Chapter 16
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 1,261,059 females age 15-49: 1,333,966 (1997 est.) note: both sexes are liable for military service
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 645,660 (1997 est.) females: 675,243 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 64,028 females: 63,056 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $33 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.2% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US ______________________________________________________________________
BERMUDA
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Bermuda:Geography
Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W
Map references: North America
Area: total : 50 sq km land: 50 sq km water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops : NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 20% other: 80% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified : NA
Geography - note: consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some reclaimed land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
@Bermuda:People
Population: 62,569 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.75% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.92 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
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 total population: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 13.16 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.03 years male : 73.36 years female: 76.97 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups: black 61%, white and other 39%
Religions: Anglican 28%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Methodist 5%, other 34% (1991)
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male : 98% female: 99% (1970 est.)
@Bermuda:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Bermuda
Data code: BD
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May
Constitution: 8 June 1968
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor John MASEFIELD (since June 1997) head of government: Premier Pamela GORDON (since 25 March 1997); Deputy Premier Jerome DILL (since 1 September 1995) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; premier appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 1993 (next to be held by NA October 1998) election results : percent of vote by party - UBP 50%, PLP 46%, independents 4%; seats by party - UBP 22, PLP 18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela GORDON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; National Liberal Party or NLP [Charles JEFFERS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Robert A. FARMER consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592
Flag description: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing financial services for international firms and luxury tourist facilities for 200,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry attracts 91% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda's economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian's fear of scaring away foreign firms.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $29,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 34,133 by occupation: clerical 23%, services 23%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 16%, administrative and managerial 12%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1995)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)
Budget: revenues: $406.2 million expenditures : $405.9 million, including capital expenditures of $34.5 million (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 145,000 kW (1996)
Electricity - production: 527,526,728 kWh (1996)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 7,856 kWh (1996)
Agriculture - products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products
Exports: total value: $54 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: semitropical produce, light manufactures, reexports of pharmaceuticals partners : Netherlands 50%, Brazil 13%, Canada 6% (1996)
Imports: total value: $550 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: miscellaneous manufactured articles, machinery and transport equipment, food and live animals, chemicals partners: US 73%, UK 5%, Canada 5% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Bermudian dollar (Bd$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (February 1997; fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Bermuda:Communications
Telephones: 54,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic : modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 78,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 57,000 (1992 est.)
@Bermuda:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 225 km paved: 225 km unpaved : 0 km (1997 est.) note: in addition, there are 400 km of paved and unpaved roads that are privately owned
Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George
Merchant marine: total: 76 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,416,667 GRT/5,163,435 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 1, container 15, liquefied gas tanker 14, oil tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1, livestock carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 11 countries among which are UK 26, Canada 12, US 9, Norway 7, Hong Kong 4, Nigeria 4, Sweden 4, Switzerland 2, Mexico 1, and Romania 1; Bermuda owns 48 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,911,678 DWT that operate under Australian, Bahamian, Hong Kong, Liberian, Panamanian and Singaporean registry (1996 est.)
Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
BHUTAN
@Bhutan:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dangme Chu 97 m highest point: Khula Kangri I 7,553 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 6% forests and woodland: 66% other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified : Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
@Bhutan:People
Population: 1,865,191 (July 1997 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 600,000
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 387,721; female 359,857) 15-64 years: 56% (male 536,797; female 507,551) 65 years and over: 4% (male 37,249; female 36,016) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 37.91 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 14.94 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 114 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 51.88 years male: 52.37 years female: 51.37 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
People - note: refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps
@Bhutan:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan
Data code: BT
Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
National capital: Thimphu
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)
National holiday: National Day, 17 December (1907) (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king)
Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights note: Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972); note - the king is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972); note - the king is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) appointed by the king note: there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the king elections : none; the king is a hereditary monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 12 represent religious bodies, and 33 are designated by the king to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA
Judicial branch: the Supreme Court of Appeal is the king; High Court, judges appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders: no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign
International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by Ugyen TSERING; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York honorary consulate(s): San Francisco; Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about 40% of GDP. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is small and technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources; however, the government limits the number of tourists to 4,000 per year to minimize foreign influence. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare, but growth continues to be constrained by the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Growth picked up in 1995 and the country's balance of payments remained strong with comfortable reserves. The cautious fiscal stance planned for FY95/96 suggests continued economic stability in 1996. However, excessive controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.9% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $730 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 31% services : 27%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.6% (FY94/95 est.)
Labor force: NA by occupation : agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2% note: massive lack of skilled labor
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $52 million expenditures: $150 million, including capital expenditures of $95 million (FY93/94 est.) note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures
Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
Industrial production growth rate: 7.6% (1992 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 351,000 kW (1989)
Electricity - production: 1.67 billion kWh (1994) note: exports electricity to India
Electricity - consumption per capita: 79 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Exports: total value: $70.9 million (f.o.b., FY94/95 est.) commodities: cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to India), precious stones, spices partners: India 94%, Bangladesh
Imports: total value: $113.6 million (c.i.f., FY94/95 est.) commodities : fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice partners: India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US
Debt - external: $141 million (October 1994)
Economic aid: recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note - Indian currency is also legal tender
Exchange rates: ngultrum (Nu) per US$1 - 35.872 (January 1997), 35.433 (1996), 32.427 (1995), 31.374 (1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918 (1992); note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Bhutan:Communications
Telephones: 4,620 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with very few telephones in use international : international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1990)
Radios: 23,000 (1989 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1990 est.)
Televisions: 200 (1985 est.)
@Bhutan:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,210 km paved: 0 km unpaved : 2,210 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 455,556 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 243,156 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 18,290 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
BOLIVIA
@Bolivia:Geography
Location: Central South America, southwest of Brazil
Geographic coordinates: 17 00 S, 65 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water : 14,190 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total : 6,743 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Cerro Illimani 6,882 m
Natural resources: tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland : 53% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion, as well as to physical activity by those unaccustomed to it from birth; flooding in the northeast (March-April)
Environment - current issues: the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
@Bolivia:People
Population: 7,669,868 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 1,543,641; female 1,511,579) 15-64 years: 56% (male 2,081,792; female 2,184,876) 65 years and over : 4% (male 158,409; female 189,571) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.04% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 32.14 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.18 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 65.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 60.34 years male: 57.46 years female : 63.38 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.18 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian
Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, Aymara 25%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 25%-30%, white 5%-15%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)