The Project Gutenberg EBook of The 1996 CIA Factbook, by United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
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Title: The 1996 CIA Factbook
Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency.
Release Date: December 31, 2008 [EBook #27675]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 1996 CIA FACTBOOK ***
Produced by Al Haines
THE 1996 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
[Transcriber's note: At the time of the preparation of this file (December 2008), the various supplementary sections of the 1996 Factbook (Appendixes, Notes and Definitions, History, etc.) were no longer available. Users of this edition should refer to the Project Gutenberg's versions of the 1995 and 1997 Factbooks for those sections. Note that there may be changes in this material from year to year.]
A
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Arctic Ocean
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
B
The Bahamas
Bahrain
Baker Island
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bassas da India
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burma
Burundi
C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
D
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
E
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europa Island
F
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
G
Gabon
The Gambia
Gaza Strip
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
H
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City)
Honduras
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Hungary
I
Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
J
Jamaica
Jan Mayen
Japan
Jarvis Island
Jersey
Johnston Atoll
Jordan
Juan de Nova Island
K
Kazakstan
Kenya
Kingman Reef
Kiribati
Korea, North
Korea, South
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
L
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
M
Macau
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Man, Isle of
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States of
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
N
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
O
Oman
P
Pacific Ocean
Pakistan
Palau
Palmyra Atoll
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paracel Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Q
Qatar
R
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
S
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia and Montenegro
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Spain
Spratly Islands
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
T
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tromelin Island
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
V
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
W
Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara
Western Samoa
World
Y
Yemen
Z
Zaire
Zambia
Zimbabwe
=====================================================================
@Afghanistan —————-
Map —-
Location: 33 00 N, 65 00 E — Southern Asia, north of Pakistan
Flag ——
Geography ————-
Location: Southern Asia, north of Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total area: 647,500 sq km
land area: 647,500 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights; Iran supports clients in country, private Pakistani and Saudi sources also are active; power struggles among various groups for control of Kabul, regional rivalries among emerging warlords, traditional tribal disputes continue; support to Islamic fighters in Tajikistan's civil war; border dispute with Pakistan (Durand Line); support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 46%
forest and woodland: 3%
other: 39%
Irrigated land: 26,600 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much
of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building
materials); desertification
natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation
Geographic note: landlocked
People ———
Population: 22,664,136 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 4,972,469; female 4,784,900)
15-64 years: 54% (male 6,377,231; female 5,916,954)
65 years and over: 3% (male 325,808; female 286,774) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.78% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 43.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 18.16 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 22.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 149.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.85 years male: 46.43 years female: 45.24 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.14 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Ethnic divisions: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)
Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages
(primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily
Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 31.5%
male: 47.2%
female: 15%
Government —————
Name of country:
conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
Data code: AF
Type of government: transitional government
Capital: Kabul
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution: none
Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
Suffrage: undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Burhanuddin RABBANI (interim president
July-December 1992, president since 2 January 1993) was elected to a
two-year term (later amended by multi-party agreement to 18 months)
by a national shura (council); election last held 31 December 1992
(next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA; Vice President
Mohammad NABI MOHAMMADI (since NA) was appointed by the president;
note - in June 1994 failure to agree on a transfer mechanism
resulted in RABBANI's extending his term to 28 December 1994;
following the expiration of the term and while negotiations on the
formation of a new government go on, RABBANI continues in office
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI (since NA)
was appointed by President RABBANI as de facto prime minister, but
does not have any real authority; First Deputy Prime Minister
Qutbuddin HELAL (since 17 March 1993) and Deputy Prime Minister
Arsala RAHMANI (since 17 March 1993)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - term of present government
expired 28 December 1994; factional fighting since 1 January 1994
has kept government officers from actually occupying ministries and
discharging government responsibilities; the government's authority
to remove cabinet members, including the prime minister, following
Legislative branch: a unicameral parliament consisting of 205
members was chosen by a national shura (council) in January 1993;
non-functioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch: an interim Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has
been appointed by the president in consultation with the prime
minister, but a new court system has not yet been organized
