Chapter 51
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Ali Odeen ISHMAEL chancery : 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900, 6901 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Hugh SIMON embassy: 99-100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown telephone: [592] (2) 54900 through 54909, 57960 through 57969 FAX : [592] (2) 58497
Flag description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green
Economy
Economy - overview: In 1996, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its fifth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold and bauxite mining and by sugar. Favorable growth factors have included expansion in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,490 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 28% services: 33% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4.5% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $209 million expenditures: $303 million, including capital expenditures of $109 million (1995 est.)
Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (1994 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 157,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 318 million kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 301 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and forestry
Exports: total value: $565 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses partners: Canada 33%, US 24%, UK 22% (1994 est.)
Imports: total value: $589 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food partners : US 29%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, Netherlands Antilles 17%, UK 11%, (1994 est.)
Debt - external: $1.5 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 140.3 (February 1997), 141.1 (December 1996), 140.4 (1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Guyana:Communications
Telephones: 33,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: fair system for long-distance calling domestic : microwave radio relay network for trunk lines international: tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 1
Radios: 398,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (1995 est.)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
@Guyana:Transportation
Railways: total: 88 km standard gauge: 40 km 1.435-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport) narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge (dedicated to ore transport)
Highways: total: 7,820 km paved: 571 km unpaved : 7,249 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively
Ports and harbors: Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Merchant marine: total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 47 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m : 32 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 198,350 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 150,105 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $7 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to the US and Europe; producer of cannabis ______________________________________________________________________
HAITI
@Haiti:Geography
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 275 km border countries : Dominican Republic 275 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf : to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Natural resources: bauxite
Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures : 18% forests and woodland: 5% other: 44% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and use as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
@Haiti:People
Population: 6,611,407 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 1,451,550; female 1,409,056) 15-64 years : 53% (male 1,668,670; female 1,811,957) 65 years and over: 4% (male 134,366; female 135,808) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.39% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 33.12 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 15.25 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 102.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.49 years male : 47.45 years female: 51.63 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto plus white 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
Languages: French (official) 10%, Creole
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 45% male: 48% female: 42.2% (1995 est.)
@Haiti:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti local short form: Haiti
Data code: HA
Government type: republic
National capital: Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH (since March 1996) cabinet : Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of vote - Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April 1997; runoffs to be held 25 May 1997 were postponed); Chamber of Deputies - last held 25 June 1995 with reruns on 13 August and runoffs on 17 September (next to be held NA 1999; byelections for two vacant seats were held 6 April 1997; runoffs to be held 25 May 1997 were postponed) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lavalas Platform 17, FNDC 6, National Alliance for Democracy and Progress 2, RDNP 1, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lavalas Platform 67, FNCD 2, CONACOM 1, PANPRA 1, MRN 2, MKN 1, PROP 1, UPD 2, independents 4, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE; National Cooperative Action Movement (MKN), Volvick Remy JOSEPH; National Congress of Democratic Movements (CONACOM), Victor BENOIT; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti (MIDH), Marc BAZIN; National Progressive Revolutionary Party (PANPRA), Serge GILLES; National Patriotic Movement of November 28 (MNP-28), Dejean BELIZAIRE; National Agricultural and Industrial Party (PAIN), Louis DEJOIE; Movement for National Reconstruction (MRN), Rene THEODORE; Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Fritz PIERRE; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP), Leslie MANIGAT; National Labor Party (PNT), Remy ZAMOR; Mobilization for National Development (MDN), Hubert DE RONCERAY; Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti (MODELH), Francois LATORTUE; Popular Organizations Gathering Power (PROP), Simon JEAN-POIX; Movement for the Organization of the Country (MOP), Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE; Democratic Unity Confederation (KID), Evans PAUL; National Lavalas Political Organization (OPL), Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES; Open the Gate Party (PLB), Renaud BERNARDIN; Haitian National Democratic Progressive Party (PNDPH), Turneb DELPE; Union of Patriotic Democrats (UPD), Rockefeller GUERRE; Cooperative Action for Economic Liberation (KLE), Leon JEUNE; Generation 2004, Claude ROUMAIN; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti (ALAH), Reynold GEORGES; Lavalas Political Platform or PPL (an alliance of OPL and MOP) [Renaud BERNARDIN]; Haitian Democratic Party (PADEMH), Clark PARENT; National Rally of Democratic Forces (RANFO), Jean Nazaire THIDE, Marino ETIENNE; National Alliance for Democracy and Progress
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH); Federation of Workers Trade Unions (FOS); Autonomous Haitian Workers (CATH); National Popular Assembly (APN); Papaye Peasants Movement (MPP)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Jean CASIMIR chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 through 4092 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy : 5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 22-0354, 22-0368, 22-0200, 22-0612 FAX: [509] 23-1641
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Economy
Economy - overview: About 75% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little or no job creation since President PREVAL took office in February 1996. Failure to reach agreements with international sponsors have denied Haiti badly needed budget and development assistance. Meeting aid conditions in 1997 will be especially challenging in the face of mounting popular criticism of reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.8% industry: 23% services: 42.2% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 18% (1996)
Labor force: total: 2.3 million by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9% note : shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1982)
Unemployment rate: 60% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues : $240 million (est.) expenditures: $250 million including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 216,500 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 379 million kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 33 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Exports: total value: $123 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: light manufactures 65%, coffee 19%, other agriculture 8%, other 8% partners: US 73.5%, EU 19.4% (1995)
Imports: total value : $666 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machines and manufactures 34%, food and beverages 22%, petroleum products 14%, chemicals 10%, fats and oils 9% partners: US 65.0%, EU 13.9% (1995)
Debt - external: $827 million (September 1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 gourde (G) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: gourdes (G) per US$1 (end of period) - 16.260 (January 1997), 15.093 (1996), 16.160 (1995), 12.947 (1994), 12.805 (1993), 10.953 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Haiti:Communications
Telephones: 50,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities barely adequate, international facilities slightly better domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 33, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: 320,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 32,000 (1992 est.)
@Haiti:Transportation
Railways: total: 40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990's narrow gauge : 40 km 0.760-m gauge
Highways: total: 4,080 km paved: 987 km unpaved: 3,093 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: negligible; less than 100 km navigable
Ports and harbors: Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 11 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Haitian National Police (PNH) note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until/unless constitutionally abolished
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,430,855 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 774,835 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 71,003 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA; note - mainly for police and security activities
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe ______________________________________________________________________
HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS McDonald Islands]
(territory of Australia)
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total : 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: primarily used for research stations
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:People
Population: uninhabited
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code: HM
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)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Heard Island and McDonald Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY)
@Holy See (Vatican City):Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 0.44 sq km land : 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point : unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
@Holy See (Vatican City):People
Population: 850 (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.15% (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian, Latin, various other languages
@Holy See (Vatican City):Government
Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Data code: VT
Government type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
National capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II) note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive branch: chief of state : Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA 1991) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by Pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
International organization participation: IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN chancery : 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121