Chapter 28

Executive branch: chief of state : President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (since 7 August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections : president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 May 1994 (next to be held May 1998); vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term in a new procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents by newly elected presidents election results : Ernesto SAMPER Pizano elected president; percent of vote - no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote, therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the two leading candidates was held 19 June 1994; percent of vote - Ernesto SAMPER Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango (Conservative Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%; Humberto de la CALLE Lombana elected vice president; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998); House of Representatives - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March 1998) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 31, other 12; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF) 53, AD/M-19 2, other 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justical), highest court of criminal law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Council of State, highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Constitutional Court, guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Emilio LEBOLO Castellanos]; Conservative Party or PC [Fabio VALENCIA Cossio]; New Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango]; Democratic Alliance M-19 or AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP) is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC); National Salvation Movement or MSN [Dr. Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado]

Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC; and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation: AG, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Carlos ESGUERRA Portocarrero chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC consulate(s): Atlanta and Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Myles R. R. FRECHETTE embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, No. 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address : APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy

Economy - overview: Boasting a diversified and stable economy, Colombia has enjoyed Latin America's most consistent record of growth over the last several decades. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has expanded every year for more than 25 years, and unlike many other Latin American countries, Colombia did not default on any of its official debts during the "lost decade" of the 1980s. Since 1990, when Bogota introduced a comprehensive reform program that opened the economy to foreign trade and investment, GDP growth has averaged more than 4% annually. Growth has been fueled in recent years by the rapid expansion of the oil sector, progress in the construction and financial service industries, and an influx of foreign capital. Direct foreign investment, especially in the oil industry, is rising at a rapid rate. In 1996, oil overtook coffee as Colombia's main export. Non-petroleum economic growth slowed, however, due mostly to high interest rates - the result of high government spending and a tight monetary policy - and a real appreciation of the exchange rate. Business confidence was also damaged by a political crisis stemming from allegations President SAMPER solicited contributions from drug traffickers during the 1994 campaign. The slowdown in the growth of labor-intensive industries such as manufacturing has caused unemployment to rise to 11.5% by the end of 1996 and interfered with President SAMPER'S plans to lower the country's poverty rate, which has remained at about 40% despite the expanding economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $201.4 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 20% industry: 27% services: 53% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 21.6% (1996)

Labor force: total: 12 million (1990) by occupation: services 46%, agriculture 30%, industry 24% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (yearend 1996)

Budget: revenues: $27 billion expenditures: $30 billion including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate: 4.5% (1995 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 10,583,700 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 45.361 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 963 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp farming

Exports: total value: $10.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers partners : US 39%, EC 25.7%, Japan 2.9%, Venezuela 8.5% (1992)

Imports: total value: $12.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products partners : US 36%, EC 18%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 6.5%, Japan 8.7% (1992)

Debt - external: $16.5 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $30 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1 - 1,027.87 (January 1997), 1,036.69 (1996), 912.83 (1995), 844.84 (1994), 863.06 (1993), 759.28 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Colombia:Communications

Telephones: 1.89 million (1986 est.)

Telephone system: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 413 (licensed), FM 217 (licensed), shortwave 28

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 33

Televisions: 5.5 million (1993 est.)

@Colombia:Transportation

Railways: total: 3,386 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge (connects Cerrejon coal mines to maritime port at Bahia Portete) narrow gauge: 3,236 km 0.914-m gauge (1830 km in use) (1995)

Highways: total: 106,600 km paved: 12,685 km unpaved : 93,915 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats

Pipelines: crude oil 3,585 km; petroleum products 1,350 km; natural gas 830 km; natural gas liquids 125 km

Ports and harbors: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 72,388 GRT/97,576 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 6, container 1, multi-function large load carrier 2, oil tanker 3 (1996 est.)

Airports: 913 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 606 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m : 32 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 527 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 307 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 272 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 10,285,806 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 6,909,846 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 348,802 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2 billion (1995)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.8% (1995)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis; about 50,900 hectares of coca under cultivation in 1995; the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of cocaine to the US and other international drug markets; active aerial eradication program seeks to virtually eliminate coca and opium crops ______________________________________________________________________

COMOROS

Introduction

Historical perspective: Comoros has had difficulty in achieving political stability, having endured 18 coups or attempted coups since receiving independence from France in 1975.

@Comoros:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total : 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 340 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland : 18% other: 30% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

@Comoros:People

Population: 528,893 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 112,404; female 111,936) 15-64 years: 55% (male 142,604; female 146,382) 65 years and over : 3% (male 7,432; female 8,135) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.09% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 40.75 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 87.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.88 years male : 57.52 years female: 62.32 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.54 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)

@Comoros:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores local short form: Comores

Data code: CN

Government type: independent republic

National capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution: 7 June 1992

Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed ABDOU (since 27 December 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; share of vote - 64%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats; members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RND 39, RND candidate running as independent 1, FNJ 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme), two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of the republic

Political parties and leaders: Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim], party of the government; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ, Islamic party in opposition note: under a new constitution ratified in October 1996, a two party system was established; President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim called for all parties to dissolve and join him in creating the RND; the Constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in opposition, but if no party accomplishes that the second most successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) Charge d'Affaires ad interim Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 FAX : [1] (212) 983-4712

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Flag description: green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992

Economy

Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes nearly 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be reached in the late 1990s.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $370 million (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -2.3% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $650 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 13% services : 48% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 7.1% (1995 est.)

Labor force: total : 140,000 (1982) by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues : $83 million expenditures: $92 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1992)

Industries: tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: -6.5% (1989 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 16,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production: 25 million kWh (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 52 kWh (1991 est.)

Agriculture - products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Exports: total value: $11.2 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra partners: France 54%, Germany 18%, US 18%

Imports: total value: $40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment partners: France 60%, South Africa 10%, Kenya 5%, Singapore 4%

Debt - external: $189 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 406.27 (January 1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75 per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Comoros:Communications

Telephones: 3,770 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: 200 (1991 est.)

@Comoros:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 875 km paved: 669 km unpaved : 206 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudu

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 4 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Comoran Security Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 125,378 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 74,836 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte ______________________________________________________________________

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE Republic of the]

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:Geography

Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water : 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US

Land boundaries: total : 10,271 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline: 37 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone : boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Margherita Peak (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land : 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 77% other: 13% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification, Tropical Timber 94

Geography - note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:People

Population: 47,440,362 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 48% (male 11,418,713; female 11,378,403) 15-64 years: 49% (male 11,412,269; female 11,980,993) 65 years and over: 3% (male 541,435; female 708,549) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.34% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 47.66 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 16.61 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)