Chapter 67

Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project will control, store, and redirect water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa

@Lesotho:People

Population: 2,007,814 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 408,723; female 406,849) 15-64 years : 55% (male 533,327; female 566,684) 65 years and over: 4% (male 37,990; female 54,241) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.83% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 32.19 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.92 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 : 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 80.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.66 years male: 49.48 years female: 53.91 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans 1,600, Asians 800

Religions: Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs

Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.3% male : 81.1% female: 62.3% (1995 est.)

@Lesotho:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland

Data code: LT

Government type: modified constitutional monarchy

National capital: Maseru

Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution: 2 April 1993

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996, succeeded to the throne following the death of his father, King MOSHOESHOE II, on 16 January 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne (November 1990 to February 1995) while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election, he has no executive or legislative powers; moreover, under traditional law the king can be elected or deposed by a majority vote of the College of Chiefs; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (65 seats; members elected for a five-year term by popular vote) elections: last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held by March 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BCP 65

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party or BNP [Evaristus SEKHONYANA]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsu MOKHEHLE]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Eunice M. BULANE chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX : [266] 310116

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

Economy

Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number of such mine workers has declined steadily over the past five years; in 1996 their remittances added about 33% to GDP compared with the addition of roughly 67% in 1990. The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming and migrant labor; a large portion of the adult male work force is employed in South African mines. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility will permit the sale of water to South Africa and will support the economy's continued expansion. The pace of the privatization of state-owned firms increased toward the end of 1994.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 10% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,860 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 46% services : 40% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.7% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total : 689,000 economically active by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment effecting more than half of the labor force (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues : $445 million expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $128 million (FY94/95 est.)

Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 12.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 13,400 kW (1993) note: 98% of electricity supplied by South Africa

Electricity - production: NA kWh note: 98% of electricity supplied by South Africa

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Exports: total value: $218 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: clothing, furniture, footwear, machinery and equipment, wool (1993) partners: South African Customs Union 46%, North America 34%, EU 18% (1993)

Imports: total value: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: corn, clothing, building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1993) partners: South African Customs Union 83%, Asia 12%, EU 3% (1993)

Debt - external: $512 million (1993)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente note : maloti (M) is the plural form of loti

Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1 - 4.6410 (January 1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992); note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Lesotho:Communications

Telephones: 12,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 66,000

Television broadcast stations: 1

Televisions: 11,000 (1992 est.)

@Lesotho:Transportation

Railways: total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)

Highways: total : 4,955 km paved: 887 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 29 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total : 25 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 23 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1,523 m : 4 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Lesotho Mounted Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 468,658 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 253,025 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

LIBERIA

Introduction

Current issues: Years of civil strife have destroyed much of Liberia's economic infrastructure, made civil administration nearly impossible, and brought economic activity virtually to a halt. The deterioration of economic conditions has been greatly exacerbated by the flight of most business people with their expertise and capital. Civil order ended in 1990 when President Samuel Kenyon DOE was killed by rebel forces. In April 1996, when forces loyal to faction leaders Charles Ghankay TAYLOR and Alhaji KROMAH attacked rival ethnic Krahn factions, the fighting further damaged Monrovia's dilapidated infrastructure. Fighting waned in late May 1996, allowing West African peacekeepers to regain control of Monrovia. The Abuja II peace accord was signed in August 1996 replacing the Chairman of the ruling Council of State, Wilton SANKAWULO, with Ruth PERRY. National elections were scheduled for 30 May 1997, but long-term prospects for peace will remain poor unless the warring factions can overcome their greed, mutual suspicions and ethnic hatreds.

@Liberia:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 111,370 sq km land : 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline: 579 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 59% forests and woodland: 18% other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

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

@Liberia:People

Population: 2,602,068 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 584,918; female 579,728) 15-64 years: 52% (male 689,376; female 657,029) 65 years and over : 3% (male 43,868; female 47,149) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 6.92% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 11.53 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 38.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will not return from exile

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population : 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.02 years male : 56.43 years female: 61.69 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 5% (descendants of former slaves)

Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%

Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.3% male : 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.)

