Part 63

Overview: Government control of the economy historically has been extensive, although the CHAMORRO government has pledged to greatly reduce intervention. Four private banks have been licensed, and the government has liberalized foreign trade and abolished price controls on most goods. Over 50% of the agricultural and industrial firms remain state owned. Sandinista economic policies and the war had produced a severe economic crisis. The foundation of the economy continues to be the export of agricultural commodities, largely coffee and cotton. Farm production fell by roughly 7% in 1989 and 4% in 1990, and remained about even in 1991. The agricultural sector employs 44% of the work force and accounts for 15% of GDP and 80% of export earnings. Industry, which employs 13% of the work force and contributes about 25% to GDP, showed a drop of 7% in 1989, fell slightly in 1990, and remained flat in 1991; output still is below pre-1979 levels. External debt is one of the highest in the world on a per capita basis. In 1991 the inflation rate was 766%, down sharply from the 13,490% of 1990. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, per capita $425; real growth rate -1.0% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 766% (1991) Unemployment rate: 13%; underemployment 50% (1991) Budget: revenues $347 million; expenditures $499 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1991) Exports: $342 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: coffee, cotton, sugar, bananas, seafood, meat, chemicals partners: OECD 75%, USSR and Eastern Europe 15%, other 10% Imports: $738 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing partners: Latin America 30%, US 25%, EC 20%, USSR and Eastern Europe 10%, other 15% (1990 est.) External debt: $10 billion (December 1991) Industrial production: growth rate NA; accounts for about 25% of GDP Electricity: 423,000 kW capacity; 1,409 million kWh produced, 376 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 44% of work force; cash crops - coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton; food crops - rice, corn, cassava, citrus fruit, beans; variety of animal products - beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy; normally self-sufficient in food Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,381 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.5 billion Currency: cordoba (plural - cordobas); 1 cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

:Nicaragua Economy

Exchange rates: cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 25,000,000 (March 1992), 21,354,000 (1991), 15,655 (1989), 270 (1988), 102.60 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year

:Nicaragua Communications

Railroads: 373 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge, government owned; majority of system not operating; 3 km 1.435-meter gauge line at Puerto Cabezas (does not connect with mainline) Highways: 25,930 km total; 4,000 km paved, 2,170 km gravel or crushed stone, 5,425 km earth or graded earth, 14,335 km unimproved; Pan-American highway 368.5 km Inland waterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes Pipelines: crude oil 56 km Ports: Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,161 GRT/2,500 DWT Civil air: 9 major transport aircraft Airports: 228 total, 155 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: low-capacity radio relay and wire system being expanded; connection into Central American Microwave System; 60,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 45 AM, no FM, 7 TV, 3 shortwave; earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

:Nicaragua Defense Forces

Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 878,066; 541,090 fit for military service; 42,997 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $70 million, 3.8% of GDP (1991 budget)

:Niger Geography

Total area: 1,267,000 km2 Land area: 1,266,700 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: 5,697 km total; Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km Coastline: none - landlocked Maritime claims: none - landlocked Disputes: Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 2%; other 88%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: recurrent drought and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; overgrazing; soil erosion Note: landlocked

:Niger People

Population: 8,052,945 (July 1992), growth rate 3.5% (1992) Birth rate: 58 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 23 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 115 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 42 years male, 45 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 7.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Nigerien(s); adjective - Nigerien Ethnic divisions: Hausa 56%; Djerma 22%; Fula 8.5%; Tuareg 8%; Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%; Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%; about 4,000 French expatriates Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians Languages: French (official); Hausa, Djerma Literacy: 28% (male 40%, female 17%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 2,500,000 wage earners (1982); agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%; 51% of population of working age (1985) Organized labor: negligible

