Chapter 33
International organization participation: C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas NIKOLAIDES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 462-5772 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish area in the US is Namik KORHAN, office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC, telephone [1] (202) 887-6198
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Kenneth C. BRILL (26 June 1996) embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, Nicosia mailing address : P. O. Box 4536, Nicosia, Cyprus telephone: [357] (2) 476100 FAX: [357] (2) 465944
Flag description: white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note : the Turkish Cypriot flag has a horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red crescent and red star on a white field
Economy
Economy - overview: The Greek Cypriot economy is small and prosperous, but highly susceptible to external shocks. Industry contributes 23% to GDP and employs 25% of the labor force, while the service sector contributes 72% to GDP and employs 62% of the labor force. Erratic growth rates in the 1990s reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals (caused by fluctuations in political and economic conditions in Western Europe and the Middle East) and the need for structural changes in the economy. One bright spot has been the low rate of inflation. In 1996 Cyprus fully satisfied all the Maastricht convergence criteria. The Turkish Cypriot economy has less than one-third the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging foreign financing, and foreign firms have hesitated to invest there. The economy remains heavily dependent on agriculture and government service, which together employ about half of the work force. Moreover, the small, vulnerable economy has suffered because the Turkish lira is legal tender. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey provides direct and indirect aid to nearly every sector. In January 1997, Turkey signed a $250 million economic cooperation accord with the Turkish Cypriot area to support tourism, education, and industry.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.8 billion (Greek area: purchasing power parity - $8,300,000,000; Turkish area: purchasing power parity - $536,000,000) (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (Greek area: 4%; Turkish area: 0.5%) (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,800 (Greek area: purchasing power parity - $13,700; Turkish area: purchasing power parity - $3,950) (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: Greek area: agriculture 5.3%; industry 22.7%; services 72% (1996 est.); Turkish area: agriculture 11.4%; industry 22.9%; services 65.7% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: Greek area: 3.3% (1996 est.); Turkish area: 86% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : Greek area: 299,700 by occupation: services 62%, industry 25%, agriculture 13% (1995) total: Turkish area: 76,500 by occupation: services 66%, industry 11%, agriculture 23% (1995)
Unemployment rate: Greek area: 2.3% (1996 est.); Turkish area: 3.6% (1995 est.)
Budget: revenues: Greek area - $2.9 billion, Turkish area - $149 million expenditures: Greek area - $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $453 million, Turkish area - $304 million, including capital expenditures of $20 million (1996)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: Greek area: -4% (1996); Turkish area: 2.6% (1992)
Electricity - capacity: 690,000 kW 000 kW
Electricity - production: 2.5 billion kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,380 kWh (1995)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables
Exports: total value: Greek area: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996); commodities: citrus, potatoes, grapes, wine, cement, clothing and shoes partners: Russia 17%, UK 11%, Greece 6%, Germany 5% total value: Turkish area: $71 million (f.o.b., 1996); commodities: citrus, potatoes, textiles partners : UK 35%, Turkey 30%
Imports: total value: Greek area: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996); commodities: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, food and feed grains, machinery partners: US 16%, UK 11%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Greece 7%, Japan 6% total value : Turkish area: $330 million (f.o.b., 1996); commodities: food, minerals, chemicals, machinery partners: Turkey 53%, UK 13%
Debt - external: Greek area: $1.8 billion (1996)
Economic aid: Greek area: recipient - $700 million with amount declining in recent years (1974-96 est.); Turkish area: recipient - $400 million from Turkey (1977-96 est.)
Currency: 1 Cypriot pound (£C) = 100 cents; 1 Turkish lira (TL) = 100 kurus
Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US1$ - 0.4816 (January 1997), 0.4663 (1996), 0.4522 (1995), 0.4915 (1994), 0.4970 (1993), 0.4502 (1992); Turkish liras (TL) per US$1 - 112,019 (January 1997), 81,405 (1996), 45,845.1 (1995), 29,608.7 (1994), 10,984.6 (1993), 6,872.4 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Cyprus:Communications
Telephones: Greek area: 367,000 (1996 est.); Turkish area: 80,000 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: excellent in both the Greek and Turkish areas domestic: open wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: Greek area: AM 4, FM 36, shortwave 1, Turkish area: AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: Greek area: 500,000 (1996 est.); Turkish area: 130,000 (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations: Greek area: 8 (repeaters 34); Turkish area: 2
Televisions: Greek area: 300,000 (1996 est.); Turkish area: 90,000 (1996 est.)
