Chapter 58

Overview: The Malaysian economy, a mixture of private enterprise and a soundly managed public sector, has posted a remarkable record of 8%-9% average growth in 1987-92. This growth has resulted in a substantial reduction in poverty and a marked rise in real wages. Despite sluggish growth in the major world economies in 1992, demand for Malaysian goods remained strong and foreign investors continued to commit large sums in the economy. The government is aware of the inflationary potential of this rapid development and is closely monitoring fiscal and monetary policies. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $54.5 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 8% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $2,960 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.1% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues $15.6 billion; expenditures $18.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.5 billion (1992 est.) Exports: $39.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: electronic equipment, palm oil, petroleum and petroleum products, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles partners: Singapore 23%, US 18.6%, Japan 13.2%, UK 4%, Germany 4% Imports: $39.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: food, consumer goods, petroleum products, chemicals, capital equipment partners: Japan 26%, US 15.8%, Singapore 15.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Germany 4.2% External debt: $25.7 billion (1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for NA% of GDP Electricity: 8,000,000 kW capacity; 30,000 million kWh produced, 1,610 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: Peninsular Malaysia: rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber Sabah: logging, petroleum production Sarawak: agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging Agriculture: accounts for 20% of GDP Peninsular Malaysia: natural rubber, palm oil, rice Sabah: mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice

*Malaysia, Economy

Sarawak: rubber, timber, pepper; deficit of rice in all areas; fish catch of 608,000 metric tons in 1987 Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.7 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million Currency: 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen Exchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 2.6238 (January 1993), 2.5475 (1992), 2.7501 (1991), 1.7048 (1990), 2.7088 (1989), 2.6188 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Malaysia, Communications

Railroads: Peninsular Malaysia: 1,665 km 1.04-meter gauge; 13 km double track, government owned Sabah: 136 km 1.000-meter gauge Sarawak: none Highways: Peninsular Malaysia: 23,600 km; 19,352 km hard surfaced, mostly bituminous surface treatment, and 4,248 km unpaved Sabah: 3,782 km Sarawak: 1,644 km Inland waterways: Peninsular Malaysia: 3,209 km Sabah: 1,569 km Sarawak: 2,518 km Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km Ports: Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Tawau Merchant marine: 184 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,869,817 GRT/2,786,765 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 2 short-sea passenger, 71 cargo, 28 container, 2 vehicle carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off, 1 livestock carrier, 38 oil tanker, 6 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 27 bulk Airports: total: 111 usable: 102 with permanent-surface runways: 32 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 18 Telecommunications: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service good; good coverage by radio and television broadcasts; 994,860 telephones (1984); broadcast stations - 28 AM, 3 FM, 33 TV; submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak; SEACOM submarine cable links to Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 domestic

*Malaysia, Defense Forces

Branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,837,256; fit for military service 2,941,577; reach military age (21) annually 181,435 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, about 5% of GDP (1992)

*Maldives, Geography

Location: South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India Map references: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 300 km2 land area: 300 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 644 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) Terrain: flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 3% other: 84% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls Note: archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

*Maldives, People

Population: 243,094 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 3.64% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 44.34 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.86 years male: 62.5 years female: 65.28 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian Ethnic divisions: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African Religions: Sunni Muslim Languages: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 92% male: 92% female: 92% Labor force: 66,000 (est.) by occupation: fishing industry 25%

*Maldives, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives Digraph: MV Type: republic Capital: Male Administrative divisions: 19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK) Constitution: 4 June 1964 Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965) Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1993); results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected Citizens' Council: last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected) Executive branch: president, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis) Judicial branch: High Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978) Member of: AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there consular agency: Midhath Hilmy, Male

*Maldives, Government

telephone: 2581 Flag: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

*Maldives, Economy

Overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-90. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $140 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 4.7% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $620 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.5% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NEGL% Budget: revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers); expenditures $83 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.) Exports: $53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish, clothing partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka Imports: $150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India External debt: $90 million (1991) Industrial production: growth rate 24.0% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts Agriculture: accounts for almost 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported; fish catch of 67,000 tons (1990 est.) Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $125 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million Currency: 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Maldives, Communications

