Part 39
Long-form name: Republic of Iceland Type: republic Capital: Reykjavik Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Althing) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Haestirettur) Leaders: Chief of State: President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980) Head of Government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative), David ODDSSON; Progressive Party, Steingrimur HERMANNSSON; Social Democratic Party, Jon Baldvin HANNIBALSSON; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON; Citizens Party (conservative nationalist), Julius SOLNES; Women's List Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: President: last held on 29 June 1980 (next scheduled for June 1992); results - there were no elections in 1984 and 1988 as President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR was unopposed Althing: last held on 20 April 1991 (next to be held by April 1995); results - Independence Party 38.6%, Progressive Party 18.9%, Social Democratic Party 15.5%, People's Alliance 14.4%, Womens List 8.13%, Liberals 1.2%, other 3.27% seats - (63 total) Independence 26, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 9, Womens List 5
:Iceland Government
Member of: BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NACC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Tomas A. TOMASSON; Chancery at 2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6653 through 6655; there is an Icelandic Consulate General in New York US: Ambassador Charles E. COBB, Jr.; Embassy at Laufasvegur 21, Box 40, Reykjavik (mailing address is FPO AE 09728-0340); telephone [354] (1) 29100 Flag: blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
:Iceland Economy
Overview: Iceland's prosperous Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with extensive welfare measures, low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings. In the absence of other natural resources, Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. The economic improvements resulting from climbing fish prices in 1990 and a noninflationary labor agreement probably will be reversed by tighter fish quotas and a delay in the construction of an aluminum smelting plant. The conservative government's economic priorities include reducing the budget and current account deficits, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and tying the krona to the EC's European currency unit in 1993. The fishing industries - notably the shrimp industry - are experiencing a series of bankruptcies and mergers. Inflation has continued to drop sharply from 20% in 1989 to about 7.5% in 1991 and possibly 3% in 1992, while unemployment is expected to increase to 2.5%. GDP is expected to contract by nearly 4% in 1992. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $4.2 billion, per capita $16,200; real growth rate 0.3% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (1991) Unemployment rate: 1.8% (1991) Budget: revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1991 est.) Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite partners: EC 67.7% (UK 25.3%, FRG 12.7%), US 9.9%, Japan 6% (1990) Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles partners: EC 49.8% (FRG 12.4%, Denmark 8.6%, UK 8.1%), US 14.4%, Japan 5.6% (1990) External debt: $3 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate 1.75% (1991 est.) Electricity: 1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced, 20,780 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, hydropower Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing is most important economic activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings; principal crops - potatoes and turnips; livestock - cattle, sheep; self-sufficient in crops; fish catch of about 1.4 million metric tons in 1989 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million Currency: krona (plural - kronur); 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
:Iceland Economy
Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 57.277 (January 1992), 58.996 (1991), 58.284 (1990), 57.042 (1989), 43.014 (1988), 38.677 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year
:Iceland Communications
Highways: 12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth Ports: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar Merchant marine: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 37,969 GRT/57,060 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker Civil air: 20 major transport aircraft Airports: 94 total, 89 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate domestic service; coaxial and fiber-optical cables and radio relay for trunk network; 135,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 19 AM, 30 (43 repeaters) FM, 13 (132 repeaters) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station carries majority of international traffic
:Iceland Defense Forces
Branches: no armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik Manpower availability: males 15-49, 69,072; 61,556 fit for military service; no conscription or compulsory military service Defense expenditures: none
:India Geography
Total area: 3,287,590 km2 Land area: 2,973,190 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than one-third the size of the US Land boundaries: 14,103 km; Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km Coastline: 7,000 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: boundaries with Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan; water sharing problems with downstream riparians, Bangladesh over the Ganges and Pakistan over the Indus Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, crude oil, limestone Land use: arable land 55%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 23%; other 17%; includes irrigated 13% Environment: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; air and water pollution; desertification Note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes
