Country Profiles
(Papua New Guinea thru St. Lucias)

Papua New Guinea

Qatar
People: Population Density - 29 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Papuan, Melanesian
Languages - English - official; Motu, 715 indigenous languages
Religions - Indigenous beliefs (34%); Roman Catholic (22%); Lutheran (16%)
Geography: Area - 174,200 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Indonesia, Australia
Government: Type - Parliamentary democracy
Head of Government - Prime Minister Mekere Morauta (since July 14, 1999)
Capital - Port Moresby (193,242)
Local Divisions - 20 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $36 mil./ $1.35 bil.
Economy: Industries - Wood products, mining, oil
Minerals and Other Resources - Gold, copper, silver
Arable Land - NA
Labor - NA
Per Capita GNP - $2,500
Imports and Exports - $1 bil. and $1.9 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Australia, Japan, Singapore, Germany
Communications: Telephones - 64,800 main lines
Radios - 68 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 23 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 58.21 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 61.39 - male; 65.64 - female
Natural Population Increase - 2.43%
Literacy - 72%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), the Commonwealth, APEC
National Website
People: Population Density - 181 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Arab (40%); Pakistani (18%); Indian (18%); Iranian (10%)
Languages - Arabic - official; English
Religions - Muslim (95%)
Geography: Area - 4,200 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Saudi Arabia
Government: Type - Traditional monarchy
Head of Government - Prime Minister Abdullah bin Khalifa ath- Thani (since Oct. 29, 1996)
Capital - Doha (391,000)
Local Divisions - 9 municipalities
Spending - (Defense) $1.3 bil./ $4.3 bil.
Economy: Industries - Oil production and refining, petro- chemcials, cement
Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, gas
Arable Land - 10%
Labor - NA
Per Capita GNP - $17,000
Imports and Exports - $4.2 bil. and $6.7 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Japan, UK, France, Singapore, South Korea
Communications: Telephones - 160,200 main lines
Radios - 332 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 451 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 21.44 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 70.16 - male; 75.21 - female
Natural Population Increase - 1.17%
Literacy - 79%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), AL, OPEC
National Website

Paraguay

Romania
People: Population Density - 37 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Mestizo (95%); white and Amerindian (5%)
Languages - Spanish - official; Guarani
Religions - Roman Catholic (90%)
Geography: Area - 153,200 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - President Luis Angel Gonzalez Macchi (since Mar. 28, 1999)
Capital - Asuncion (1,262,000)
Local Divisions - 18 departments and capital city
Spending - (Defense) $83 mil./ $1.66 bil.
Economy: Industries - Textiles, cement
Minerals and Other Resources - Iron, manganese, limestone, forests
Arable Land - 6%
Labor - 45% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $3,650
Imports and Exports - $3.2 bil. and $3.1 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Brazil, US, Argentina, EU
Communications: Telephones - 268,100 main lines
Radios - 141 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 144 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 29.78 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 71.44 - male; 76.52 - female
Natural Population Increase - 2.61%
Literacy - 92%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OAS
People: Population Density - 252 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Romanian (89.1%); Hungarian (8.9%)
Languages - Romanian - official; Hungarian, German
Religions - Romanian Orthodox (70%); Roman Catholic (6%); Protestant (6%)
Geography: Area - 88,800 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Adrian Nastase (since Dec. 28, 2000)
Capital - Bucharest (2,054,000)
Local Divisions - 40 counties, 1 municipality
Spending - (Defense) $607 mil./ $11.7 bil.
Economy: Industries - Mining, timber, construction materials, metals, machinery, oil products, chemcials, food processing
Minerals and Other Resources - Oil, gas, coal, iron, timber
Arable Land - 41%
Labor - 36.5% agric.; 34.4 ind.; 29.1% services
Per Capita GNP - $3,900
Imports and Exports - $9.6 bil. and $8.4 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Italy, Germany, France
Communications: Telephones - 3,899,200 main lines
Radios - 198 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 201 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 19.36 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 66.36 - male; 74.19 - female
Natural Population Increase - -.15%
Literacy - 97%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), OSCE
National Website

