Chapter 103
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman]; Slovene Christian Democrats or SKD [Lozje PETERLE, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA, chairman]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman]; United List (former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Janez KOCIJANCIC, chairman]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman]; Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Joze GLOBACNIK]
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC (observer), NAM (guest), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Ernest PETRIC chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor JACKOVICH embassy: address NA, Ljubljana mailing address: P.O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 61000 Ljubljana; American Embassy, Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone : [386] (61) 301-427, 472, 485 FAX: [386] (61) 301-401
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
Economy
Economy - overview: Slovenia appears to be making a solid economic recovery, fulfilling the promise it showed at the time of Yugoslavia's breakup. Its per capita GDP is now the highest in Central and Eastern Europe and comparable to the levels in the poorer West European countries. Slovenia has benefited from strong ties to Western Europe and suffered comparatively small physical damage during Yugoslavia's breakup. The beginning was difficult, however. Real GDP fell 15% in 1991-92, while inflation soared to 200% in 1992. The turning point came in 1993, when real GDP grew 1%, unemployment leveled off, and inflation slowed dramatically. In 1994, real GDP rose 5.5%, tapering off to an estimated 3.5% in 1995 and an estimated 3% in 1996. The government gets good marks from foreign observers for fiscal policy - the budget deficit has not exceeded 1% of GDP in any year since 1991, and the current account balance has remained in surplus throughout the transition period, with the exception of 1995-96. The Slovene privatization program, which began in 1994, involves about 1,400 firms, but less than half have been privatized. Growth in the near term depends largely on economic revitalization in Western Europe which buys 70% of Slovenia's exports. Slovenia itself must press on with privatization, restructuring, the encouragement of foreign investment, and the maintenance of a stable tolar.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $24 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 33.2% services : 62% (1996)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : 857,400 by occupation: NA%
Unemployment rate: 13% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues : $8.48 billion expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 2.361 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 12 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,362 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Exports: total value: $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : machinery and transport equipment 31.4%, manufactured goods 50.7%, chemicals 10.5%, food 3.8% (1995) partners: Germany 28.9%, former Yugoslavia 16.5%, Italy 13.6%, France 8.6%, Austria 6.4%, US 3.3% (January-July 1996 est.)
Imports: total value : $9.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 33.8%, manufactured goods 30.4%, chemicals 12.1%, fuels and lubricants 6.6%, food 8.4% (1995) partners: Germany 22.3%, Italy 17.1%, former Yugoslavia 7.4%, France 9.2%, Austria 9.1%, US 3.2% (January-July 1996 est.)
Debt - external: $4.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)
Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins
Exchange rates: tolars (SlT) per US$1 - 141.15 (December 1996), 135.36 (1996), 118.52 (1995), 128.81 (1994), 113.24 (1993), 81.29 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Slovenia:Communications
Telephones: 527,800 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 0 note: there are more than 20 regional and local radio broadcast stations
Radios: 596,100 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 note: there are more than 20 local cable television broadcast stations
Televisions: 454,400 (1993 est.)
@Slovenia:Transportation
Railways: total : 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 499 km) (1994)
Highways: total: 14,760 km paved: 11,808 km (including 218 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,952 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: NA
Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km
Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran
Merchant marine: total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 217,629 GRT/389,779 DWT (controlled by Slovenian owners) ships by type : bulk 9, cargo 5 note: ships operate under the flags of Antigua and Barbuda, Liberia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Singapore; no ships remain under the Slovenian flag (1996 est.)
Airports: 14 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Slovene Defense Forces
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 531,797 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 423,918 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 15,572 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $298 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% to 1.7% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime border dispute with Croatia over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; the border issue is currently under negotiation; Italy is negotiating with Slovenia over property and minority rights issues dating from World War II
Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe and for precursor chemicals ______________________________________________________________________
SOLOMON ISLANDS
@Solomon Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other : 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified : Law of the Sea
@Solomon Islands:People
Population: 426,855 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 98,797; female 95,162) 15-64 years : 52% (male 111,702; female 108,505) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,345; female 6,344) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 37.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.45 years male: 68.96 years female: 74.07 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: NA
@Solomon Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Francis SAEMALA (since NA February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (47 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26 May 1993 (next to be held 6 August 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: National Unity and Reconciliation Group (GNUR), Solomon MAMALONI; People's Alliance Party (PAP); National Action Party (NAPSI), leader NA; Solomon Islands Labor Party (SILP), leader NA; United Party (UP), leader NA; Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU; Christian Fellowship, leader NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the ambassador to the US) chancery: Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the UN, 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017 telephone : [1] (212) 599-6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
Economy
Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The Government of the Solomon Islands is nearing financial insolvency. In mid-1995 the central bank suspended interest and principal payments on government bonds and treasury bills held by financial institutions and the general public. The government so far has taken no steps to restrain expenditure or address the deficit, which is expected to be considerably higher than the $20 million forecasted in the 1996 budget.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10.4% (1996)
Labor force: total: 26,842 by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction, manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 20,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 55 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: total value: $170 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra partners : Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)
Imports: total value: $152 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel partners: Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%
Debt - external: $100 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $8.625 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.3 million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.7900 (November 1996), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914 (1994), 3.1877 (1993), 2.9281 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Solomon Islands:Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 2,100 km paved: 32 km unpaved: 2,068 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 29 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m : 17 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
SOMALIA
@Somalia:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 637,660 sq km land: 627,340 sq km water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer
Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
@Somalia:People
Population: 6,590,325 (July 1997 est.) note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year between census years by factoring growth rates into them and by taking account of refugee movements and of losses due to famine; lower estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,449,037; female 1,452,171) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,777,131; female 1,718,389) 65 years and over: 3% (male 89,346; female 104,251) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.03% (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 45.49 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 18.34 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.) under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 46.23 years male: 44.66 years female: 47.85 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Somali(s) adjective : Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 24% male: 36% female: 14% (1990 est.)
@Somalia:Government
Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
National capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (not functioning)
Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress or USC ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party or SRSP, headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Economy