Chapter 98
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister James Fitz-Allen MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; members are elected by popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held by NA May 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 12, ULP 3
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent
Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F. MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent BEACHE - formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and the Movement for National Unity (MNU)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE chancery : 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Economy
Economy - overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower middle income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $259 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,190 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $80 million expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 20,000 kW (1993)
Electricity - production: 61.6 million kWh (1993)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 480 kWh (1993)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally
Exports: total value: $55 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: Caricom countries 57%, UK 29%, US 9% (1994)
Imports: total value : $122 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 35%, Caricom countries 27%, UK 12% (1994)
Debt - external: $93 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Communications
Telephones: 6,189 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 cable
Televisions: 20,600 (1992 est.)
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 800 km paved : 450 km unpaved: 350 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kingstown
Merchant marine: total: 692 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,545,742 GRT/10,306,453 DWT ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 349, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 6, container 36, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 5, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 65, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 34, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 29, Slovenia 9, China 9, Greece 5, Norway 3, Ukraine 3, UAE 3, Germany 2, Russia 2, Syria 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe ______________________________________________________________________
SAN MARINO
@San Marino:Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
Terrain: rugged mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fiume Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 749 m
Natural resources: building stone
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures : NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution
Geography - note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines
@San Marino:People
Population: 24,714 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 1,993; female 1,992) 15-64 years : 68% (male 8,442; female 8,270) 65 years and over: 16% (male 1,683; female 2,334) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.76% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 10.68 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.97 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.37 years male: 77.42 years female: 85.32 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese
Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Italian
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.)
@San Marino:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form : Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino
Data code: SM
Government type: republic
National capital: San Marino
Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle
Independence: 301 AD (by tradition)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September
Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution
Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: co-chiefs of state Captain Regent Piero Paolo GASPERONI and Captain Regent Pietro BUGLI (for the period 1 April-30 September 1996) head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections : co-chiefs of state (captain regents) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA March 1996 (next to be held NA September 1996); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held NA 1993 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: Giancarlo VENTURINI and Maurizio RATTINI elected captain regents; percent of legislative vote - NA; Gabriele GATTI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA note: the popularly elected parliament (Great and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (Co-Chiefs of State) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Great and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Great and General Council; assisting the Captains Regent are three Secretaries of State - Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance - and several additional secretaries; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Great and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections : last held 30 May 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 23.7%, PDP 18.6%, AP 7.7%, MD 5.3%, RC 3.3%; seats by party - PDCS 26, PSS 14, PDP 11, AP 4, MD 3, RC 2
Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Cesare GASPERONI, secretary general]; Democratic Progressive Party or PDP (formerly San Marino Communist Party or PSS) [Claudio FELICI, secretary general]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Maurizio RATTINI, secretary general]; Democratic Movement or MD [Massimo TONTI]; Popular Alliance or AP [Tito MASI]; Communist Refoundation or RC [Paolo GIOVAGNOLI]
International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: San Marino does not have an embassy in the US honorary consulate(s) general: Washington and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)
Economy
Economy - overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 1995 more than 3.3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of Italy, which supplies much of its food.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $408 million (1994 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (1994 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,900 (1994 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.3% (1995)
Labor force: total: 15,600 (1995) by occupation: industry 40%, agriculture 2% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 3.6% (April 1996)
Budget: revenues: $320 million expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $26 million (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW note: electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, maize, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, meat, cheese, hides
Exports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy; commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, and ceramics
Imports: trade data are included with the statistics for Italy; commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Italian lire (Lit) = 100 centesimi; note - also mints its own coins
Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,568.1 (January 1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@San Marino:Communications
Telephones: 15,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: microwave radio relay and cable connections to Italian network; no satellite earth stations
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (1 private radio broadcast station)
Radios: 12,535 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1991 est.) note: receives broadcasts from Italy
Televisions: 7,500 (1992 est.)
@San Marino:Transportation
Railways: 0 km; note - there is a 1.5 km cable railway connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore
Highways: total: 220 km paved : NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Military
Military branches: Voluntary Military Force, Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.7 million (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
@Sao Tome and Principe:Geography
Location: Western Africa, island in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 209 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 36% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland : NA% other: 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
@Sao Tome and Principe:People
Population: 147,865 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 29,815; female 29,307) 15-64 years: 55% (male 40,830; female 41,056) 65 years and over : 5% (male 3,053; female 3,804) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 33.77 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.4 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 60.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.09 years male : 62.15 years female: 66.08 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Portuguese (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73% male: 85% female : 62% (1991 est.)
@Sao Tome and Principe:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Data code: TP
Government type: republic
National capital: Sao Tome
Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Principe, Sao Tome
Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990
Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Raul Wagner BRAGANCA NETO (since 20 November 1996) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in 2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results : Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 49%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats by party - MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Peoples Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Armindo AGUIAR, secretary general]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe or MLSTP [Francisco Fortunas PIRES]; Christian Democratic Front or FDC [Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; other small parties
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy - overview: This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence over 20 years ago. However, cocoa production has substantially declined because of drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a significant amount of food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies, but economic growth has remained sluggish.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $149 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 28% industry: 14% services: 58% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 38% (1994 est.)
Labor force: most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; there are shortages of skilled workers
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $58 million expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)
Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 6,000 kW (1991)
Electricity - production: 12 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papaya, beans; poultry; fish
Exports: total value: $7.8 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: cocoa 85%-90%, copra, coffee, palm oil partners: Netherlands 75.7%, Germany 1.2%, Portugal 1.1%
Imports: total value : $26.2 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products partners: Portugal 32.2%, France 16.8%, Belgium 6.6%, Japan, Angola
Debt - external: $250 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos