Chapter 91

Administrative divisions: 72 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City* Davao, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)

Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel Valdes RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality)

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - an additional 50 members may be appointed by the president) elections : Senate - last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998); House of Representatives - elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 14, Lakas/NUCD 5, NPC 2, LP 1, PRP 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas/NUCD 129, LDP 29, NPC (opposition) 25, LP 6, PDP 3, KBL/NPC 1, results pending 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP), Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Raul MANGLAPUS, president, and Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Liberal Party (LP), Raul DAZA; National People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president; Filipino Democratic Party (Partido Demokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalition with the LDP

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): San Jose (Saipan)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000 mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [63] (2) 521-71-16 FAX: [63] (2) 522-43-61

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

Economy

Economy - overview: The Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of agriculture and light industry, continued its fourth year of recovery in 1996, led by growth in exports and investments. Officials have targeted 7.1%-7.8% growth for 1997 after achieving an estimated 5.5% growth in 1996. The government is continuing its economic reforms to enable the Philippines to move closer to the development of the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $194.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 32% services: 46% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.4% (1996)

Labor force: total: 29.13 million (1996 est.) by occupation : agriculture 43.4%, services 22.6%, government services 17.9%, industry and commerce 16.1% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 8.6% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $18.4 billion expenditures : $16.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1996)

Electricity - capacity: 7.64 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 25.22 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 326 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually

Exports: total value : $20.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut products, telecommunications equipment, fruit, fish partners: US 36%, Japan 16%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 5% (1995)

Imports: total value : $33.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: crude petroleum, telecommunications equipment, electronics, plastics, cars, textiles partners: Japan 22%, US 18%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Taiwan 5%, South Korea 5% Singapore 4% (1995)

Debt - external: $42.7 billion (June 1996)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $934 million (1993)

Currency: 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 26.36 (May 1997), 26.216 (1996), 25.714 (1995), 26.417 (1994), 27.120 (1993), 25.512 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Philippines:Communications

Telephones: 1.8 million (1996)

Telephone system: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 261, FM 55, shortwave 0

Radios: 9.03 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 29

Televisions: 7.6 million (1996)

@Philippines:Transportation

Railways: total : 499 km narrow gauge: 499 km 1.067-m gauge (1993)

Highways: total: 182,000 km (1994 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note : probably less than 30,000 km are designated arterial roads and not all of these are all-weather roads

Waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km

Ports and harbors: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine: total: 523 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,614,831 GRT/12,246,321 DWT ships by type : bulk 223, cargo 124, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 9, container 8, liquefied gas tanker 9, livestock carrier 11, oil tanker 45, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 13, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 23, vehicle carrier 20 note: a flag of convenience registry; Japan owns 24 ships, Hong Kong 4, UK 2, Denmark 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Singapore 1, and Taiwan 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 234 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 168 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m : 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 103 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 63 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 19,231,427 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 13,574,133 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 782,064 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.3 billion (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah

Illicit drugs: exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamines ______________________________________________________________________

PITCAIRN ISLANDS

(dependent territory of the UK)

@Pitcairn Islands:Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Peru to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 51 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone : 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical, hot, humid, modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish

Land use: arable land : NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues: deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

@Pitcairn Islands:People

Population: 54 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years : NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: -0.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages: English (official), Tahitian/English dialect

@Pitcairn Islands:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Data code: PC

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Adamstown

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)

Constitution: Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system: local island by-laws

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (non-resident) of the Pitcairn Islands Robert John ALSTON (since NA August 1994); Commissioner (non-resident) G. D. HARRAWAY (since NA; is the liaison person between the governor and the Island Council) head of government: Island Magistrate and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since NA) cabinet: NA elections : the queen is a hereditary monarch; island magistrate elected by popular vote for a three-year term; last known election held NA December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1996) election results: Jay WARREN re-elected island magistrate; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats, 6 popularly elected, 1 appointed by the 6 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor, and the Island Secretary; members serve one-year terms) elections: take place each December; last held NA December 1996 (next to be held NA December 1997) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Island Court, island magistrate presides over the court and is elected every three years

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: SPC

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy

Economy - overview: The inhabitants exist on fishing and subsistence farming. The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: total: 14 able-bodied men (1993) by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $729,884 expenditures: $878,119, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994/95 est.)

Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: wide variety of fruits and vegetables

Exports: $NA commodities: fruits, vegetables, curios partners: NA

Imports: $NA commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs partners: NA

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $84,000

Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.4247 (January 1997),1.4543 (1996), 1.5235 (1995), 1.6844 (1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Pitcairn Islands:Communications

Telephones: 24

Telephone system: party line telephone service on the island domestic: NA international: radiotelephone

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

@Pitcairn Islands:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 6.4 km paved : 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km

Ports and harbors: Bounty Bay

Merchant marine: none

Airports: none

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

POLAND

@Poland:Geography

Location: Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 312,683 sq km land: 304,510 sq km water: 8,173 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,888 km border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km

Coastline: 491 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone : defined by international treaties territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers

Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt

Land use: arable land: 47% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 29% other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

@Poland:People

Population: 38,615,239 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 4,235,659; female 4,038,016) 15-64 years : 67% (male 12,842,909; female 13,020,736) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,698,505; female 2,779,414) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 10.18 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.47 years male : 68.27 years female: 76.91 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups: Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%

Languages: Polish

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1978 est.)

@Poland:Government

Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska

Data code: PL

Government type: democratic state

National capital: Warsaw

Administrative divisions: 49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Biala Podlaska, Bialystok, Bielsko Biala, Bydgoszcz, Chelm, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow, Jelenia Gora, Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno, Legnica, Leszno, Lodz, Lomza, Lublin, Nowy Sacz, Olsztyn, Opole, Ostroleka, Pila, Piotrkow, Plock, Poznan, Przemysl, Radom, Rzeszow, Siedlce, Sieradz, Skierniewice, Slupsk, Suwalki, Szczecin, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Torun, Walbrzych, Warszawa, Wloclawek, Wroclaw, Zamosc, Zielona Gora

Independence: 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution: interim "small constitution" came into effect in December 1992 supplementing the heavily amended constitution of 22 July 1952; referendum for a new constitution to be held 25 May 1997

Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ (since 7 February 1996), Deputy Prime Ministers Roman JAGIELINSKI (since 7 March 1995), Marek BELKA (since NA February 1997), and Miroslaw PIETRIEWICZ (since 7 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister appoints and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election first round held 5 November 1995, second round held 19 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000); prime minister and deputy prime ministers elected by the Sejm; election last held NA 1996 (next to be held September 1997) election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI elected president; percent of legislative vote, second round - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 51.7%, Lech WALESA 48.3%; Wlodimierz CIMOSZEWICZ selected prime minister