Chapter 14
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (one of Bangladesh's two shortwave stations, Bangladesh Betar or Radio Bangladesh, transmits its programs to the world in six languages on four frequencies) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 11 (1997)
Televisions: 350,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,745 km broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (1998 est.)
Highways: total: 204,022 km paved: 25,095 km unpaved: 178,927 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port
Merchant marine: total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 315,855 GRT/453,002 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 33, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 16 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 33,374,195 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 19,772,013 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $559 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
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@Barbados --------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment--current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment--international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography--note: easternmost Caribbean island
People
Population: 259,191 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 30,132; female 29,359) 15-64 years: 67% (male 85,437; female 88,131) 65 years and over: 10% (male 9,862; female 16,270) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.46 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.16 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.98 years male: 72.22 years female: 77.81 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Data code: BB
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas note: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly--last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004) election results: House of Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--BLP 26, DLP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Coral Gables (Florida), Miami, and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador E. William CROTTY embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P.O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Economy
Economy--overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-98. Offshore finance and informatics are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 15% services: 79% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1997)
Labor force: 136,000 (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $725.5 million expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)
Electricity--production: 600 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 600 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports: $280 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports--partners: Caricom 34.8%, US 18.4%, UK 16.6%, Canada 4.4% (1996)
Imports: $982 million (1997)
Imports--commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports--partners: US 40.5%, Caricom 14.7%, UK 8.4%, Canada 5% (1996)
Debt--external: $581.4 million (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $9.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1--2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 87,343 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: island wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions: 69,350 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,650 km paved: 1,582 km unpaved: 68 km (1998 est.)
Ports and harbors: Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Merchant marine: total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 641,550 GRT/1,087,042 DWT ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 26, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Canada owns 2 ships, Hong Kong 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 72,111 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 49,600 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
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@Bassas da India ---------------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 0.2 sq km land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 m high
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India
Data code: BS
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy--overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar
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@Belarus -------
Introduction
Background: For centuries Byelorussia has been fought over, devastated, and partitioned among Russia, Poland, Lithuania, and, in World Wars I and II, Germany. After seven decades as a Soviet republic, the newly named Belarus declared its independence in August 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. On 25 December 1998, Russian President Boris YEL'TSIN and Belarusian President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO signed several agreements intended to provide greater political, economic, and social integration while preserving both states' sovereignty.
Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 3,098 km border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Natural resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 34% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: landlocked
People
Population: 10,401,784 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 1,027,974; female 985,342) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,390,552; female 3,591,245) 65 years and over: 14% (male 463,369; female 943,302) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.09% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.7 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 13.71 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.13 years male: 62.04 years female: 74.52 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.32 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic groups: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus' local short form: none former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: BO
Government type: republic
Capital: Minsk
Administrative divisions: 6 voblastsi (singular--voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular--horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 25 August 1991 (Belarusian Supreme Soviet declaration of independence from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note--date set by referendum of 24 November 1996; represents Minsk liberation from German occupation
Constitution: 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergey LING (acting since 18 November 1996, confirmed 19 February 1997); First Deputy Prime Ministers Petr PROKOPOVICH (since 23 December 1996) and Vasiliy DOLGOLEV (since 2 December 1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Valeriy KOKOREV (since 23 August 1994), Vladimir ZAMETALIN (since 15 July 1997), Ural LATYPOV (since 30 December 1997), Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 11 February 1997), Leonid KOZIK (since 4 February 1997), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should be in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via the November 1996 referendum); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO elected president; percent of vote--Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 85%, Vyacheslav KEBICH 15% note: first presidential elections took place in June-July 1994
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; eight appointed by the president and 56 indirectly elected by deputies of local councils for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; note--present members came from the former Supreme Soviet which LUKASHENKO disbanded in November 1996) elections: last held May and November-December 1995 (two rounds, each with a run-off; disbanded after the November 1996 referendum; next to be held NA) election results: after the November 1996 referendum, seats for the Chamber of Representatives were filled by former Supreme Soviet members as follows: PKB 24, Agrarian 14, Party of Peoples Concord 5, LDPB 1, UPNAZ 1, Green World Party 1, Belarusian Social Sports Party 1, Ecological Party 1, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 1, independents 61; 58 of the 64 seats in the Council of the Republic have been appointed/elected
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives
Political parties and leaders: Party of Communists Belarusian or chairman]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic
International organization participation: CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires CHEREPANSKY chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel V. SPECKHARD (recalled to Washington in June 1998; Charge d'Affaires Randall LE COCQ) embassy: Starovilenskaya #46-220002, Minsk mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe of white on the hoist side bears the Belarusian national ornament in red
Economy
Economy--overview: Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism". In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO re-imposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprise. This produced a climate hostile to private business, inhibiting domestic and foreign investment. The Government of Belarus has artificially revived economic output since mid-1996 by pursuing a policy of rapid credit expansion. In a vain attempt to keep the rapidly rising inflation in check, the government placed strict price controls on food and consumer products, which resulted in food shortages. Long lines for dairy products, chicken, and pork became common in the closing months of 1998. With the goal of slowing down the devaluation of the Belarusian ruble, LUKASHENKO in 1997 introduced a new, complex system of legal buying/selling hard currencies. The new "command" system proved to be totally unworkable and resulted in galloping devaluation. In addition to the burdens imposed on businesses by high inflation and an artificial currency regime, businesses have also been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, and retroactive application of new business regulations prohibiting practices that had been legal. A further economic problem is the sizable trade deficit.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$53.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 7% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$5,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 43% services: 37% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 77% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.9% highest 10%: 19.4% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 182% (1998)
Labor force: 4.3 million (1998)