Chapter 68
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 4,383 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements: party to: Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
@Libya:People
Population: 5,648,359 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 305,959 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 48% (male 1,369,984; female 1,323,254) 15-64 years: 49% (male 1,422,043; female 1,358,013) 65 years and over: 3% (male 91,953; female 83,112) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.64% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 43.94 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 57.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.05 years male : 62.84 years female: 67.37 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.19 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 87.9% female: 63% (1995 est.)
@Libya:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah local short form: none
Data code: LY
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
National capital: Tripoli
Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan note: the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 1,500 communes in 1992
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state : Revolutionary Leader Gen. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Abd al-Majid al-QA'UD (since 29 January 1994) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections : national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: Abd al-Majid al-QA'UD elected head of government; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of peoples' committees)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an embassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980
Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Economy
Economy - overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. In 1990 per capita GDP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but subsequently GDP growth has slowed on average and has fluctuated sharply in response to changes in the world oil market. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP, it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. The UN sanctions imposed in April 1992 have not yet had a major impact on the economy because Libya's oil revenues generate sufficient foreign exchange to sustain imports of food, consumer goods, and equipment for the oil industry and ongoing development projects.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $34.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,570 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry : 55% services: 40% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 25% (1995 est.)
Labor force: total: 1 million (includes about 280,000 resident foreigners) by occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18% note : 7.1% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 4.6 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 16.73 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,012 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts; meat, eggs
Exports: total value: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Turkey, Greece, Egypt
Imports: total value : $7.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods partners: Italy, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Eastern Europe
Debt - external: $2.6 billion excluding military debt (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.3764 (January 1997), 0.3651 (1996), 0.3532 (1995), 0.3596 (1994), 0.3250 (1993), 0.3013 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Libya:Communications
Telephones: 370,000
Telephone system: modern telecommunications system domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); planned Arabsat and Intersputnik satellite earth stations; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 1 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 12 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 500,000 (1993 est.)
@Libya:Transportation
Railways: note : Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled; current plans are to construct a 1.435-m standard gauge line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral-rich area, but there has been no progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion set for mid-1994; no progress has been reported
Highways: total: 19,189 km paved: 10,738 km unpaved : 8,451 km (1987)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km
Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah
Merchant marine: total : 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 689,086 GRT/1,209,083 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 4 note: Libya owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 33,050 DWT operating under the registries of Algeria and Turkey (1996 est.)
Airports: 131 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 71 over 3,047 m : 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 14 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 60 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m : 39 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 1,211,700 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 721,592 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 59,216 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.4 billion (1994 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6.1% (1994 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria ______________________________________________________________________
LIECHTENSTEIN
@Liechtenstein:Geography
Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Geographic coordinates: 47 10 N, 9 32 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total : 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 78 km border countries: Austria 37 km, Switzerland 41 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers
Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggleller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m
Natural resources: hydroelectric potential
Land use: arable land : 25% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 38% forests and woodland: 19% other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to : Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: along with Uzbekistan, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation
@Liechtenstein:People
Population: 31,389 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 3,032; female 2,909) 15-64 years: 70% (male 10,952; female 11,059) 65 years and over: 11% (male 1,410; female 2,027) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.02% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.03 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.33 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population : 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 77.82 years male: 75.38 years female: 80.36 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein
Ethnic groups: Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 6.9%, unknown 5.6%, other 7.5% (1995)
Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male : 100% female: 100% (1981 est.)
@Liechtenstein:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Furstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein
Data code: LS
Government type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
National capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz
Independence: 23 January 1719 (Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established)
National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prince Hans ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS von und zu Liechtenstein (born 11 June 1968) head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 14 April 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the prince elections : none; the prince is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the prince and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the prince
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 2 February 1997 (next to be held by NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - VU 50.1%, FBP 41.3%, FL 8.5%; seats by party - VU 13, FBP 10, FL 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht
Political parties and leaders: Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or FL
International organization participation: CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Liechtenstein does not have an embassy in the US, but is represented by the Swiss embassy in routine diplomatic matters
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador at Bern (Switzerland) has been nominated to be the non-resident US Ambassador to Liechtenstein
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Economy
Economy - overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced about 25,000 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein is a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between EFTA and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $713 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 22,187 of which 13,576 are foreigners; 7,781 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day by occupation : industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.1% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $455 million expenditures: $435 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 23,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 150 million kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 8,000 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, maize, potatoes; livestock, dairy products
Exports: total value: $2.14 billion (1994) commodities: small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery partners: EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995)
Imports: total value : $852.3 million (1994) commodities: machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles partners : EU countries, Switzerland (1996)
Debt - external: $0 (1996)
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.3936 (January 1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Liechtenstein:Communications
Telephones: 28,393 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: limited, but sufficient automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay
Radio broadcast stations: 1 broadcast station in Triesea note: linked to Swiss networks
Radios: 11,203 (1995)
Television broadcast stations: NA note : linked to Swiss networks
Televisions: 11,421 (1995)
@Liechtenstein:Transportation
Railways: total: 18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claims 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 ______________________________________________________________________
LITHUANIA
@Lithuania:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 65,200 sq km land: 65,200 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,273 km border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Coastline: 99 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapine Kalnas 292 m
Natural resources: peat
Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops : 12% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 31% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 430 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Lithuania:People
Population: 3,617,104 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 385,959; female 370,100) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,157,987; female 1,240,850) 65 years and over : 13% (male 157,328; female 304,880) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.49% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.64 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 12.96 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.7 years male: 62.61 years female : 75.11 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian
Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 80.1%, Russian 8.6%, Polish 7.7%, Byelorussian 1.5%, other 2.1%
Religions: primarily Roman Catholic, others include Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical Christian Baptist, Islam, Judaism
Languages: Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1989 est.)
@Lithuania:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: LH
Government type: independent, democratic republic
National capital: Vilnius