Chapter 33
Political parties and leaders: ruling party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader opposition parties: Progressive Democratic Alliance (ADP), Antonio-Ebang Mbele Abang, president; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea (APGE),Casiano Masi Edu, leader; Liberal Democratic Convention (CLD), Alfonso Nsue MIFUMU, president; Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS), Santiago Obama Ndong, president; Social Democratic and Popular Convergence (CSDP), Secundino Oyono Agueng Ada, general secretary; Party of the Social Democratic Coalition (PCSD), Buenaventura Moswi M'Asumu, general coordinater; Liberal Party (PL), Santos PASCUAL; Party of Progress (PP), Severo MOTO Nsa, president; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Benjamin-Gabriel Balingha Balinga Alene, general secretary; Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea (PSGE), Tomas MICHEBE Fernandez, general secretary; National Democratic Union (UDENA), Jose MECHEBA Ikaka, president; Democratic Social Union (UDS), Camelo Modu, general secretary; Popular Union (UP), Juan Bitui, president
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE chancery: (temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553 telephone: [1] (914) 738-9584, 667-6913 FAX: [1] (914) 667-6838
US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
Economy -------
Economic overview: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful. In 1995, exports responded to the devaluation of 12 January 1994, apparently resulting in a sizable surplus and strong GDP growth. Increased production from recently discovered oil and natural gas fields will provide a greater share of exports in 1996-97.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $325 million (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 10% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 47% industry: 26% services: 27% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 41% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 172,000 (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980) note: labor shortages on plantations
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $32.5 million expenditures: $35.9 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1992 est.)
Industries: fishing, sawmilling
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 23,000 kW production: 20 million kWh consumption per capita: 50 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc; livestock; timber
Exports: $62 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, cocoa beans, timber, petroleum partners: Spain, Nigeria, Cameroon, Japan, Portugal
Imports: $60 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: Cameroon, Spain, France, US, Italy, Netherlands
External debt: $268 million (1993 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,744 km paved: 330 km unpaved: 2,414 km (1988 est.)
Ports: Bata, Luba, Malabo
Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,412 GRT/6,699 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 2,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 4,000 (1992 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 92,704 males fit for military service: 47,124 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.5 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)
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@Eritrea -------
Map ---
Location: 15 00 N, 39 00 E -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Flag ----
Description: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
Geography ---------
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 121,320 sq km land area: 121,320 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 1,630 km border countries: Djibouti 113 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Coastline: 1,151 km (land and island coastline is 2,234 km)
Maritime claims: NA
International disputes: a dispute with Yemen over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the ICJ
Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except on coastal desert
Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains lowest point: Kobar Sink -75 m highest point: Soira 3,013 m
Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 2% (coffee) meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 5% other: 50%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: famine; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare natural hazards: frequent droughts international agreements: party to - Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification
Geographic note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993
People ------
Population: 3,427,883 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 755,417; female 743,135) 15-64 years: 53% (male 910,976; female 913,531) 65 years and over: 3% (male 54,310; female 50,514) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.79% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 43.32 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 15.44 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: it is estimated that between 300,000 and 500,000 Eritrean refugees were still living in Sudan at the end of 1995; their repatriation is being facilitated by the UNHCR
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 118.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 50.31 years male: 48.57 years female: 52.1 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic divisions: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%
Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Italian, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor tribal languages
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: none local short form: none former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Data code: ER
Type of government: transitional government note: on 29 May 1991 ISAIAS Afworke, secretary general of the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which then served and still serves as the country's legislative body, announced the formation of the Provisional Government in Eritrea (PGE) in preparation for the 23-25 April 1993 referendum on independence for the autonomous region of Eritrea; the result was a landslide vote for independence, which was proclaimed on 27 April 1993
Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces (singular - awraja); Akele Guzay, Barka, Denkel, Hamasen, Sahil, Semhar, Senhit, Seraye; note - information issued by the Eritrean government indicates that the administrative structure of Eritrea, which had been established by former colonial powers, will consist of only six regions when the new constitution, presently being drafted, goes into effect sometime in 1996
Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)
National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)
Constitution: transitional "constitution" decreed 19 May 1993; the promulgation of a draft constitution is expected in 1996
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: NA; note - the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did not provide rules for suffrage, but it seems likely that the final version of the constitution, to be promulgated some time in 1996, will follow the example set in the referendum of 1993 in which suffrage was universal for persons 18 years of age or older
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 22 May 1993) is head of the State Council and National Assembly cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority note: election to be held in 1997
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF) and 75 directly elected members serve as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections are held in 1997
Judicial branch: Judiciary
Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), ISAIAS Afworki, PETROS Solomon (the only party recognized by the government)
Other political or pressure groups: Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ); Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), ABDULLAH Muhammed; Eritrean Liberation Front - United Organization (ELF-UO), Mohammed Said NAWUD; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC), Ahmed NASSER
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai chancery: Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 429-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 429-9004
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. HOUDEK embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., Asmara mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Flag: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
Economy -------
Economic overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faces the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population will continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Eritrea has inherited the entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore oil, offshore fishing, and tourism. For the time being, Ethiopia will be largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign trade.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 10% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $570 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1995 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: NA kW production: NA kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope); livestock (including goats); fish
Exports: $33 million (1995 est.) commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles partners: Ethiopia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UK, US, Yemen
Imports: $420 million (1995 est.) commodities: processed goods, machinery, petroleum products partners: NA
External debt: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents; at present, Ethiopian currency used
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1 - 6.2 (1995 est.), 5.600 (September 1994), 5.000 (fixed rate 1992-93); note - following independence from Ethiopia, Eritrea continued to use Ethiopian currency, the official rate of which was pegged to US$1 = 5.000 birr
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 307 km; note - nonoperational since 1978 except for about 5 km that was reopened in Massawa in 1994; rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock is under way; links Ak'ordat and Asmara (formerly Asmera) with the port of Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa) narrow gauge: 307 km 0.950-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 3,845 km paved: 807 km unpaved: 3,038 km (1993 est.)