@Cyprus:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: Greek area: 10,150 km; Turkish area: 2,350 km paved : Greek area: 5,781 km; Turkish area: 1,370 km unpaved: Greek area: 4,369 km; Turkish area: 980 km
Ports and harbors: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos Bay
Merchant marine: total : 1,520 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,234,821 GRT/40,170,562 DWT ships by type: bulk 486, cargo 562, chemical tanker 26, combination bulk 50, combination ore/oil 19, container 119, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 142, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 50, roll-on/roll-off cargo 32, short-sea passenger 17, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 49 countries among which are Greece 723, Germany 172, Russia 45, Netherlands 32, Japan 30, Belgium 26, Cuba 26, Latvia 17, UK 15, and US 14; Cyprus owns 71 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,491,740 DWT that operate under the registries of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Hong Kong, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Syria, and UK (1996 est.)
Airports: 15 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Greek area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements); Hellenic Forces Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK); Greek Cypriot Police;, Turkish area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (TCSF), Turkish Forces Regiment on Cyprus (KTKA), Turkish mainland army units
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 192,593 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 132,412 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 6,038 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $405 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.4% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: 1974 hostilities divided the island into two de facto autonomous areas, a Greek area controlled by the Cypriot Government (59% of the island's land area) and a Turkish-Cypriot area (37% of the island), that are separated by a UN buffer zone (4% of the island); there are two UK sovereign base areas within the Greek Cypriot portion of the island
Illicit drugs: transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well ______________________________________________________________________
CZECH REPUBLIC
@Czech Republic:Geography
Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 78,703 sq km land: 78,645 sq km water: 58 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite
Land use: arable land: 41% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 11% forests and woodland: 34% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 240 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Geography - note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe
@Czech Republic:People
Population: 10,298,324 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 930,874; female 886,444) 15-64 years : 69% (male 3,542,900; female 3,539,351) 65 years and over: 13% (male 535,049; female 863,706) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.13% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 8.84 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.02 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.93 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 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.86 years male: 70.49 years female: 77.42 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech note: 300,000 Slovaks declared themselves Czech citizens in 1994
Ethnic groups: Czech 94.4%, Slovak 3%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Gypsy 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 1%
Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Languages: Czech, Slovak
Literacy: definition: age NA and over can read and write total population: 99% (est.) male: NA% female : NA%
@Czech Republic:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Ceska Republika
Data code: EZ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Prague
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, kraj - singular); Jihocesky, Jihomoravsky, Praha, Severocesky, Severomoravsky, Stredocesky, Vychodocesky, Zapadocesky
Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
National holiday: National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the Republic, 28 October
Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 26 January 1993) head of government : Prime Minister Vaclav KLAUS (since NA June 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivan KOCARNIK (since NA June 1992), Josef LUX (since NA June 1992), Josef ZIELENIEC (since NA June 1992) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections : president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 26 January 1993 (next to be held NA January 1998); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav HAVEL elected president; percent of parliamentary vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Snemovna Poslancu (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : Senate - last held 15-16 and 22-23 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998 - to replace/re-elect 20 senators serving two-year terms); Chamber of Deputies - last held 31 May-1 June 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000) election results : Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - governing coalition (ODS 32, KDU-CSL 13, ODA 7), opposition (CSSD 25, KCSM 2, DEU 1, independent 1); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - governing coalition (ODS 68, KDU-CSL 18, ODA 13), opposition (CSSD 61, KCSM 22, SPR-RSC 18)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: governing coalition : Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's Party or KDU-CSL [Josef LUX, chairman] opposition: Czech Social Democrats or CSSD - left opposition [Milos ZEMAN, chairman]; Communist Party or KSCM - left opposition [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Assembly for the Republic or SPR-RSC - extreme right radical [Miroslav SLADEK, chairman]; Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Chamber of Trade Unions; Civic Movement
