Chapter 70

Population: 1,643,579 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 3.46% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 40.56 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 38.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.32 years male: 65.47 years female: 69.27 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.58 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani Ethnic divisions: Arab, Balochi, Zanzibari, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi) Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu Languages: Arabic (official), English, Balochi, Urdu, Indian dialects Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 430,000 by occupation: agriculture 40% (est.)

*Oman, Government

Names: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman Digraph: MU Type: absolute monarchy with residual UK influence Capital: Muscat Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Musqat, Musandam, Zufar Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) Constitution: none Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the sultan; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: National Day, 18 November Political parties and leaders: none Other political or pressure groups: outlawed Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO), based in Yemen Suffrage: none Elections: elections scheduled for October 1992 Executive branch: sultan, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Sa'id Al Sa'id (since 23 July 1970) Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Awadh bin Badr AL-SHANFARI chancery: 2342 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-1980 through 1982 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David DUNFORD

*Oman, Government

embassy: address NA, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 50202 Madinat Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698-989 FAX: [968] 604-316 Flag: three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double width) with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band

*Oman, Economy

Overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for more than 85% of export earnings, about 80% of government revenues, and roughly 40% of GDP. Oman has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20 years' supply at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends on imported food. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $10.2 billion (1991) National product real growth rate: 7.4% (1991) National product per capita: $6,670 (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (1991) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $4.1 billion; expenditures $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1 billion (1991) Exports: $4.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum 87%, reexports, fish, processed copper, textiles partners: UAE 30%, Japan 27%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 5% Imports: $3.0 billion (f.o.b, 1991) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants partners: Japan 20%, UAE 19%, UK 19%, US 7% External debt: $3.1 billion (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 10% (1989), including petroleum sector Electricity: 1,142,400 kW capacity; 5,100 million kWh produced, 3,200 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper Agriculture: accounts for 6% of GDP and 40% of the labor force (including fishing); less than 2% of land cultivated; largely subsistence farming (dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle); not self-sufficient in food; annual fish catch averages 100,000 metric tons Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $137 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $148 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $797 million Currency: 1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1 - 0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year

*Oman, Communications

Highways: 26,000 km total; 6,000 km paved, 20,000 km motorable track Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km Ports: Mina' Qabus, Mina' Raysut, Mina' al Fahl Merchant marine: 1 passenger ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,442 GRT/1,320 DWT Airports: total: 138 usable: 130 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 74 Telecommunications: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radio communications stations; limited coaxial cable; 50,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; satellite earth stations - 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT, and 8 domestic

*Oman, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Oman Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 370,548; fit for military service 210,544; reach military age (14) annually 20,810 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, 16% of GDP (1993 est.)

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Header

Affiliation: (UN trusteeship administered by the US)

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Geography

Location: in the North Pacific Ocean, 850 km southeast of the Philippines Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 458 km2 land area: 458 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,519 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid Terrain: about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: subject to typhoons from June to December; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain Note: includes World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), People

Population: 16,071 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.84% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 22.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 25.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.01 years male: 69.14 years female: 73.02 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.96 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan Ethnic divisions: Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races Religions: Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau) Languages: English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 92% male: 93% female: 91% Labor force: NA by occupation: NA

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Government

Names: conventional long form: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands conventional short form: none note: may change to Republic of Palau after independence; the native form of Palau is Belau and is sometimes used incorrectly in English and other languages Digraph: NQ Type: UN trusteeship administered by the US note: constitutional government signed a Compact of Free Association with the US on 10 January 1986, which was never approved in a series of UN-observed plebiscites; until the UN trusteeship is terminated with entry into force of the Compact, Palau remains under US administration as the Palau District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; administrative authority resides in the Department of the Interior and is exercised by the Assistant Secretary for Territorial and International Affairs through the Palau Office, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, J. Victor HOBSON Jr., Director (since 16 December 1990) Capital: Koror note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 states: Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi Independence: the last polity remaining under the US-administered UN trusteeship following the departure of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas from the trusteeship; administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of Interior Constitution: 1 January 1981 Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: President: last held on 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Kuniwo NAKAMURA 50.7%, Johnson TORIBIONG 49.3% Senate: last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total); number of seats by party NA House of Delegates: last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (16 total); number of seats by party NA Executive branch: national president, national vice president