Peru

Russia
People: Population Density - 56 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Amerindian (45%); Mestizo (37%); white (15%)
Languages - Spanish, Quechua - both official; Aymara
Religions - Roman Catholic
Geography: Area - 493,600 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Roberto Danino (since July 28, 2001)
Capital - Lima (7,443,000)
Local Divisions - 12 regions, 24 departments, 1 constitutional province
Spending - (Defense) 2.2% of GDP
Economy: Industries - Fishing, mining, food processing, textiles
Minerals and Other Resources - Copper, silver, gold, iron, oil, wool, fish
Arable Land - 3%
Labor - NA
Per Capita GNP - $4,400
Imports and Exports - $8.4 bil. and $5.9 bil.
Major Trading Partners - US, Colombia, China
Communications: Telephones - 1,635,900 main lines
Radios - 221 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 85 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 39.39 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 67.9 - male; 72.81 - female
Natural Population Increase - 1.81%
Literacy - 89%
International Organization Memberships: UN and all its specialized agencies, APEC, OAS
People: Population Density - 22 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Russian (81.5%); Tatar (3.8%)
Languages - Russian - official; many others
Religions - Russian Orthodox, Muslim, others
Geography: Area - 6,585,000 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, North Korea, Poland, Lithuania
Government: Type - Federal republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov (since May 17, 2000)
Capital - Moscow (9,321,000)
Local Divisions - 21 autonomous republics, 68 autonomous territories and regions
Spending - (Defense) $29 bil./ $63 bil.
Economy: Industries - Steel, machinery, machine tools, vehicles, chemcials, mining, footwear, textiles, appliances, paper
Minerals and Other Resources - Manganese, mercury, potash, bauxite, cobalt, chromium, copper, coal, gold, lead, molybdenum, nickel, phosphates, silver, tin, tungsten, zinc, oil, gas, iron, potassium, forests
Arable Land - 8%
Labor - 55% services; 30% ind.; 15% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $4,200
Imports and Exports - $48.2 bil. and $75.4 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Germany, US, Belarus, Ukraine
Communications: Telephones - 32,070,000 main lines
Radios - 417 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 389 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 20.05 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 62.12 - male; 72.83 - female
Natural Population Increase - -.45%
Literacy - 99%
International Organization Memberships: UN (IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO), APEC, CIS, OSCE
National Website

Philippines

Rwanda
People: Population Density - 720 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Christian Malay (92%); Muslim Malay (4%)
Languages - Philino, English - both official
Religions - Roman Catholic (83%); Protestant (9%); Muslim (5%)
Geography: Area - 115,000 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (since Jan. 20, 2001)
Capital - Manila (NA)
Local Divisions - 72 provinces, 61 charatered cities
Spending - (Defense) $1.3 bil./ $12.6 bil.
Economy: Industries - Food processing, textiles, chemcials, pharmaceuticals, wood products
Minerals and Other Resources - Cobalt, copper, gold, nickel, silver, oil, forests (46% of area)
Arable Land - 19%
Labor - 39.8% agric.; 19.4% gov't and social services; 17.7% services
Per Capita GNP - $3,600
Imports and Exports - $30.7 bil. and $34.8 bil.
Major Trading Partners - US, Japan, EU, South Korea
Communications: Telephones - 3,000,000 main lines
Radios - 113 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 109 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 28.7 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 64.96 - male; 70.79 - female
Natural Population Increase - 2.13%
Literacy - 95%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, OBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), ASEAN
National Website
People: Population Density - 760 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Hutu (80%); Tutsi (19%); Twa (Pygmoid) (1%)
Languages - French, Kinyarwanda, English - all official
Religions - Roman Catholic (65%); indigenous beliefs (25%)
Geography: Area - 9,600 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Uganda, Congo, Burndi, Tanzania
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Bernard Makuza (since Mar. 8, 2000)
Capital - Kigalo (369,000)
Local Divisions - 12 prefectures subdivided into 155 communes
Spending - (Defense) $125 mil./ $319 mil.
Economy: Industries - Mining, cement
Minerals and Other Resources - Tin, gold, wolframite
Arable Land - 35%
Labor - 90% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $720
Imports and Exports - $242 mil. and $70.8 mil.
Major Trading Partners - Kenya, Tanzania, US, Brazil, Germany, Belgium
Communications: Telephones - 17,600 main lines
Radios - 78.4 per 1,000 people
Televisions - NA
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 118.92 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 38.35 - male; 39.65 - female
Natural Population Increase - 1.28%
Literacy - 60%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, WHO, WTrO), OAU