Political parties and leaders: current political organizations
include Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society), Burhanuddin RABBANI,
Ahmad Shah MASOOD; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party), Gulbuddin
HIKMATYAR faction; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party), Yunis KHALIS
faction; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for
the Liberation of Afghanistan), Abdul Rasul SAYYAF;
Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement), Mohammad
Nabi MOHAMMADI; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan
National Liberation Front), Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI;
Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front), Sayed Ahamad GAILANI;
Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party), Abdul Karim
KHALILI; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party), Mohammad
Akbar AKBARI; Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement), Mohammed Asif
MOHSENI; Jumbesh-i-Milli Islami (National Islamic Movement), Abdul
Rashid DOSTAM; Taliban (Religious Students Movement), Mohammad OMAR
note: the former ruling Watan Party has been disbanded
Other political or pressure groups: the former resistance commanders are the major power brokers in the countryside and their shuras (councils) are now administering most cities outside Kabul; tribal elders and religious students are trying to wrest control from them; ulema (religious scholars); tribal elders; religious students (talib)
International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul RAHIM chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770, 3771 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516 consulate(s) general: New York consulate(s): Washington, DC
US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in
Afghanistan (embassy closed January 1989)
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 16 years of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). Over the past decade, one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering more than 6 million refugees. Now, only 1.0 million Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan and about 1.3 million in Iran. Another 1 million probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 15 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. Millions of people continue to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and lack of medical care. Numerical data are extremely shaky.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.8 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $600 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 15% services: 20%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 4.98 million
by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry
10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7%
(1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil,
coal, copper
Electricity: capacity: 480,000 kW production: 550 million kWh consumption per capita: 39 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton
Illicit drugs: an illicit cultivator of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; world's second-largest opium producer after Burma (1,250 metric tons in 1995) and a major source of hashish
Exports: $188.2 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems partners: FSU countries, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia
Imports: $616.4 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: food and petroleum products; most consumer goods partners: FSU countries, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany
External debt: $2.3 billion (March 1991 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note: US provided $450 million assistance (1985-93); the UN provides
assistance in the form of food aid, immunization, land mine removal,
and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons
Currency: 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls
Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which is a fixed rate of 50.600 afghanis to the dollar
Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
Transportation ———————
Railways:
total: 24.6 km
broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to
Towraghondi; 15 km 1,524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to
Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya
Highways: total: 21,000 km paved: 2,800 km unpaved: 18,200 km (1984 est.)
Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up
to about 500 DWT
Pipelines: petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and
Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km
Ports: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
total: 35
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with paved runways under 914 m: 7
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 13
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 31,200 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; 1 public
telephone in Kabul
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA note: several television stations run by factions and local councils which provide intermittent service
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: NA; note - the military still does not exist on a national scale; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various mujahedin and former regime leaders
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 5,549,602 males fit for military service: 2,976,741 males reach military age (22) annually: 220,532 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
======================================================================
@Albania ———-
Map —-
Location: 41 00 N, 20 00 E — Southeastern Europe, bordering the
Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Flag ——
Description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Geography ————-
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and
Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 28,750 sq km
land area: 27,400 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia,
173 km with Montenegro)
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government; Albania is involved in negotiations with Greece over border demarcation, the treatment of Albania's ethnic Greek minority, and migrant Albanian workers in Greece
Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit 2,753 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper,
timber, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 4%
meadows and pastures: 15%
forest and woodland: 38%
other: 22%
Irrigated land: 4,230 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from
industrial and domestic effluents
natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along
southwestern coast
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Geographic note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links
Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People ———
Population: 3,249,136 (July 1996 est.)