:India People
Population: 886,362,180 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992) Birth rate: 30 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 81 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 57 years male, 58 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Indian(s); adjective - Indian Ethnic divisions: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% Religions: Hindu 82.6%, Muslim 11.4%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2.0%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4% Languages: Hindi, English, and 14 other official languages - Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; 24 languages spoken by a million or more persons each; numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindustani, a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu, is spoken widely throughout northern India Literacy: 48% (male 62%, female 34%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 284,400,000; 67% agriculture (FY85) Organized labor: less than 5% of the labor force
:India Government
Long-form name: Republic of India Type: federal republic Capital: New Delhi Administrative divisions: 25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK) Constitution: 26 January 1950 Legal system: based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26 January (1950) Executive branch: president, vice president, prime minister, Council of Ministers Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Sansad) consists of an upper house or Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and a lower house or People's Assembly (Lok Sabha) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Ramaswamy Iyer VENKATARAMAN (since 25 July 1987); Vice President Dr. Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 3 September 1987) Head of Government: Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha RAO (since 21 June 1991) Political parties and leaders: Congress (I) Party, P. V. Narasimha RAO, president; Bharatiya Janata Party, L. K. ADVANI; Janata Dal Party, V. P. SINGH; Communist Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M), Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Communist Party of India (CPI), C. Rajeswara RAO; Telugu Desam (a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), N. T. Rama RAO; All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK; a regional party in Tamil Nadu), JAYALALITHA; Samajwadi Janata Party, CHANDRA SHEKHAR; Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY; Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY; Bahujana Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM; Congress (S) Party, leader NA; Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Satyanarayan SINGH; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party in Tamil Nadu), M. KARUNANIDHI; Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab; National Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir), Farooq ABDULLAH; Asom Gana Parishad (a regional party in Assam), Prafulla MAHANTA Suffrage: universal at age 18
:India Government
Elections: People's Assembly: last held 21 May, 12 and 15 June 1991 (next to be held by November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (545 total), 520 elected - Congress (I) Party 231, Bharatiya Janata Party 119, Janata Dal Party 59, CPI/M 35, CPI 14, Telugu Desam 13, AIADMK 11, Samajwadi Janata Party 5, Shiv Sena 4, RSP 4, BSP 1, Congress (S) Party 1, other 23; note - second and third rounds of voting were delayed because of the assassination of Congress President Rajiv GANDHI on 21 May 1991 Communists: 466,000 members claimed by CPI, 361,000 members claimed by CPI/M; Communist extremist groups, about 15,000 members Other political or pressure groups: various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Adam Sena, Ananda Marg, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abid HUSSEIN; Chancery at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-7000; there are Indian Consulates General in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco US: Ambassador William CLARK, Jr.; Embassy at Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi; telephone [91] (11) 600651; FAX [91] (11) 687-2028, 687-2391; there are US Consulates General in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
:India Economy
Overview: India's economy is a mixture of traditional village farming and handicrafts, modern agriculture, old and new branches of industry, and a multitude of support services. It presents both the entrepreneurial skills and drives of the capitalist system and widespread government intervention of the socialist mold. Growth of 4-5% annually in the 1980s has softened the impact of population growth on unemployment, social tranquility, and the environment. Agricultural output has continued to expand, reflecting the greater use of modern farming techniques and improved seed that have helped to make India self-sufficient in food grains and a net agricultural exporter. However, tens of millions of villagers, particularly in the south, have not benefited from the green revolution and live in abject poverty, and great numbers of urban residents lack the basic essentials of life. Industry has benefited from a partial liberalization of controls. The growth rate of the service sector has also been strong. India, however, has been challenged more recently by much lower foreign exchange reserves, higher inflation, and a large debt service burden. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $328 billion, per capita $380; real growth rate 2.5% (FY92 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.0% (1991) Unemployment rate: 20% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $38.5 billion; expenditures $53.