%)
Geography: Area - 2,937,800 sq. mi.
Neighbors - nearest are Indonesia, Papua New Guinea,
Solomons, Fiji, New Zealand
Government: Type - Democratic, federal state
system
Head of Government - Prime Minister John Howard
(since Mar. 11, 1996)
Capital - Canberra
Local Divisions - 6 states, 2 territories
Spending - (Defense) $7.1 bil./$89.04 bil.
Economy: Industries - Mining, steel, industrial
and transportation equip., chemicals, food processing
Minerals and Other Resources - Bauxite, coal, copper,
iron, lead, tin, uranium, zinc, wool, beef
Arable Land - 6%
Labor - 73% services; 22% industry; 5% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $22,200
Imports and Exports - $67 bil. and $58 bil.
Major Trading Partners - EU, US, Japan
Communications: Telephones - 10,040,000 mail lines
Radios - 1,120 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 639 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 4.97 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 77.02 - male; 82.87 - female
Natural Population Increase - .57%
Literacy - 100%
International Organization Memberships: UN and all of its specialized agencies, APEC, the Commonwealth, OECD
External Territories
Norfolk Is.: Many of the Inhabitants are
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, moved to Norfolk in 1856 from Pitcairn Isl.
Australia offered the island limited home rule in 1978.
(area: 13.3. sq. mi.)(population: 2,209)
Coral Sea Is. Territory: Is administered from
Norfolk Is.
Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Is.: In the Indian
ocean, came under Australian authority in 1934 and are
administered as part of the Northern Territory.
(area: 2 sq. mi.)
Heard Is. and McDonald Is.: Are administered
by the Dept. of Science.
(area: 159 sq. mi.)
Cocos (Keeling) Is.: 27 small coral islands in
the Indian ocean, 1,750 mi. NW of Australia. The residents voted to
be part of Australia on April 1984.
(area: 5.5 sq. mi.) (population: 609)
Christmas Is.: 230 mi. south of Java, was
transferred by the British in 1958. It has phosphate despoits.
(area: 52 sq. mi.) (population: 813)
Australian Antaractic Territory: Claimed in 1933.
(area: 2,362,000 sq. mi.)
National Website
Australian Gov’t Website

Andorra

Austria
People: Population Density - 389 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Spanish (61%); Andorran (30%); French (6%)
Languages - Catalan - official; French; Castilian
Religions - Predominently Roman Catholic
Geography: Area -174 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Spain, France
Government: Type - Parliamentary co- principality
Head of Government - Marc Fome’ Molne’ (since Dec. 21, 1994)
Capital - Andorra la Vella (25,000)
Local Divisions - 7 parishes
Spending - (Defense) responsibilty of Spain and France
Economy: Industries - Tourism, sheep, timber, tobacco
Minerals and Other Resources - Iron, lead
Arable Land - 2%
Labor - 72% serv.; 21% ind.
Per Capita GNP - $18,000
Imports and Exports - $1.077 bil. and $58 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Spain, France
Communications: Telephones - 34,200 mail lines
Radios - 156 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 315 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 4.08 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 80.57 - male; 86.57 - female
Natural Population Increase - .49%
Literacy - 100%
International Organization Memberships: UN
National Website
People: Population Density - 255 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - German (99%); Croatian, Slovene
Languages - German - official
Religions - Roman Catholic (78%); Protestant (5%)
Geography: Area - 31,900 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Switzerland, Lietchenstein, Germany,
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy
Government: Type - Parloamentary democracy
Head of Government - Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel
(since Feb. 4, 2000)
Capital - Vienna (2,070,000)
Local Divisions - 9 bundeslaender (states), each with a legislature
Spending - (Defense) $1.5 bil/$55.9 bil
Economy: Industries - Machinery, autos,
tourism, paper, chemicals, food
Minerals and Other Resources - Iron ore, oil,
magnesite, forests, hydropower
Arable Land - 17%
Labor - 68% services; 29% ind. and crafts
Per Capita GNP - $23,400
Imports and Exports - $69.9 bil and $62.9 bil.
Major Trading Partners - EU
Communications: Telephones - 3,889,000
mail lines
Radios - 744 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 496 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 4.44 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 74.68 - male; 81.15 - female
Natural Population Increase - .01%
Literacy - 100%
International Organization Memberships: EU, OECD, OSCE, UN and all its specialized agencies
National Website