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Government

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau or OEK) consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Delegates Judicial branch: Supreme Court, National Court, Court of Common Pleas Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993), Vice-President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993) Member of: ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF (observer) Diplomatic representation in US: administrative officer: Charles UONG, address: Palau Liaison Office, 444 North Capitol St., N.W., Suite 308, Washington, DC 20001 US diplomatic representation: director: US Liaison Officer Lloyd W. MOSS liaison office: US Liaison Office at Top Side, Neeriyas, Koror mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Koror, PW 96940 telephone: (680) 488-2920; (680) 488-2911 Flag: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Economy

Overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism provides some foreign exchange, although the remote location of Palau and a shortage of suitable facilities has hindered development. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $31.6 million (1986) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $2,260 (1986) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 20% (1986) Budget: revenues $6.0 million; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986) Exports: $0.5 million (f.o.b., 1986) commodities: NA partners: US, Japan Imports: $27.2 million (c.i.f., 1986) commodities: NA partners: US External debt: about $100 million (1989) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 22 million kWh produced, 1,540 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism, craft items (shell, wood, pearl), some commercial fishing and agriculture Agriculture: subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2,560 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $92 million Currency: US currency is used Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Communications

Highways: 22.3 km paved, some stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads (1991) Ports: Koror Airports: total: 3 usable: 3 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: 3 Telecommunications: broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau), Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the US and that will not change when the UN trusteeship terminates if the Compact of Free Association with the US goes into effect

*Pacific Ocean, Geography

Location: body of water between the Western Hemisphere and Asia/Australia Map references: Asia, North America, Oceania, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 165.384 million km2 comparative area: about 18 times the size of the US; the largest ocean (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world note: includes Arafura Sea, Banda Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Makassar Strait, Philippine Sea, Ross Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies Coastline: 135,663 km International disputes: some maritime disputes (see littoral states) Climate: the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian land mass back to the ocean Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the world's deepest, the 10,924 meter Marianas Trench Natural resources: oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish Environment: endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs from Antarctica; occasional El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of Peru when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial Countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by the thousands because of their lost food source

*Pacific Ocean, Geography

Note: the major choke points are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May and in extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the northern Pacific from June to December is a hazard to shipping; surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the Pacific Ring of Fire

*Pacific Ocean, Government

Digraph: ZN

*Pacific Ocean, Economy

Overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1985 over half (54%) of the world's total fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean, which is the only ocean where the fish catch has increased every year since 1978. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of Australia, New Zealand, China, US, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings. Industries: fishing, oil and gas production

*Pacific Ocean, Communications

Ports: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan) Telecommunications: several submarine cables with network nodal points on Guam and Hawaii

*Pakistan, Geography

Location: South Asia, along the Arabian Sea, between India and Afghanistan Map references: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 803,940 km2 land area: 778,720 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total 6,774 km, Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km Coastline: 1,046 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: status of Kashmir with India; border question with Afghanistan (Durand Line); water-sharing problems (Wular Barrage) over the Indus with upstream riparian India Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 4% other: 64% Irrigated land: 162,200 km2 (1989) Environment: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August); deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water logging Note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

*Pakistan, People

Population: 125,213,732 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 2.87% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 42.59 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 12.6 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 103.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.11 years male: 56.54 years female: 57.72 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani Ethnic divisions: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendents) Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3% Languages: Urdu (official), English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu), Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9% Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 21% Labor force: 28.9 million by occupation: agriculture 54%, mining and manufacturing 13%, services 33%, extensive export of labor (1987 est.)

*Pakistan, Government