Chapter 69

Overview: The primary economic activity is tourism, which has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific Islands. The number of visitors has increased steadily over the years and reached 29,000 in FY89. Revenues from tourism have given the island a favorable balance of trade and helped the agricultural sector to become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. National product: GDP $NA National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $NA Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $4.2 million, including capital expenditures of $400,000 (FY89) Exports: $1.7 million (f.o.b., FY86) commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia Palm, small quantities of avocados partners: Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe Imports: $15.6 million (c.i.f., FY86) commodities: NA partners: Australia, Pacific Islands, NZ, Asia, Europe External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 7,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 3,160 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism Agriculture: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit, cattle, poultry Economic aid: none Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

*Norfolk Island, Communications

Highways: 80 km of roads, including 53 km paved; remainder are earth formed or coral surfaced Ports: none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade Airports: total: 1 useable: 1 with permanent-surface runways : 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: 1,500 radio receivers (1982); radio link service with Sydney; 987 telephones (1983); broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

*Norfolk Island, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

*Northern Mariana Islands, Header

Affiliation: (commonwealth in political union with the US)

*Northern Mariana Islands, Geography

Location: in the North Pacific Ocean, 5,635 km west-southwest of Honolulu, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 477 km2 land area: 477 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,482 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m (depth) exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is 471 meters (Mt. Okso' Takpochao on Saipan) Natural resources: arable land, fish Land use: arable land: 5% on Saipan permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: active volcanos on Pagan and Agrihan; subject to typhoons (most during August through November) Note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

*Northern Mariana Islands, People

Population: 48,581 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 3.04% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 35.05 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 37.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.43 years male: 65.53 years female: 69.48 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA Ethnic divisions: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home Literacy: age NA and over can read and write (1980) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% Labor force: 7,476 total indigenous labor force, 2,699 unemployed; 21,188 foreign workers (1990) by occupation: NA

*Northern Mariana Islands, Government

Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands Digraph: CQ Type: commonwealth in political union with the US; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs Capital: Saipan Administrative divisions: none Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US) Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986 and the constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Governor Lorenzo GUERRERO; Democratic Party, Carlos SHODA, chairman Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections Elections: Governor: last held in NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected governor Senate: last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (9 total) Republicans 6, Democrats 3 House of Representatives: last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total) Republicans 10, Democrats 6, Independent 2 US House of Representatives: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it has an elected official "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats - (1 total) Republican (Juan N. BABAUTA) Executive branch: US president; governor, lieutenant governor Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court, Superior Court, Federal District Court Leaders: Chief of State: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

*Northern Mariana Islands, Government

Head of Government: Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO (since 9 January 1990); Lieutenant Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since 9 January 1990) Member of: ESCAP (associate), SPC Flag: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center

*Northern Mariana Islands, Economy

Overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. A rapidly growing major source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Industry is small scale, mostly handicrafts and light manufacturing. National product: GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $541 million (1992) note: GNP numbers reflect US spending National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $11,500 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5-7.5% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $147.0 million; expenditures $127.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991) Exports: $263.4 million (f.o.b. 1991 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, garments, bread, pastries, concrete blocks, light iron work partners: NA Imports: $392.4 million (c.i.f. 1991 est.) commodities: food, construction, equipment, materials partners: NA External debt: $0 Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 25,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 740 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts Agriculture: coconuts, fruits, cattle, vegetables Economic aid: none Currency: US currency is used Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

*Northern Mariana Islands, Communications

Railroads: none Highways: 381.5 km total; 134.5 km primary, 55 km secondary, 192 km local (1991) Inland waterways: none Ports: Saipan, Tinian Airports: total: 6 usable: 5 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2 Telecommunications: broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM (1984), 1 TV, 2 cable TV stations; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Northern Mariana Islands, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the US

*Norway, Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden Map references: Arctic Region, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 324,220 km2 land area: 307,860 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total 2,515 km, Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km) Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); dispute between Denmark and Norway over maritime boundary in Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Jan Mayen is before the Interntional Court of Justice; maritime boundary dispute with Russia over portion of Barents Sea Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 27% other: 70% Irrigated land: 950 km2 (1989) Environment: air and water pollution; acid rain; note - strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway and Turkey only NATO members having a land boundary with Russia

*Norway, Geography

Note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline

*Norway, People

Population: 4,297,436 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 0.41% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 13.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 10.54 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.16 years male: 73.79 years female: 80.73 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian Ethnic divisions: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps 20,000 Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980) Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1976) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 2.004 million (1992) by occupation: services 39.1%, commerce 17.6%, mining, oil, and manufacturing 16.0%, banking and financial services 7.6%, transportation and communications 7.8%, construction 6.1%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5.5% (1989)

*Norway, Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge Digraph: NO Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Oslo Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden) Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884 Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) Political parties and leaders: Labor Party, Gro Harlem BRUNDTLAND; Conservative Party, Kaci Kullmann FIVE; Center Party, Anne ENGER LAHNSTEIN; Christian People's Party, Kjell Magne BONDEVIK; Socialist Left, Eric SOLHEIM; Norwegian Communist, Ingre IVERSEN; Progress Party, Carl I. HAGEN; Liberal, Odd Einar DORUM; Finnmark List, leader NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: Storting: last held on 11 September 1989 (next to be held 6 September 1993); results - Labor 34.3%, Conservative 22.2%, Progress 13.0%, Socialist Left 10.1%, Christian People's 8.5%, Center Party 6.6%, Finnmark List 0.3%, other 5%; seats - (165 total) Labor 63, Conservative 37, Progress 22, Socialist Left 17, Christian People's 14, Center Party 11, Finnmark List 1 Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, State Council (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Storting) with an Upper Chamber (Lagting) and a Lower Chamber (Odelsting) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Hoyesterett) Leaders: Chief of State: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973)

