Chapter 34
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Toomas Hendrik ILVES chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 789-0471 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence P. TAYLOR embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] (6) 312-021 FAX: [372] (6) 312-025
Flag: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Economy -------
Economic overview: Estonia continues to experience strong economic growth after its economy bottomed out in 1993. Bolstered by a widespread national desire to reintegrate into Western Europe, Estonia has adhered to disciplined fiscal and financial policies and has led the FSU countries in pursuing economic reform. Monthly inflation has been held to under 5% since the beginning of 1992, with monthly inflation in 1995 at 2%. Following four years of decline, Estonia's GDP grew 5% in 1994 and 6% in 1995 - among the highest rates in Europe, according to estimates of the IMF and Estonia's own Economic Ministry. Despite these positive economic indicators, unemployment - 8% in 1994 - is on the rise, and wages - especially for teachers and law enforcement personnel - have not kept pace with inflation. Small- and medium-scale privatization is essentially complete, and large-scale privatization is progressing, but slowly. Estonia has successfully reoriented it trade toward the West, two-thirds of exports now going to Western markets. Estonia's free trade policies were the cornerstone of its negotiations with the European Union, and led to the signing of an association agreement in June 1995. Estonia was the only Baltic state not to have a transition period imposed by the EU prior to its implementation of a free trade agreement.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP real growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $7,600 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 37% services: 53% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 29% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 750,000 (1992) by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry 20%, other 38% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 8% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $620 million expenditures: $582 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (January-October 1995)
Industries: oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 3,420,000 kW production: 11.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 6,528 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe; very limited illicit opium producer; mostly for domestic consumption
Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: textile 14%, food products 11%, vehicles 11%, metals 11% (1993) partners: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany
Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: machinery 18%, fuels 15%, vehicles 14%, textiles 10% (1993) partners: Finland, Russia, Germany, Sweden
External debt: $270 million (January 1996)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $147 million (1993) note: Western commitments $285 million (including international financial institutions)
Currency: 1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August 1992)
Exchange rates: krooni (EEK) per US$1 - 11.523 (December 1995), 11.465 (1995), 12.991 (1994), 13.223 (1993); note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines broad gauge: 1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)
Highways: total: 14,771 km paved: 8,124 km (including 62 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,647 km (1993)
Waterways: 500 km perennially navigable
Pipelines: natural gas 420 km (1992)
Ports: Haapsalu, Narva, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Merchant marine: total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 353,140 GRT/467,086 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 33, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 4 (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 22 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 400,000
Telephone system: system is antiquated; improvements are being made piecemeal, with emphasis on business needs and international connections; there are still about 150,000 unfulfilled requests for subscriber service domestic: substantial investment has been made in cellular systems which are operational throughout Estonia international: international traffic is carried to the other former Soviet republics by landline or microwave radio relay and to other countries partly by leased connection to the Moscow international gateway switch and partly by a new Tallinn-Helsinki fiber-optic, submarine cable which gives Estonia access to international circuits everywhere; access to the international packet-switched digital network via Helsinki
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0
Radios: 710,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 note: provide Estonian programs as well as Moscow Ostenkino's first and second programs
Televisions: 600,000 (1993 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force (not officially sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops), Coast Guard
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 357,835 males fit for military service: 280,757 males reach military age (18) annually: 10,525 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $35 million, 1.5% of GDP (1995)
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@Ethiopia --------
Map ---
Location: 8 00 N, 38 00 E -- Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Flag ----
Description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
Geography ---------
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 1,127,127 sq km land area: 1,119,683 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,311 km border countries: Djibouti 337 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 830 km, Somalia 1,626 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden
Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley lowest point: Denakil -125 m highest point: Ras Dashen Terara 4,620 m
Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash
Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 41% forest and woodland: 24% other: 22%
Irrigated land: 1,620 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; famine natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993
People ------
Population: 57,171,662 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 13,116,158; female 13,080,276) 15-64 years: 51% (male 14,782,995; female 14,624,779) 65 years and over: 3% (male 728,808; female 838,646) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.72% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 46.05 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 17.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan, Kenya and Somalia for refuge from war and famine in earlier years, is expected to continue in 1996; entry into Ethiopia of Sudanese and Somalis fleeing the fighting in their own countries is also continuing in 1996
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 122.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 46.85 years male: 45.71 years female: 48.02 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Ethiopian(s) adjective: Ethiopian
Ethnic divisions: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%
Religions: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 5%
Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 35.5% male: 45.5% female: 25.3%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local long form: none local short form: Ityop'iya abbreviation: FDRE
Data code: ET
Type of government: federal republic note: on 28 May 1991 the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) toppled the authoritarian government of MENGISTU Haile-Mariam and took control in Addis Ababa; a new constitution was promulgated in December 1994 and national and regional popular elections were held in May and June 1995