note: the IMF, working with Albanian government figures, estimates
that the population was 3,120,000 in 1993 and that it has fallen
since 1990
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 570,978; female 529,147)
15-64 years: 60% (male 910,873; female 1,049,662)
65 years and over: 6% (male 77,799; female 110,677) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.34% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 22.21 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 7.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.92 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 49.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.92 years male: 64.91 years female: 71.17 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Ethnic divisions: Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs,
Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
private religious practice
Languages: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Literacy: age 9 and over can read and write (1955 est.)
total population: 72%
male: 80%
female: 63%
Government —————
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Data code: AL
Type of
Capital: Tirane
Administrative divisions: 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth);
Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje,
Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet,
Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane,
Tropoje, Vlore; note - some new administrative units may have been
created
Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution: an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a draft constitution was rejected by popular referendum in the fall of 1994 and a new draft is pending
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9
April 1992) was elected for a five-year term by the People's Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers
Aleksander Gabriel MEKSI (since 10 April 1992) was appointed by the
president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor): elections last held 22 March
1992; results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP
2.92%, other 1.74%; seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1,
UHP 2
note: six members of the Democratic Party defected, making the
present seating in the Assembly DP 86, ASP 38, SDP 7, DAP 6, RP 1,
UHP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is
elected by the People's Assembly
Political parties and leaders: there are at least 28 political
parties; most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP;
formerly the Albania Workers Party), Fatos NANO, first secretary;
Democratic Party (DP); Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO;
Omonia (Greek minority party), Sotir QIRJAZATI, first secretary;
Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI; Democratic Alliance
Party (DAP), Neritan CEKA, chairman; Unity for Human Rights Party
(UHP), Vasil MELO, chairman; Ecology Party (EP), Namik HOTI, chairman
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lublin DILJA
chancery: Suite 1000, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942, 8187
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LAKE embassy: Rruga E. Labinoti 103, Tirane mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624 telephone: [355] (42) 328-75, 335-20 FAX: [355] (42) 322-22
Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Economy ———-
Economic overview: An extremely poor country by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. Stabilization policies - including a strict monetary policy, public sector layoffs, and reduced social services - have improved the government's fiscal situation and reduced inflation. The recovery has been spurred by the remittances of some 20% of the labor force which works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Foreign assistance and humanitarian aid also supported the recovery. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. Albania's industrial sector ended its five-year, 78% decline in 1995, recording roughly 6% growth. A sharp fall in chromium prices has reduced hard currency receipts from the mining sector. Large segments of the population, especially those living in urban areas, continue to depend on humanitarian aid to meet basic food requirements. Unemployment remains a severe problem accounting for approximately one-fifth of the work force. Now that sanctions on Serbia have been suspended, the falloff in hard currency earnings from smuggling will aggravate unemployment problems. Growth is expected to continue in 1996, but could falter if workers' remittances from Greece are reduced or foreign assistance declines.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.1 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,210 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: NA% services: NA% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 1.692 million (1994 est.) (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) by occupation (of those domestically employed): agriculture (nearly all private) 49.5%, private sector 22.2%, state (nonfarm) sector 28.3% (including state-owned industry 7.8%)
Unemployment rate: 19% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $486.3 million
expenditures: $550.4 million, including capital expenditures of $124
million (1994)
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil,
cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 1,662,000 kW production: 3.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,219 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture: wide range of temperate-zone crops and livestock
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium production
Exports: $141 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: asphalt, metals and metallic ores, electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco partners: Italy, US, Greece, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Imports: $601 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: machinery, consumer goods, grains partners: Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
External debt: $977 million (1994 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars
Exchange rates: leke (L) per US$1 - 95.65 (January 1996), 100.00
(January 1995), 99.00 (January 1994), 97.00 (January 1993), 50.00
(January 1992), 25.00 (September 1991)
Transportation ———————
Railways: total: 670 km standard gauge: 670 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 18,450 km paved: 17,450 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1991 est.)
Waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake
Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
Pipelines: crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas
64 km (1991)
Ports: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Merchant marine:
total: 11 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 52,967 GRT/76,887
DWT (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 11
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2
with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 (1994 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 55,000
Telephone system:
domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for
every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist
government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used
it to build fences
international: inadequate; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirane exchange to Italy and Greece
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 577,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 300,000 (1993 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior
Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 723,231 males fit for military service: 588,304 males reach military age (19) annually: 29,340 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $45 million, 2.5% of GDP (1995)
======================================================================
@Algeria ———-
Map —-
Location: 28 00 N, 3 00 E — Northern Africa, bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Flag ——
Description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
Geography ————-
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 2,381,740 sq km
land area: 2,381,740 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: part of southeastern region claimed by
Libya; land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993
Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
summer
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 13%
forest and woodland: 2%
other: 82%
Irrigated land: 3,360 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
mud slides
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People ———
Population: 29,183,032 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 5,910,543; female 5,701,647)
15-64 years: 56% (male 8,319,650; female 8,162,816)
65 years and over: 4% (male 510,308; female 578,068) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.21% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 28.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.31 years male: 67.22 years female: 69.46 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.59 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian
Ethnic divisions: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 61.6%
male: 73.9%
female: 49%
Government —————
conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Shabiyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
Data code: AG
Type of government: republic
Capital: Algiers
Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayas, singular -
wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna,
Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira,
Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf,
Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara,
Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el
Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras,
Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi
Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988 and 23 February 1989
Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31
January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995) was elected for a
five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 16 November
1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December
1995) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral; note - suspended since 1992
National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani):
first-round elections held 26 December 1991; second round canceled
by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992,
effectively suspending the assembly (next election promised by late
1996 or early 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(281 total) the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats
contested in the first round
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland); Hamas, Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party (PRA), Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman note: the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Osmane BENCHERIF chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-18-54, 69-38-75, 69-12-55 FAX: [213] (2) 69-39-79
Flag: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
Economy ———-
Economic overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of GDP, and almost all export earnings; Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and ranks fourteenth for oil. Algiers' efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve economic stabilization and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy. Despite substantial progress toward economic adjustment, in 1992 the reform drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political turmoil. In September 1993, a new government was formed, and one priority was the resumption and acceleration of the structural adjustment process. Buffeted by the slump in world oil prices and burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994. Following a Paris Club debt rescheduling in 1995 and a robust harvest, the economy experienced a strong recovery and key economic improvements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $108.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $3,800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 50% services: 38%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 6.2 million (1992 est.) by occupation: government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $14.3 billion
expenditures: $17.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 5,370,000 kW production: 18.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 587 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Exports: $9.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97% partners: Italy 21%, France 16%, US 14%, Germany 13%, Spain 9%
Imports: $10.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: capital goods 39.7%, food and beverages 21.7%, consumer
goods 11.8% (1990)
partners: France 29%, Italy 14%,
External debt: $26 billion (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $316 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 53.003 (January 1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993), 21.836 (1992), 18.473 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation ———————
Railways:
total: 4,772 km
standard gauge: 3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge
Highways:
total: 95,576 km
paved: 63,080 km (including 400 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,496 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural
gas 2,948 km
Ports: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys,
Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes
Merchant marine:
total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 916,701 GRT/1,086,324
DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas
tanker 10, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea
passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 119
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 8
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 24
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 13
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4
with paved runways under 914 m: 17
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 19
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 31 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)
Communications ———————
Telephones: 862,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: excellent service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy,
France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and
Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and
1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 2 million (1993 est.)
Defense ———-
Branches: National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air
Defense, National Gendarmerie
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 7,391,946 males fit for military service: 4,534,267 males reach military age (19) annually: 326,229 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.3 billion, 2.7% of GDP (1994)
======================================================================
@American Samoa ———————
(territory of the US)
Map —-
Location: 14 20 S, 170 00 W — Oceania, group of islands in the
South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New
Zealand
Flag ——
Description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Geography ————-
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total area: 199 sq km
land area: 199 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 116 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to
April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
variation
Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m
Natural resources: pumice, pumicite
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 5%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 75%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; in many areas
of the island, water supplies come from roof catchments
natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
People ———