*Norway, Government

Head of Government: Prime Minister Gro Harlem BRUNDTLAND (since 3 November 1990) Member of: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kjeld VIBE chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-6000 FAX: (202) 337-0870 consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco consulate: Miami US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant) embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo 2 mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (2) 44-85-50 FAX: [47] (2) 43-07-77 Flag: red with a blue 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)

*Norway, Economy

Overview: Norway has a mixed economy involving a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises) and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway also maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to slightly more than 50% of the GDP and results in one of the highest average tax burdens in the world (54%). A small country with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil sector to keep its economy afloat. Although one of the government's main priorities is to reduce this dependency, this situation is not likely to improve for years to come. The government also hopes to reduce unemployment and strengthen and diversify the economy through tax reform and a series of expansionary budgets. The budget deficit is expected to hit a record 8% of GDP because of welfare spending and bail-outs of the banking system. Unemployment continues at record levels of over 10% - including those in job programs - because of the weakness of the economy outside the oil sector. Overall economic growth is expected to be around 2% in 1993 while inflation is likely to rise slightly to 4%. Oslo, a member of the European Free Trade Area, has applied for EC membership and continues to deregulate and harmonize with EC regulations to prepare for the European Economic Area (EEA) - which creates an EC/EFTA market with free movement of capital, goods, services, and labor - to take effect in late 1993 and its EC bid. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $76.1 billion (1992) National product real growth rate: 2.9% (1992) National product per capita: $17,700 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1992) Unemployment rate: 5.9% (excluding people in job-training programs) (1992) Budget: revenues $50.6 billion; expenditures $57.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $35.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 37.8%, metals and products 10.7%, natural gas 7.3%, fish 6.6%, chemicals 6.3%, ships 5.4% partners: EC 67%, Nordic countries 18.2%, developing countries 7.9%, US 5.1%, Japan 1.6% (1992) Imports: $26.8 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: machinery, fuels and lubricants, transportation equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, clothing, ships partners: EC 48.7%, Nordic countries 26.8%, developing countries 9.3%, US 8.6%, Japan 6.3% (1992) External debt: $6.5 billion (1992 est.)

*Norway, Economy

Industrial production: growth rate 7.3% (1992) Electricity: 26,900,000 kW capacity; 111,000 million kWh produced, 25,850 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing Agriculture: accounts for 2.6% of GDP and 5.5% of labor force; among world's top 10 fishing nations; livestock output exceeds value of crops; over half of food needs imported; fish catch of 1.76 million metric tons in 1989 Illicit drugs: increasingly used as transshipment point for Latin American cocaine to Europe and gateway for Asian heroin shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $4.4 billion Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 re Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 6.8774 (January 1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991), 6.2597 (1990), 6.9045 (1989), 6.5170 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Norway, Communications

Railroads: 4,223 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; Norwegian State Railways (NSB) operates 4,219 km (2,450 km electrified and 96 km double track); 4 km other Highways: 79,540 km total; 38,580 km paved; 40,960 km gravel, crushed stone, and earth Inland waterways: 1,577 km along west coast; 2.4 m draft vessels maximum Pipelines: refined products 53 km Ports: Oslo, Bergen, Fredrikstad, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim Merchant marine: 829 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,312,412 GRT/38,532,109 DWT; includes 13 passenger, 20 short-sea passenger, 106 cargo, 2 passenger-cargo, 19 refrigerated cargo, 15 container, 49 roll-on/roll-off, 23 vehicle carrier, 1 railcar carrier, 174 oil tanker, 91 chemical tanker, 82 liquefied gas, 25 combination ore/oil, 201 bulk, 8 combination bulk; note - the government has created a captive register, the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians; the majority of ships (777) under the Norwegian flag are now registered with the NIS Airports: total: 103 usable: 102 with permanent-surface runways: 63 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 16 Telecommunications: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 3,102,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 46 AM, 350 private and 143 government FM, 54 (2,100 repeaters) TV; 4 coaxial submarine cables; 3 communications satellite earth stations operating in the EUTELSAT, INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean), MARISAT, and domestic systems

*Norway, Defense Forces

Branches: Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,120,744; fit for military service 934,968; reach military age (20) annually 31,903 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.8 billion, 3.4% of GDP (1992)

*Oman, Geography

Location: Middle East, along the Arabian Sea, between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates Map references: Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 212,460 km2 land area: 212,460 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas Land boundaries: total 1,374 km, Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km Coastline: 2,092 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: to be defined exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: no defined boundary with most of UAE; Administrative Line with UAE in far north; a treaty with Yemen to settle the Omani-Yemeni boundary was ratified in December 1992 Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas Land use: arable land: less than 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 0% other: 93% Irrigated land: 410 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and duststorms in interior; sparse natural freshwater resources Note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz (17% of world's oil production transits this point going from Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea)

*Oman, People