Chapter 6

*Argentina, Government

Senate: last held May 1989, but provincial elections in late 1991 set the stage for indirect elections by provincial senators for one-third of 46 seats in the national senate in May 1992; seats (46 total) - JP 27, UCR 14, others 5 Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President (position vacant) Member of: AG (observer), Australian Group, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, AfDB, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, MERCOSUR, MINURSO, OAS, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos ORTIZ DE ROZAS chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 939-6400 through 6403 consulates general: Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulates: Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James CHEEK (since 28 May 1993) embassy: 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires mailing address: APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (1) 774-7611 or 8811, 9911 FAX: [54] (1) 775-4205 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

*Argentina, Economy

Overview: Argentina is rich in natural resources and has a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, following decades of mismanagement and statist policies, the economy in the late 1980s was plagued with huge external debts and recurring bouts of hyperinflation. Elected in 1989, in the depths of recession, President MENEM has implemented a comprehensive economic restructuring program that shows signs of putting Argentina on a path of stable, sustainable growth. Argentina's currency has traded at par with the US dollar since April 1991, and inflation has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Argentines have responded to the relative price stability by repatriating flight capital and investing in domestic industry. Much remains to be done in the 1990s in dismantling the old statist barriers to growth and in solidifying the recent economic gains. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $112 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 7% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $3,400 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.7% (1992) Unemployment rate: 6.9% (1992) Budget: revenues $33.1 billion; expenditures $35.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.5 billion (1992) Exports: $12.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, hides, wool partners: US 12%, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Netherlands Imports: $14.0 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products partners: US 22%, Brazil, Germany, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands External debt: $54 billion (June 1992) Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1992 est.); accounts for 26% of GDP Electricity: 17,911,000 kW capacity; 51,305 million kWh produced, 1,559 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GDP (including fishing); produces abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world's top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops - wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets Illicit drugs: increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for the US and Europe

*Argentina, Economy

Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.0 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.4 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $718 million Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos Exchange rates: pesos per US$1 - 0.99000 (January1993), 0.99064 (1992), 0.95355 (1991), 0.48759 (1990), 0.04233 (1989), 0.00088 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Argentina, Communications

Railroads: 34,172 km total (includes 209 km electrified); includes a mixture of 1.435-meter standard gauge, 1.676-meter broad gauge, 1.000-meter narrow gauge, and 0.750-meter narrow gauge Highways: 208,350 km total; 47,550 km paved, 39,500 km gravel, 101,000 km improved earth, 20,300 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 11,000 km navigable Pipelines: crude oil 4,090 km; petroleum products 2,900 km; natural gas 9,918 km Ports: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, La Plata, Rosario, Santa Fe Merchant marine: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,695,420 GRT/1,073,904 DWT; includes 30 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 1 railcar carrier, 14 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 4 bulk, 1 roll-on/roll-off Airports: total: 1,700 usable: 1,451 with permanet-surface runways: 137 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 31 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 326 Telecommunications: extensive modern system; 2,650,000 telephones (12,000 public telephones); microwave widely used; broadcast stations - 171 AM, no FM, 231 TV, 13 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; domestic satellite network has 40 earth stations

*Argentina, Defense Forces

Branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture (Coast Guard only), National Aeronautical Police Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 8,267,316; fit for military service 6,702,303; reach military age (20) annually 284,641 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

*Armenia, Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, between Turkey and Azerbaijan Map references: Africa, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - European States, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 29,800 km2 land area: 28,400 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 1,254 km, Azerbaijan (east) 566 km, Azerbaijan (south) 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: violent and longstanding dispute with Azerbaijan over ethnically Armenian exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh; some irredentism by Armenians living in southern Georgia; traditional demands on former Armenian lands in Turkey have greatly subsided Climate: continental, hot, and subject to drought Terrain: high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 56% Irrigated land: 3,050 km2 (1990) Environment: pollution of Razdan and Aras Rivers; air pollution in Yerevan; energy blockade has led to deforestation as citizens scavenge for firewood, use of Lake Sevan water for hydropower has lowered lake level, threatened fish population Note: landlocked

*Armenia, People

Population: 3,481,207 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.23% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 25.79 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -6.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.77 years male: 68.36 years female: 75.36 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic divisions: Armenian 93%, Azeri 3%, Russian 2%, other 2% Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94% Languages: Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2% Literacy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% Labor force: 1.63 million by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 18%, other 40% (1990)

*Armenia, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic Digraph: AM Type: republic Capital: Yerevan Administrative divisions: none (all rayons are under direct republic jurisdiction) Independence: 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) Constitution: adopted NA April 1978; post-Soviet constitution not yet adopted Legal system: based on civil law system National holiday: NA Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement, Husik LAZARYAN, chairman; National Democratic Union; National Self-Determination Association; Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization, Ramkavar AZATAKAN, chairman; Dashnatktsutyan Party (Armenian Revolutionary Federation, ARF), Rouben MIRZAKHANIN; Chairman of Parliamentary opposition - Mekhak GABRIYELYAN; Christian Democratic Union; Constitutional Rights Union; Republican Party Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held 16 October 1991 (next to be held NA); results - Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN 86%; radical nationalists about 7%; note - Levon TER-PETROSYAN was elected Chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet 4 August 1990 Supreme Soviet: last held 20 May 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (240 total) non-aligned 149, Armenian National Movement 52, Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization 14, Dashnatktsutyan 12, National Democratic Union 9, Christian Democratic Union 1, Constitutional Rights Union 1, National Self-Determination Association 1, Republican Party 1 Executive branch: president, council of ministers, prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Soviet Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Levon Akopovich TER-PETROSYAN (since 16 October 1991), Vice President Gagik ARUTYUNYAN (since 16 October 1991)

