Chapter 30
Land use: arable land : 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : 78% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: NA
@Cook Islands:People
Population: 19,776 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.08% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 22.7 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.65 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: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.14 years male: 69.2 years female: 73.1 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: NA
@Cook Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Cook Islands
Data code: CW
Dependency status: free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
National capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 4 August
Constitution: 4 August 1965
Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High Commissioner Darryl DUNN (since NA 1994), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1 February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1 February 1989) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; the queen's representative is appointed by the queen; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held by NA 1999) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Cook Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2 note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey HENRY; Democratic Party, Sir Thomas DAVIS; Democratic Alliance Party, Norman GEORGE
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Like other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to a fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Trade deficits are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, largely from New Zealand. In 1996, the government declared bankruptcy, citing a $120 million public debt. Efforts to exploit tourism potential and expanding the mining and fishing industries have not been enough to adequately deal with the financial crisis. In an effort to stem further erosion of the tenuous economic situation, the government slashed public service salaries by 50%, condensed the number of government ministries from 52 to 22, reduced the number of civil servants by more than half, began selling government assets, and closed all overseas diplomatic posts except for the one in New Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $57 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 6% services: 77% (FY90/91)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.8% (1994)
Labor force: total: 6,601 (1993) by occupation: agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 15%, other 4% (1981)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: fruit processing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 7,500 kW (1990)
Electricity - production: 20 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas, yams, taro, coffee
Exports: total value: $3.9 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: copra, fresh and canned citrus fruit, clothing, coffee, fish partners: NZ 80%, Japan, Hong Kong
Imports: total value : $67 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber partners: NZ 49%, Italy, Australia
Debt - external: $160 million (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.275 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $5.4 million in budget support and $3.2 million in project and training aid from New Zealand, the country's largest source of aid (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.4247 (January 1997), 1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Cook Islands:Communications
Telephones: 4,180 (1994)
Telephone system: domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1
Radios: 13,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 studio and 8 low-powered repeaters achieve good coverage on the island of Rarotonga
Televisions: 3,500 (1995 est.)
@Cook Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 187 km paved: 35 km unpaved: 152 km (1980 est.)
Ports and harbors: Avarua, Avatiu
Merchant marine: total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,464 GRT/2,181 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
CORAL SEA ISLANDS
(territory of Australia)
@Coral Sea Islands:Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water : 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land : 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: occasional, tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues: no permanent fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles
@Coral Sea Islands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of four at the meteorological station
@Coral Sea Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Data code: CR
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Ministry for Sport, Territories, and Local Government
National capital: none; administered from Canberra, Australia
Independence: none (territory of Australia)
Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Executive branch: administered by the Minister for the Arts, Sport, the Environments and Territories of Australia
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Coral Sea Islands:Communications
Communications - note: there are automatic weather relay stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
@Coral Sea Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
COSTA RICA
@Costa Rica:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water : 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point : Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops : 5% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 31% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes
Environment - current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
@Costa Rica:People
Population: 3,534,174 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 617,256; female 587,566) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,090,414; female 1,065,273) 65 years and over : 5% (male 80,304; female 93,361) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.15 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.82 years male : 73.41 years female: 78.36 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.85 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 96%, black 2%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.8% male: 94.7% female: 95% (1995 est.)
@Costa Rica:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica
Data code: CS
Government type: democratic republic
National capital: San Jose
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state : President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994); First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994); First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998) election results : Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 28, PUSC 25, minority parties 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party or PLN [Rolando ARAYA]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ]; National Agrarian Party or PAN; People's Party of Costa Rica or PPC [Lenin CHACON Vargas]; Agricultural Union Party or PUAC [Juan Guillermo BRENES Castillo]; Democratic Force Party or FD [Isaac Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos]; People United [Humberto VARGAS Carbonell]; Patriotic Front Party; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo GUTIERREZ)]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Association of Educators or ANDE; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP
International organization participation: AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general : Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa consulate(s): Austin
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 220-2305
Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band
Economy
Economy - overview: Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put in place. Recent trends, however, have been disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in 1995, and to 0.9% in 1996. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995 from 13.5% in 1994, then dropped back to 13.9% in 1996. Unemployment appears moderate at little more than 5% but substantial underemployment continues. Furthermore, substantial government deficits have undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. The government thus faces a formidable set of problems: to curb inflation, reduce the deficit, encourage domestic savings, and improve public sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector, all this in harmony with IMF agreements.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $19 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,500 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 13.9% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 868,300 by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1996 est.); much underemployment
Budget: revenues : $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991 est.)
Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Industrial production growth rate: 10.5% (1992)
Electricity - capacity: 1,113,900 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 5.138 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,330 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber (depletion of forest resources has resulted in declining timber output)
Exports: total value: $3.82 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar partners: US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France
Imports: total value: $3.857 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities : raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum partners: US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany
Debt - external: $3.2 billion (October 1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 219.29 (December 1996), 207.69 (1996), 179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993), 134.51 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Costa Rica:Communications
Telephones: 281,042 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: very good domestic telephone service domestic: NA international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 340,000 (1993 est.)
@Costa Rica:Transportation
Railways: total : 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) note: the entire system was scheduled to be shut down on 31 June 1995 because of insolvency
Highways: total : 35,600 km paved: 5,945 km unpaved: 29,655 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable
Pipelines: petroleum products 176 km
Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 143 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 115 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 96 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 28 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica) note - during 1996, the Ministry of Public Security reorganized and eliminated the Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard, and Frontier Guards as separate entities; they are now under the Ministry and operate on a geographic command basis performing ground security, law enforcement, counternarcotics, and national security (border patrol) functions; the Constitution prohibits armed forces
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 940,666 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 631,426 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 34,422 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $55 million (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots ______________________________________________________________________
COTE D'IVOIRE
@Cote d'Ivoire:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 322,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km water: 4,460 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 3,110 km border countries : Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline: 515 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper
Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops : 4% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 22% other: 25% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 680 sq km (1993 est.)