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VONDRA chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9101, 9102 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general : Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jenonne R. WALKER embassy : Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: Unit 1330, APO AE 09213 telephone: [420] (2) 5732-0663 FAX: [420] (2) 5732-0920
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Economy
Economy - overview: Western observers view the Czech Republic as one of the most politically and economically stable post-Communist states. Its key macroeconomic indicators are, in the aggregate, the best in the region, and public opinion polls show strong support for reform. The country emerged from recession in 1994 with 2.6% growth and reached about 5% growth in both 1995 and 1996 while keeping a balanced budget and reorienting exports to the EU. Inflation and unemployment of 8.7% and 3.3% respectively in 1996 are among the lowest in the region. Prague's mass privatization program, including its innovative distribution of ownership shares to Czech citizens via "coupon vouchers," has made the most rapid progress in Eastern Europe. About 80% of the economy is in private hands or is partially privatized. The Czech Republic appears to be the East European frontrunner in economic integration with the West; for example, in 1996 it began to strengthen its bankruptcy law and to improve the transparency of stock market operations. It was the first post-Communist member of the OECD and is expected to be in the next group of new EU members. Its solid economic performance has led Standard and Poor's to upgrade the country's sovereign credit rating to "A" and has attracted over $6.7 billion in direct foreign investment to Czech industry between 1990 and September 1996 - one quarter from the US. Prague's biggest macroeconomic concerns now are mounting trade and current account deficits. In addition, the Czech economy still faces transition problems. The government continues to exert too much direct and indirect influence on the privatized economy, and the management of privatized firms sometimes is ineffective. Insufficient regulation and lack of public information in the capital markets and the banking system, combined with a shortage of experienced financial analysts, limit the ability to distribute new credit efficiently. The judicial system also has trouble speedily processing bankruptcy cases. Prague has promised to overhaul its bankruptcy law and improve stock market and bank operations, but it will take years to ensure compliance. Prague forecasts a balanced budget, 4.5% GDP growth, 3.3% unemployment and 7.5% to 8% inflation for 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $114.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,100 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 43% services : 53% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 5.107 million (1996) by occupation: industry 33.1%, agriculture 6.9%, construction 9.1%, transport and communications 7.2%, services 43.7% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 3.3% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $18.4 billion expenditures: $18.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 13.85 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 55.38 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,712 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Exports: total value: $21.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactured goods 32.4%, machinery and transport equipment 26.3%, chemicals 10.4%, raw materials and fuel 11.3% (1995) partners : EU 55.1%, Eastern Europe, excluding Slovakia, and CIS countries 16.9%, Slovakia 16.2%, developing countries 6.6%, EFTA 1.8% (1995)
Imports: total value: $27.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 35.6%, manufactured goods 17.9%, chemicals 13.2%, raw materials and fuels 14.4% (1994) partners : EU 56.4%, Eastern Europe, excluding Slovakia, and CIS countries 15.7%, Slovakia 13.1%, developing countries 6.0%, EFTA 2.5% (1995)
Debt - external: $17.1 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $27 million (1993)
Currency: 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru
Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1 - 27.516 (January 1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995), 28.785 (1994), 29.153 (1993), 28.26 (1992) note: values before 1993 reflect Czechoslovak exchange rates
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Czech Republic:Communications
Telephones: 3,349,539 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@Czech Republic:Transportation
Railways: total: 9,441 km standard gauge : 9,345 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2641 km electrified at three voltages) narrow gauge: 96 km two narrow gauges (1995)
Highways: total: 124,770 km paved: 16,719 km (including 414 km of expressways) unpaved : 108,051 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: NA km; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river
Pipelines: natural gas 5,400 km
Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 80,117 GRT/134,890 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 116 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 over 3,047 m : 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m : 41 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,715,759 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 2,068,143 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 84,516 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.22 billion (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.2% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; unresolved property issues with Slovakia over redistribution of property of the former Czechoslovak federal government
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; domestic consumption - especially of locally produced synthetic drugs - on the rise ______________________________________________________________________
DENMARK
@Denmark:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries : Germany 68 km
Coastline: 7,314 km