*Armenia, Government

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hrant BAGRATYAN (since NA February 1993); Supreme Soviet Chairman Babken ARARKTSYAN (since NA 1990) Member of: BSEC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, IBRD, ICAO, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben SHUGARIAN chancery: 122 C Street NW, Suite 360, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: (202) 628-5766 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Designate Harry GILMORE embassy: 18 Gen Bagramian, Yerevan mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (7) (885) 215-1122, 215-1144 FAX: (7) (885) 215-1122 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold

*Armenia, Economy

Overview: Armenia under the old centrally planned Soviet system had built up textile, machine-building, and other industries and had become a key supplier to sister republics. In turn, Armenia had depended on supplies of raw materials and energy from the other republics. Most of these supplies enter the republic by rail through Azerbaijan (85%) and Georgia (15%). The economy has been severely hurt by ethnic strife with Azerbaijan over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, a mostly Armenian-populated enclave within the national boundaries of Azerbaijan. In addition to outright warfare, the strife has included interdiction of Armenian imports on the Azerbaijani railroads and expensive airlifts of supplies to beleaguered Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. An earthquake in December 1988 destroyed about one-tenth of industrial capacity and housing, the repair of which has not been possible because the supply of funds and real resources has been disrupted by the reorganization and subsequent dismantling of the central USSR administrative apparatus. Among facilities made unserviceable by the earthquake are the Yerevan nuclear power plant, which had supplied 40% of Armenia's needs for electric power and a plant that produced one-quarter of the output of elevators in the former USSR. Armenia has some deposits of nonferrous metal ores (bauxite, copper, zinc, and molybdenum) that are largely unexploited. For the mid-term, Armenia's economic prospects seem particularly bleak because of ethnic strife and the unusually high dependence on outside areas, themselves in a chaotic state of transformation. The dramatic drop in output in 1992 is attributable largely to the cumulative impact of the blockade; of particular importance was the shutting off in the summer of 1992 of rail and road links to Russia through Georgia due to civil strife in the latter republic. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: -34% (1992) National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% per month (first quarter 1993) Unemployment rate: 2% of officially registered unemployed but large numbers of underemployed Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Exports: $30 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, light industrial products, processed food items (1991) partners: NA Imports: $300 million from outside the successor statees of the former USSR (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery, energy, consumer goods (1991) partners: NA External debt: $650 million (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -50% (1992 est.)

*Armenia, Economy

Electricity: 2,875,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 2,585 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: diverse, including (in percent of output of former USSR) metalcutting machine tools (5.5%), forging-pressing machines (1.9%), electric motors (9%), tires (1.5%), knitted wear (4.4%), hosiery (3.0%), shoes (2.2%), silk fabric (0.8%), washing machines (2.0%), chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, and microelectronics (1990) Agriculture: accounts for about 20% of GDP; only 29% of land area is arable; employs 18% of labor force; citrus, cotton, and dairy farming; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe Economic aid: wheat from US, Turkey Currency: retaining Russian ruble as currency (January 1993) Exchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations Fiscal year: calendar year

*Armenia, Communications

Railroads: 840 km; does not include industrial lines (1990) Highways: 11,300 km total; 10,500 km hard surfaced, 800 km earth (1990) Inland waterways: NA km Pipelines: natural gas 900 km (1991) Ports: none; landlocked Airports: total: 12 useable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3 Telecommunications: progress on installation of fiber optic cable and construction of facilities for mobile cellular phone service remains in the negotiation phase for joint venture agreement; Armenia has about 260,000 telephones, of which about 110,000 are in Yerevan; average telephone density is 8 per 100 persons; international connections to other former republics of the USSR are by landline or microwave and to other countries by satellite and by leased connection through the Moscow international gateway switch; broadcast stations - 100% of population receives Armenian and Russian TV programs; satellite earth station - INTELSAT

*Armenia, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Air Force, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops) Manpower availability: males age 15-49 848,223; fit for military service 681,058; reach military age (18) annually 28,101 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: 250 million rubles, NA% of GDP (1992 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*Aruba, Header

Affiliation: (part of the Dutch realm)

*Aruba, Geography

Location: in the southern Caribbean Sea, 28 km north of Venezuela and 125 km east of Colombia Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 193 km2 land area: 193 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

*Aruba, People

Population: 65,117 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.66% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 15.33 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.3 years male: 72.65 years female: 80.13 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80% Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)

*Aruba, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Digraph: AA Type: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles Capital: Oranjestad Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996) Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Henny EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Legislature: last held 8 January 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP 9, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPA 1, OLA 1, other 1 Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral legislature (Staten) Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice Leaders: Chief of State: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since NA) Head of Government: Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989) Member of: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate) Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

*Aruba, Economy

Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1991. The reopening of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $900 million (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 6% (1991 est.) National product per capita: $14,000 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1991) Unemployment rate: 3% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988) Exports: $902.4 million, including oil re-exports (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: mostly petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC Imports: $1,311.3 million, including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products partners: US 8%, EC External debt: $81 million (1987) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 14,610 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing Illicit drugs: drug money laundering center Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Aruba, Communications

Highways: NA km all-weather highways Ports: Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas Airports: total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights Telecommunications: generally adequate; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

*Aruba, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Header

Affiliation: (territory of Australia)

*Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Geography