Ports: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,573 GRT/13,593 DWT (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 14 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic: very inadequate; about 4 telephones per 100 families, most of which are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government controlled)
Televisions: NA
Defense -------
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
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@Estonia -------
Map ---
Location: 59 00 N, 26 00 E -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Flag ----
Description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Geography ---------
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 45,100 sq km land area: 43,200 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Land boundaries: total: 557 km border countries: Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km
Coastline: 1,393 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: limits to be fixed in coordination with neighboring states territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva and Pechora regions - based on boundary established under the 1921 Peace Treaty of Tartu; disputes maritime border with Latvia - primary concern is fishing rights around Ruhne Island in the Gulf of Riga
Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain: marshy, lowlands lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources: shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber
Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 11% forest and woodland: 31% other: 36%
Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1990)
Environment: current issues: air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military bases natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
People ------
Population: 1,459,428 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 148,683; female 143,563) 15-64 years: 66% (male 467,759; female 501,519) 65 years and over: 14% (male 63,976; female 133,928) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.13% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 10.74 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 14.12 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female all ages: 0.87 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.13 years male: 62.5 years female: 74.05 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.55 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian
Ethnic divisions: Estonian 61.5%, Russian 30.3%, Ukrainian 3.2%, Byelorussian 1.8%, Finn 1.1%, other 2.1% (1989)
Religions: Lutheran, Orthodox Christian
Languages: Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: EN
Type of government: republic
Capital: Tallinn
Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harju maakond (Tallinn), Hiiu maakond (Kardla), Ida-Viru maakond (Johvi), Jarva maakond (Paide), Jogeva maakond (Jogeva), Laane maakond (Haapsalu), Laane-Viru maakond (Rakvere), Parnu maakond (Parnu), Polva maakond (Polva), Rapla maakond (Rapla), Saare maakond (Kuessaare), Tartu maakond (Tartu), Valga maakond (Valga), Viljandi maakond (Viljandi), Voru maakond (Voru) note: county centers are in parentheses
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lennart MERI (since 21 October 1992) was elected for a five-year term by Parliament; election last held 20 September 1992 (next to be held fall 1996); results - no candidate received majority; Parliament elected Lennart MERI head of government: Acting Prime Minister Tiit VAHI (since NA March 1995); the president nominated and Parliament authorized the candidate for prime minister cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Riigikogu): elections last held 5 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K 14.17%, Pro Patria and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and Right-Wingers 5.0%; seats - (101 total) KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8, Our Home is Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5
Judicial branch: National Court
Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party and Rural Union (KMU), Tiit VAHI, chairman, made up of 4 parties: Coalition Party, Country People's Party, Farmer's Assembly, and Pensioners' and Families' League; Reform Party-Liberals (RE), Siim KALLAS, chairman; Center Party (K), Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland Alliance (Isamaa of Fatherland), Toivo JURGENSON, chairman; National Independence Party (ERSP), Kelam TUNNE, chairman, note - may have disappeared since the last election; Our Home is Estonia made up of 2 parties: United Peoples Party and the Russian People's Party of Estonia; United Peoples Party, Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman; Russian People's Party of Estonia, Sergei KUZNETSOV, chairman; Moderates (M) made up of 2 parties: Social Democratic Party and Rural Center Party; Social Democratic Party, Eiki NESTOR, chairman; Rural Center Party, Vambo KAAL, chairman; Right-Wingers, Ulo NUGIS, chairman
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)