@Liberia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia

Data code: LI

Government type: republic

National capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the Council of State Ruth PERRY (since NA August 1996); note - chairman of the Council of State is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : Chairman of the Council of State Ruth PERRY (since NA August 1996); note - chairman of the Council of State is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war elections: last presidential election held 15 October 1985 (next to be held 19 July 1997); results - Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7% note : constitutional government ended in September 1990 when President Samuel Kanyon DOE was killed by rebel forces; civil war ensued and in August 1996 the Abuja II peace accord was signed by the major warring factions; a transitional coalition government under Ruth PERRY was formed in August 1996; presidential elections are scheduled for 19 July 1997

Legislative branch: unicameral Transitional Legislative Assembly, the members of which are appointed by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war note : the former bicameral legislature no longer exists and is unlikely to be reconstituted soon

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: present conditions of civil strife and anarchy have rendered Liberia's political parties completely ineffectual; prior to the outbreak of warfare among armed factions the following political parties were prominent: National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [Augustus CAINE, chairman]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman]; Unity Party or UP [Joseph KOFA, chairman]; United People's Party or UPP [Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR, chairman]; Liberian Peoples Party or LPP [Dusty WOLOKOLLIE, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: the following armed factions, in accordance with the peace accord of August 1995, form the transitional government of Liberia: Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL (formerly a part of the national armed forces) [Lt. Gen. Hezekiah BOWEN, leader]; National Patriotic Front of Liberia or NPFL (initiated hostilities against Samuel DOE's government from Cote d' Ivoire in December 1989) [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR, leader]; Central Revolutionary Committee or CRC (dissident members of the NPFL in conflict with forces loyal to Charles Ghankay TAYLOR) [Thomas J. WOEWIYU, LEADER]; Liberia Peace Council or LPC (has opposed NPLF forces in southeastern Liberia) [Dr. George F. SAIGBE BOLEY, chairman; Octavius WALKER, secretary-general]; United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy or ULIMO (former supporters of Samuel DOE that have split on ethnic lines into two groups in conflict with each other: ULIMO-K [Alhaji G. V. KROMAH, leader] and ULIMO-J [Maj. Gen. Roosevelt JOHNSON, leader]); Lofa Defence Force or LDF (has fought the ULIMO forces in Lofa county) [Francois MASSAQUOI, leader]; note - the ULIMO-J forces are of the Krahn ethnic group and the ULIMO-K forces are of the Mandingo ethnic group

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Konah K. BLACKETT chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone : [1] (202) 723-0437 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission William MILAM embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia mailing address: P. O. Box 100098, Mamba Point, Monrovia telephone: [231] 226-370 FAX : [231] 226-148

Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy

Economy - overview: Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. Political and economic instability - including the stripping of resources by local warlords - threatens prospects for reconstruction as well as the repatriation of an estimated 750,000 Liberian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The continued political turmoil has prevented restoration of normal economic life, including the re-establishment of a strong central government with effective economic development programs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 36% services: 34%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 50% (1994 est.)

Labor force: total: 510,000 including 220,000 in the monetary economy by occupation: agriculture 70.5%, services 10.8%, industry and commerce 4.5%, other 14.2% note : non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $225 million expenditures: $285 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

Industries: rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, iron ore, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 430,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production: 1.05 billion kWh (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 384 kWh (1991 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Exports: total value: $667 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee partners: US, EU, Netherlands, Singapore

Imports: total value : $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs partners: US, EU, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS, South Korea

Debt - external: $2.1 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 50 (October 1995), 7 (January 1992); market rate floats against the US dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Liberia:Communications

Telephones: less than 25,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia; most telecommunications services inoperable due to insurgency domestic: NA international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 622,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 5 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 51,000 (1992 est.)

@Liberia:Transportation

Railways: total: 490 km (single track); note - three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two have been shut down by the civil war standard gauge : 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 10,300 km paved: 628 km unpaved : 9,672 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia

Merchant marine: total : 1,616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,081,452 GRT/99,395,792 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 418, cargo 121, chemical tanker 117, combination bulk 29, combination ore/oil 58, container 151, liquefied gas tanker 83, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 450, passenger 36, refrigerated cargo 68, roll-on/roll-off cargo 29, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 56 countries among which are Germany 179, US 176, Norway 166, Japan 154, Greece 147, Hong Kong 120, China 45, UK 40, Monaco 39, and Cyprus 33 (1996 est.)

Airports: 36 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 under 914 m: 28 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: NA; the ultimate structure of the Liberian military force will depend on who is the victor in the ongoing civil war

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 592,730 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 316,906 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $14 million (1993)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.9% (1993)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets ______________________________________________________________________

LIBYA

@Libya:Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water : 0 sq km