:Niger Government

Long-form name: Republic of Niger Type: as of November 1991, transition government appointed by national reform conference; scheduled to turn over power to democratically elected government in January 1993 Capital: Niamey Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular - departement); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Zinder Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France) Constitution: December 1989 constitution revised November 1991 by National Democratic Reform Conference Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958) Executive branch: president (ceremonial), prime minister (interim), Cabinet Legislative branch: National Assembly Judicial branch: State Court (Cour d'Etat), Court of Appeal (Cour d'Apel) Leaders: Chief of State: President Brig. Gen. Ali SAIBOU (since 14 November 1987); ceremonial post since national conference (1991) Head of Government: Interim Prime Minister Amadou CHEIFFOU (since November 1991) Political parties and leaders: National Movement of the Development Society (MNSD-NASSARA), Tanda MAMADOU; Niger Progressive Party - African Democratic Rally (PPN-RDA), Harou KOUKA; Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress (UDFP-SAWABA), Djibo BAKARY; Niger Democratic Union (UDN-SAWABA), Mamoudou PASCAL; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives (UPDP), Andre SALIFOU; Niger Social Democrat Party (PSDN-ALHERI), Mallam Adji WAZIRI; Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-TARAYA), Issoufou MAHAMADOU; Democratic and Social Convention (CDS-RAHAMA), Mahamane OUSMANE; Union for Democracy and Progress (UDP), Bello TCHIOUSSO; Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS-AMANA), Akoli DAOUEL; Masses Union for Democratic Action (UMAD-AIKI), Belko GARBA; Worker's Liberation Party (PLT), Idi Ango OUMAROU; Convention for Social Rehabilitation (CRS), Abdoul Karim SEYNI; Popular Movement for Democracy in Niger (MPDN), Abdou SANDA; Popular Front for National Liberation (FPLN), Diallo SABO; Republican Party for Freedom and Progress in Niger (PRLPN), Alka ALMOU; other parties forming Suffrage: universal adult at age 18 Elections: President: President Ali SAIBOU has been in office since December 1989, but the presidency is now a largely ceremonial position

:Niger Government

National Assembly: last held 10 December 1989 (next to be held NA); results - MNSD was the only party; seats - (150 total) MNSD 150 (indirectly elected); note - Niger held a national conference from July to November 1991 to decide upon a transitional government and an agenda for multiparty elections Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE; Chancery at 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-4224 through 4227 US: Ambassador Jennifer C. WARD; Embassy at Avenue des Ambassades, Niamey (mailing address is B. P. 11201, Niamey); telephone [227] 72-26-61 through 64 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

:Niger Economy

Overview: About 90% of the population is engaged in farming and stock raising, activities that generate almost half the national income. The economy also depends heavily on exploitation of large uranium deposits. Uranium production grew rapidly in the mid-1970s, but tapered off in the early 1980s when world prices declined. France is a major customer, while Germany, Japan, and Spain also make regular purchases. The depressed demand for uranium has contributed to an overall sluggishness in the economy, a severe trade imbalance, and a mounting external debt. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, per capita $300; real growth rate -3.4% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $220 million; expenditures $446 million, including capital expenditures of $190 million (FY89 est.) Exports: $320 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: uranium 75%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions partners: France 65%, Nigeria 11%, Ivory Coast, Italy Imports: $439 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: petroleum products, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, electronic equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, cereals, foodstuffs partners: France 32%, Ivory Coast 11%, Germany 5%, Italy 4%, Nigeria 4% External debt: $1.8 billion (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1989); accounts for 18% of GDP Electricity: 105,000 kW capacity; 230 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium production began in 1971 Agriculture: accounts for roughly 40% of GDP and 90% of labor force; cash crops - cowpeas, cotton, peanuts; food crops - millet, sorghum, cassava, rice; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats; self-sufficient in food except in drought years Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $380 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,165 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $504 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $61 million Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987)

:Niger Economy

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

:Niger Communications

Highways: 39,970 km total; 3,170 km bituminous, 10,330 km gravel and laterite, 3,470 km earthen, 23,000 km tracks Inland waterways: Niger River is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft Airports: 29 total, 27 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: small system of wire, radiocommunications, and radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area; 14,260 telephones; broadcast stations - 15 AM, 5 FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 3 domestic, with 1 planned

:Niger Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican National Guard, National police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,724,293; 928,177 fit for military service; 83,528 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $27 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989)

:Nigeria Geography

Total area: 923,770 km2 Land area: 910,770 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: 4,047 km total; Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km Coastline: 853 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 30 nm Disputes: demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; boundary commission created with Cameroon to discuss unresolved land and maritime boundaries - has not yet convened Climate: varies - equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north Natural resources: crude oil, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas Land use: arable land 31%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 15%; other 28%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: recent droughts in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; desertification; soil degradation, rapid deforestation