Poland

St. Kitts and Nevis
People: Population Density - 329 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Polish (98%)
Languages - Polish - official
Religions - Roman Catholic (95%)
Geography: Area - 117,400 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithiania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek (since Oct. 31, 1997)
Capital - Warsaw (1,632.500)
Local Divisions - 16 provinces
Spending - (Defense) $3.4 bil./ $38.3 bil.
Economy: Industries - Shipbuilding, coal mining, chemicals, metals, machinery, food processing
Minerals and Other Resources - Coal, copper, silver, lead, sulfur, natural gas
Arable Land - 47%
Labor - 50% sevices; 25% ind.; 25% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $7,200
Imports and Exports - $40.8 bil. and $27.8 bil.
Major Trading Partners - Germany, Italy, France
Communications: Telephones - 10,945,600 main lines
Radios - 522.6 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 414 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 9.39 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 69.26 - male; 77.82 - female
Natural Population Increase - .02%
Literacy - 99%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), NATO, OECD, OSCE
National Website
People: Population Density - 373 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Black
Languages - English - official
Religions - Protestant
Geography: Area - 104 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Antigua, Barbuda
Government: Type - Constitutional monarchy
Head of Government - Prime Minister Dezil Llewellyn Douglas (since July 7, 1995)
Capital - Basseterre (12,600)
Local Divisions - 14 parishes
Spending - (Defense) NA
Economy: Industries - Sugar (main industry), tourism
Minerals and Other Resources - NA
Arable Land - 22%
Labor - NA
Per Capita GNP - $6,000
Imports and Exports - $160 mil. and $42 mil.
Major Trading Partners - US, UK, Caricom countries
Communications: Telephones - 20,100 main lines
Radios - 659 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 241 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 16.28 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 68.22 - male; 73.97 - female
Natural Population Increase - .96%
Literacy - 90%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, WHO, WTrO), Caricom, the Commonwealth, OAS, OECS

Portugal

St. Lucia
People: Population Density - 285 per 1,000 people
Ethnic Groups - Homogenous Mediterranean stock, small African minority
Languages - Portugese - official
Religions - Roman Catholic (97%)
Geography: Area - 35,300 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Spain
Government: Type - Republic
Head of Government - Prime Minister Antonio Guterres (since Oct. 30, 1995)
Capital - Lisbon (3,826,000)
Local Divisions - 18 districts, 2 autonomous regions
Spending - (Defense) $1.6 bil./ $52 bil.
Economy: Industries - Textiles, footwear, cork, wood pulp, chemcials, fish canning, metal working, oil refining, wine, paper
Minerals and Other Resources - Tungsten, uranium, iron, forests (world leader in cork production)
Arable Land - 26%
Labor - 60% services; 30% ind.; 10% agric.
Per Capita GNP - $15,300
Imports and Exports - $34.9 bil. and $25 bil.
Major Trading Partners - EU
Communications: Telephones - 4,229,800 main lines
Radios - 306 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 523 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 5.94 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 72.44 - male; 79.68 - female
Natural Population Increase - .13%
Literacy - 90%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, IBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), EU, NATO, OECD, OSCE
National Website
External Territories and Dependencies
Azores Islands: Located in the Atlantic Ocean, 740 mi W of Portugal. A 1951 agreement gave the US rights to use defense facilities on the islands. Declined partial autonomy in 1976.
(Area: 868 sq. mi.; Pop: 238,000)
Madeira Islands: Located 350 mi. off the NW coast of Africa. Declined partial autonomy in 1976.
(Area: 306 sq. mi.; Pop: 437,312)
People: Population Density - 659 per sq. mi.
Ethnic Groups - Black (90%)
Languages - English - official; French patois
Religions - Roman Catholic (90%); Protestant (7%)
Geography: Area - 240 sq. mi.
Neighbors - Martinique, St. Vincent
Government: Type - Parliamentary democracy
Head of Government - Prime Minister Kenny Anthony (since May 24, 1997)
Capital - Castries (57,000)
Local Divisions - 11 quarters
Spending - (Defense) NA
Economy: Industries - Clothing, beverages, tourism
Minerals and Other Resources - Forests
Arable Land - 8%
Labor - 43.4% agric.; 38.9% services; 17.7% ind.
Per Capita GNP - $4,300
Imports and Exports - $290 mil. and $75 mil.
Major Trading Partners - US, Caricom countries, UK
Communications: Telephones - 44,500 main lines
Radios - 619 per 1,000 people
Televisions - 172 per 1,000 people
Social Services: Infant Mortality - 15.22 per 1,000
Life Expectancy at Birth - 69.0 - male; 76.39 - female
Natural Population Increase - 1.64%
Literacy - 80%
International Organization Memberships: UN (FAO, OBRD, ILO, IMF, IMO, WHO, WTrO), Caricom, the Commonwealth, OAS, OECS
Back to the Country Index
Back to Index Bulletin Board Index Email the Webmaster