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $11.1 billion (FY92) Exports: $20.2 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: gems and jewelry, engineering goods, clothing, textiles, chemicals, tea, coffee, fish products partners: EC 25%, US 16%, USSR and Eastern Europe 19%, Japan 10% (1989) Imports: $25.2 billion (c.i.f., FY91) commodities: petroleum products, capital goods, uncut gems, gems, jewelry, chemicals, iron and steel, edible oils partners: EC 33%, Middle East 19%, US 12%, Japan 8%, USSR and Eastern Europe 8% (1989) External debt: $72.0 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 8.4% (1990); accounts for about 25% of GDP Electricity: 80,000,000 kW capacity; 290,000 million kWh produced, 330 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: textiles, food processing, steel, machinery, transportation equipment, cement, jute manufactures, mining, petroleum, power, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics Agriculture: accounts for about 30% of GDP and employs 67% of labor force; self-sufficient in food grains; principal crops - rice, wheat, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; livestock - cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry; fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top 10 fishing nations
:India Economy
Illicit drugs: licit producer of opium poppy for the pharmaceutical trade, but some opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; major transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of hashish Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $4.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $31.7 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $315 million; USSR (1970-89), $11.6 billion; Eastern Europe (1970-89), $105 million Currency: Indian rupee (plural - rupees); 1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paise Exchange rates: Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1 - 25.917 (January 1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988), 12.962 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
:India Communications
Railroads: 61,850 km total (1986); 33,553 km 1.676-meter broad gauge, 24,051 km 1.000-meter gauge, 4,246 km narrow gauge (0.762 meter and 0.610 meter); 12,617 km is double track; 6,500 km is electrified Highways: 1,970,000 km total (1989); 960,000 km surfaced and 1,010,000 km gravel, crushed stone, or earth Inland waterways: 16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vessels Pipelines: crude oil 3,497 km; petroleum products 1,703 km; natural gas 902 km (1989) Ports: Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Kandla, Madras, New Mangalore, Port Blair (Andaman Islands) Merchant marine: 299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,991,278 GRT/9,935,463 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 7 passenger-cargo, 91 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 8 container, 54 oil tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 8 combination ore/oil, 111 bulk, 2 combination bulk, 6 liquefied gas Civil air: 93 major transport aircraft Airports: 341 total, 288 usable; 203 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 59 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 87 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: poor domestic telephone service, international radio communications adequate; 4,700,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 96 AM, 4 FM, 274 TV (government controlled); domestic satellite system for communications and TV; 3 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; submarine cables to Malaysia and United Arab Emirates
:India Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Security or Paramilitary Forces, Border Security Force, Coast Guard, Assam Rifles Manpower availability: males 15-49, 237,803,153; 140,140,736 fit for military service; about 9,474,290 reach military age (17) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP (FY91)
:Indian Ocean Geography
Total area: 73,600,000 km2 Land area: 73,600,000 km2; Arabian Sea, Bass Strait, Bay of Bengal, Java Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean) Coastline: 66,526 km Disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the north Indian Ocean and January/February in the south Indian Ocean Terrain: surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the south Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the north Indian Ocean - low pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge; maximum depth is 7,258 meters in the Java Trench Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules Environment: endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea Note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarctica from May to October
:Indian Ocean Economy
Overview: The Indian Ocean provides a major highway for the movement of petroleum products from the Middle East to Europe and North and South American countries. Fish from the ocean are of growing economic importance to many of the bordering countries as a source of both food and exports. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and Western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Industries: based on exploitation of natural resources, particularly marine life, minerals, oil and gas production, fishing, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits
:Indian Ocean Communications
Ports: Bombay (India), Calcutta (India), Madras (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Fremantle (Australia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Melbourne (Australia), Richard's Bay (South Africa) Telecommunications: submarine cables from India to United Arab Emirates and Malaysia
:Indonesia Geography