Highways: Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city Ports: Male, Gan Merchant marine: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 1 container, 1 oil tanker Airports: total: 2 useable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Maldives, Defense Forces

Branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police force) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 53,730; fit for military service 30,014 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

*Mali, Geography

Location: Western Africa, between Mauritania and Niger Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 1.24 million km2 land area: 1.22 million km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total 7,243 km, Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 25% forest and woodland: 7% other: 66% Irrigated land: 50 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: hot, dust-laden harmattan; haze common during dry seasons; desertification Note: landlocked

*Mali, People

Population: 8,868,617 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 2.66% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 51.73 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 20.81 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -4.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.45 years male: 43.89 years female: 47.06 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 7.33 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian Ethnic divisions: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5% Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1% Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 32% male: 41% female: 24% Labor force: 2.666 million (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981) note: 50% of population of working age (1985)

*Mali, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan Digraph: ML Type: republic Capital: Bamako Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France) Constitution: new constitution adopted in constitutional referendum in January 1992 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of State; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Anniverary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy (Adema), Alpha Oumar KONARE; National Committee for Democratic Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally (US/RAD), Baba Hakib HAIDARA and Treoule Mamadon KONATE; Popular Movement for the Development of the Republic of West Africa; Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almamy SYLLA; Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), Moussa Balla COULIBALY; Rally for Democracy and Labor (RDT); Union of Democratic Forces for Progress (UFDP), Col. Youssouf TRAORE; Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP), Idrissa TRAORE; Malian Union for Democracy and Development (UMDD) Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held in April 1992; Alpha KONARE was elected in runoff race against Montaga TALL National Assembly: last held on 8 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (total 116) Adema 76, CNID 9, US/RAD 8, Popular Movement for the Development of the Republic of West Africa 6, RDP 4, UDD 4, RDT 3, UFDP 3, PDP 2, UMDD 1 Executive branch: Transition Committee for the Salvation of the People (CTSP) composed of 25 members, predominantly civilian Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

*Mali, Government

Leaders: Chief of State: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister Younoussi TOURE (since 8 June 1992) Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, 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 in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Siragatou Ibrahim CISSE chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Herbert Donald GELBER embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 225470 FAX: [233] 228059 Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

*Mali, Economy

Overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 70% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population live as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. In consultation with international lending agencies, the government has adopted a structural adjustment program for 1992-95, aiming at GDP annual growth of 4.6%, inflation of no more than 2.5% on average, and a substantial reduction in the external current account deficit. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.3 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: -0.2% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $265 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $329 million; expenditures $519 million, including capital expenditures of $178 (1989 est.) Exports: $320 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe Imports: $390 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe External debt: $2.6 billion (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 15.0% (1990 est.); accounts for 10.0% of GDP Electricity: 260,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on small subsistence farms; cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops - millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,020 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $190 million Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

*Mali, Economy

Fiscal year: calendar year

*Mali, Communications

Railroads: 642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes Highways: about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km paved, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 1,815 km navigable Airports: total: 34 usable: 27 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 10 Telecommunications: domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in progress; 11,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT

*Mali, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,749,662; fit for military service 995,554 (1993 est.); no conscription Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $41 million, 2% of GDP (1989)

*Malta, Geography

Location: in the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km north of Libya Map references: Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 320 km2 land area: 320 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 140 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs Natural resources: limestone, salt Land use: arable land: 38% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 59% Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989) Environment: numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce; increasing reliance on desalination Note: the country comprises an archipelago, with only the 3 largest islands (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited

*Malta, People

Population: 363,791 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.84% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 13.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.52 years male: 74.32 years female: 78.9 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese Ethnic divisions: Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English Religions: Roman Catholic 98% Languages: Maltese (official), English (official) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 84% male: 86% female: 82% Labor force: 127,200 by occupation: government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)

*Malta, Government