:Nigeria People

Population: 126,274,589 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992); note - a new population figure of 88.5 million is in the process of being incorporated into revised Census Bureau figures (April 1992) Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 16 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 110 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 50 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Nigerian(s); adjective - Nigerian Ethnic divisions: more than 250 tribal groups; Hausa and Fulani of the north, Yoruba of the southwest, and Ibos of the southeast make up 65% of the population; about 27,000 non-Africans Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% Languages: English (official); Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, and several other languages also widely used Literacy: 51% (male 62%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 42,844,000; agriculture 54%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 15%; 49% of population of working age (1985) Organized labor: 3,520,000 wage earners belong to 42 recognized trade unions, which come under a single national labor federation - the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC)

:Nigeria Government

Long-form name: Federal Republic of Nigeria Type: military government since 31 December 1983 Capital: Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja Administrative divisions: 30 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK) Constitution: 1 October 1979, amended 9 February 1984, revised 1989 Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and tribal law National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960) Executive branch: president of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, Armed Forces Ruling Council, National Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: National Assembly was dissolved after the military coup of 31 December 1983 Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Ibrahim BABANGIDA (since 27 August 1985) Political parties and leaders: two political parties established by the government in 1989 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC) Suffrage: universal at age 21 Elections: President: first presidential elections since the 31 December 1983 coup scheduled for late 1992 National Assembly: first elections since it was dissolved after the 31 December 1983 coup scheduled for 4 July 1992 Communists: the pro-Communist underground consists of a small fraction of the Nigerian left; leftist leaders are prominent in the country's central labor organization but have little influence on the government Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Zubair Mahmud KAZAURE; Chancery at 2201 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; telephone (202) 822-1500; there is a Nigerian Consulate General in New York

:Nigeria Government

US: Ambassador Lannon WALKER; Embassy at 2 Eleke Crescent, Lagos (mailing address is P. O. Box 554, Lagos); telephone [234] (1) 610097; FAX [234] (1) 610257; there is a US Consulate General in Kaduna; note - the US Government has requested Nigerian Government permission to open an Embassy Branch Office in Abuja; the US Embassy will remain in Lagos until a later date, when the Branch Office in Abuja will become the Embassy and the Embassy in Lagos will become a Consulate General Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

:Nigeria Economy

Overview: Although Nigeria is Africa's leading oil-producing country, it remains poor with a $250 per capita GDP. In 1991 massive government spending, much of it to help ensure a smooth transition to civilian rule, ballooned the budget deficit and caused inflation and interest rates to rise. The lack of fiscal discipline forced the IMF to declare Nigeria not in compliance with an 18-month standby facility started in January 1991. Lagos has set ambitious targets for expanding oil production capacity and is offering foreign companies more attractive investment incentives. Government efforts to reduce Nigeria's dependence on oil exports and to sustain noninflationary growth, however, have fallen short because of inadequate new investment funds and endemic corruption. Living standards continue to deteriorate from the higher level of the early 1980s oil boom. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $30 billion, per capita $250; real growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 40% (1991) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $10 billion; expenditures $10 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.) Exports: $13.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: oil 95%, cocoa, rubber partners: EC 51%, US 32% Imports: $6.9 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: consumer goods, capital equipment, chemicals, raw materials partners: EC, US External debt: $32 billion (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 7.2% (1990); accounts for 8.5% of GDP Electricity: 4,740,000 kW capacity; 11,280 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: crude oil and mining - coal, tin, columbite; primary processing industries - palm oil, peanut, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins; manufacturing industries - textiles, cement, building materials, food products, footwear, chemical, printing, ceramics, steel Agriculture: accounts for 32% of GDP and half of labor force; inefficient small-scale farming dominates; once a large net exporter of food and now an importer; cash crops - cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, rubber; food crops - corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, yams; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; fishing and forestry resources extensively exploited Illicit drugs: illicit heroin and some cocaine trafficking; marijuana cultivation for domestic consumption and export; major transit country for heroin en route from southeast and southwest Asia via Africa to Western Europe and the US; growing transit route for cocaine from South America via West Africa to Western Europe and the US

:Nigeria Economy

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $705 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3.0 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.2 billion Currency: naira (plural - naira); 1 naira (N) = 100 kobo Exchange rates: naira (N) per US$1 - 10.226 (February 1992), 9.909 (1991), 8.038 (1990), 7.3647 (1989), 4.5370 (1988), 4.0160 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year

:Nigeria Communications