Angola

Azerbaijan
People: Population Density - 22 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Ovimbundu (37%); Kimbundu (25%); Bakongo (13%)
Languages - Portugese - official; various Bantu and other African languages
Religions - Indigenous belifes (47%); Roman Catholic (38%)l Protestant (15%)
Geography: Area - 480,800 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Namibia, Zambia, Congo- Kinshasa (formerly Zaire); Cabinda, Congo- Brazzaville
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - President Jose’ Eduardo dos Santos (since Sept. 20, 1979)
Capital - Luanda (2,677,000)
Local Divisions - 18 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $542 mil./NA
Economy: Industries - Food processing, textiles, mining, brewing, oil
Minerals and Other Resources - Iron, diamonds, gold, phosphates, oil
Arable Land - 2%
Labor - 85% agric.; 15% industry and services
Per Capita GNP - $1,030
Imports and Exports - $3 bil. and $5 bil.
Major Trading Partners - US, Portugal, South Africa, Benelux
Communications: Telephones - 69,700 main lines
Radios - 39 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 48 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 193.72 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 37.36 - male; 39.87 female
Natural Population Increase - 2.19%
Literacy - 40%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAU
National Webiste
People: Population Density - 233 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Azen (90%); Dagestani Peoples (3%); Russinan (3%); Armenian (2%)
Languages - Azeri - official (89%); Russian (3%); Armenian (2%)
Religions - Muslim (93%); Orthodox (5%)
Geography: Area - 33,400 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Russia, Georgia, Iran, Armenia, Caspian Sea
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Artur Rasizade (since Nov. 26, 1996)
Capital - Baku (1,936,000)
Local Divisions - 59 rayons, 11 cities, 1 autonomous republic
Spending - (Defense) $119 mil/$682 mil
Economy: Industries - oil refining, chemicals, textiles
Minerals and Other Resources - oil, gas, iron
Arable Land - 18%
Labor - 53% services; 32% agric. and forestry; 15% indu., const.
Per Capita GNP - $1,770.
Imports and Exports - $1.62 bil and $885 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Turkey, Russia
Communications: Telephones - 801, 200 main lines
Radios - NA
Televisions - 212 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 83.08 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 58.65 - male; 67.49 - female
Natural Population Increase - .89%
Literacy - 100%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), CIS, OSCE
National Website

Antigue and Barbuda

The Bahamas
People: Population Density - 395 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Primarily black
Languages - English - official
Religions - Predominantly Anglican
Geography: Area - 170 sq. mi.
Neighbors - St. Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe
Government: Type - Constitutional monarchy with British-
style parliament
Head of Government - Prime Minister Lester Bird
(since Mar. 9, 1994)
Capital - Saint John's (25,000)
Local Divisions - 6 parishes, 2 dependencies
Spending - (Defense) $4 mil./$141.2 mil.
Economy: Industries - Tourism, light manufacturing,
construction
Minerals and Other Resources - none
Arable Land - 18%
Labor - 82% comm. and services; 11% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $8,200
Imports and Exports - $330 mil. and $38 mil.
Major Trading Partners - US, UK, OECS, Barbados
Communications: Telephones - 38,300 main
lines
Radios - 776 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 435 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 22.33 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 68.45 male; 73.14 female
Natural Population Increase - 1.36%
Literacy - 90%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), Caricom, the Commonwealth, OAS, OECS
National Website
People: Population Density - 77 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Black (85%); white (15%)
Languages - English - official; crep;e
Religions - Baptist (32%); Anglican (20%); Roman Catholic (19%); other Christian (24%)
Geography: Area - 3,900 sq. mi.
Neighbors - United States, Cuba
Government: Type - Independent Commonwealth
Head of Government - Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham (since Aug. 21, 1992)
Capital - Nassau (214,000)
Local Divisions - 21 districts
Spending - (Defense) $26 mil./$845 mil.
Economy: Industries - Tourism (more than 60% of GDP), rum, cement, banking, pharmaceuticals
Minerals and Other Resources - Salt, aragonite, lobsters, timber
Arable Land - 1%
Labor - 40% tourism; 50% sevice; 5% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $20,000
Imports and Exports - $1.74 bil. and $362.8 bil.
Major Trading Partners - US, Italy, Japan, Switerzland, UK
Communications: Telephones - 114,300 main lines
Radios - 282 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 179 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 17.03 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 67.27 - male; 73.71 - female
Natural Population Increase - 1.2%
Literacy - 98%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), Caricorn, the Commonwealth, OAS
National Website
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