Capital: Addis Ababa
Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1 federal capital*: Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benshangul/Gumaz; Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples; Tigray
Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
National holiday: National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of Mengistu regime)
Constitution: new constitution promulgated in December 1994
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since NA August 1995) elected by the Council of People's Representatives following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995 head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995) designated by the party in power, EPRDF, following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995 cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the Council of People's Representatives
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature Federal Council: upper chamber, having NA members, represents the ethnic interests of the regional governments and is elected by the regional assemblies Council of People's Representatives: lower chamber, having 550 members, elected by popular vote note: both bodies have five-year terms of office; regional and national popular elections were held in May and June 1995; results - EPRDF swept nearly all seats
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national legislature
Political parties and leaders: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), MELES Zenawi
Other political or pressure groups: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF); All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S resignation, including several Islamic militant groups
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2281, 2282 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7950
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Irvin HICKS embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 552191
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
Economy -------
Economic overview: Ethiopia continues to face difficult economic problems as one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for about half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor cultivation practices, and deterioration of internal security conditions. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less than 10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is considering selling off a portion of state-owned plants and is implementing reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the economy. A major medium-term problem is the improvement of roads, water supply, and other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected during years of civil strife.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 48% industry: 15% services: 37% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY93/94)
Labor force: 18 million by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $707 million (FY93/94)
Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 460,000 kW production: 1.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats
Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (chat) for local use and regional export
Exports: $296 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: coffee, leather products, gold partners: Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy
Imports: $972 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, fuel partners: US, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan
External debt: $3.7 billion (1993 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.036 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1 - 6.3200 (December 1995), 6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.0000 (fixed rate 1992-93); fixed at 2.070 before 1992; note - official rate pegged to the US$
Fiscal year: 8 July - 7 July
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways: total: 24,127 km paved: 3,289 km unpaved: 20,838 km (1993 est.)
Ports: none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea may use the ports of Assab and Massawa
Merchant marine: total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 62,627 GRT/88,908 DWT ships by type: cargo 8, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 58 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 6 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 5 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 29 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 100,000 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: open wire and microwave radio relay system adequate for government use domestic: open wire and microwave radio relay international: open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 9.9 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Police note: following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopia's naval facilities remained in Eritrea's possession; current reorganization plans do not include a navy
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 12,912,144 males fit for military service: 6,707,180 males reach military age (18) annually: 583,724 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $140 million, 4.1% of GDP (FY93/94)
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@Europa Island -------------
(possession of France)
Map ---
Location: 22 20 S, 40 22 E -- Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Flag ----
Description: the flag of France is used
Geography ---------
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 22 20 S, 40 22 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 28 sq km land area: 28 sq km comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 22.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 24 m
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% (heavily wooded) other: NA%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
Geographic note: wildlife sanctuary
People ------
Population: uninhabited
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Europa Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Europa
Data code: EU
Type of government: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic; resident in Reunion
Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion
Independence: none (possession of France)
Flag: the flag of France is used
Economy -------
Economic overview: no economic activity
Transportation --------------
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: total: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Communications note: 1 meteorological station
Defense -------
Defense note: defense is the responsibility of France
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@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) ---------------------------------
(dependent territory of the UK)
Map ---
Location: 51 45 S, 59 00 W -- Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Flag ----
Description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
Geography ---------
Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total area: 12,170 sq km land area: 12,170 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
Natural resources: fish, wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 99% forest and woodland: 0% other: 1%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year international agreements: NA
Geographic note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
People ------
Population: 2,374 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 2.43% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Nationality: noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
Ethnic divisions: British
Religions: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: English
Government ----------