Chapter 33
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska
Data code: HR
Government type: presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital: Zagreb
Administrative divisions: 21 counties (zupanije, zupanija--singular): Bjelovar-Bilogora, City of Zagreb, Dubrovnik-Neretva, Istra, Karlovac, Koprivnica-Krizevci, Krapina-Zagorje, Lika-Senj, Medimurje, Osijek-Baranja, Pozega-Slavonia, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Sibenik, Sisak-Moslavina, Slavonski Brod-Posavina, Split-Dalmatia, Varazdin, Virovitica-Podravina, Vukovar-Srijem, Zadar-Knin, Zagreb note: there are two special self-governing districts (kotari, kotar--singular) under local Serb control: Glina, Knin
Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)
Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Franjo TUDJMAN (since 30 May 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Zlatko MATESA (since 7 November 1995); Deputy Prime Ministers Mate GRANIC (since 8 September 1992), Ivica KOSTOVIC (since 14 October 1993), Jure RADIC (since NA October 1994), Borislav SKEGRO (since 3 April 1993), and Ljerka MINTAS-HODAK (since November 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Franjo TUDJMAN reelected; percent of vote--Franjo TUDJMAN 61%, Zdravko TOMAC 21%, Vlado GOTOVAC 18%
Legislative branch: bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the House of Counties or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats--63 directly elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (127 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Counties--last held 13 April 1997 (next to be held NA 2001); House of Representatives--last held 29 October 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: House of Counties--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--HDZ 42, HDZ/HSS 11, HSS 2, IDS 2, SDP/PGS/HNS 2, SDP/HNS 2, HSLS/HSS/HNS 1, HSLS 1; note--in some districts certain parties ran as coalitions, while in others they ran alone; House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--HDZ 45.23%, HSS/IDS/HNS/HKDU/SBHS 18.26%, HSLS 11.55%, SDP 8.93%, HSP 5.01%; seats by party--HDZ 75, HSLS 12, HSS 10, SDP 10, IDS 4, HSP 4, HNS 2, SNS 2, HND 1, ASH 1, HKDU 1, SBHS 1, independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives; Constitutional Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives
Political parties and leaders: Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: BIS (pending member), CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Miomir ZUZUL chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY embassy: Andrije Hebranga 2, Zagreb mailing address: use street address
Flag description: red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)
Economy
Economy--overview: Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. Croatia faces considerable economic problems stemming from: the legacy of longtime communist mismanagement of the economy; damage during the internecine fighting to bridges, factories, power lines, buildings, and houses; the large refugee and displaced population, both Croatian and Bosnian; and the disruption of economic ties. Western aid and investment, especially in the tourist and oil industries, would help restore the economy. The government has been successful in some reform efforts--partially macroeconomic stabilization policies--and it has normalized relations with its creditors. Yet it still is struggling with privatization of large state enterprises and with bank reform. In 1998, Croatia made progress in reducing its current account deficit to about 8% of GDP from 12% the previous year. Economic growth continues to lag, however, and growing levels of inter-enterprise debt plague the domestic economy. Four commercial banks were put under government control and a major conglomerate is teetering on collapse.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$23.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$5,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 24% services: 64% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1998)
Labor force: 1.63 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: industry and mining 31.1%, agriculture 4.3%, government 19.1% (including education and health), other 45.5% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 18.6% (yearend 1998)
Budget: revenues: $5.3 billion expenditures: $6.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $78.5 million (1997 est.)
Industries: chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 10.682 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 29.25% hydro: 70.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 14.632 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 4.95 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, vegetables; livestock, dairy products
Exports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 13.6%, miscellaneous manufactures 27.6%, chemicals 14.2%, food and live animals 12.2%, raw materials 6.1%, fuels and lubricants 9.4%, beverages and tobacco 2.7% (1993)
Exports--partners: Germany 22%, Italy 21%, Slovenia 18% (1994)
Imports: $8.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 23.1%, fuels and lubricants 8.8%, food and live animals 9.0%, chemicals 14.2%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 16.0%, raw materials 3.5%, beverages and tobacco 1.4% (1993)
Imports--partners: Germany 21%, Italy 19%, Slovenia 10% (1994)
Debt--external: $8 billion (October 1998)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Croatian kuna (HRK) = 100 lipas
Exchange rates: Croatian kuna per US$1--6.317 (January 1999), 6.362 (1998), 6.157 (1997), 5.434 (1996), 5.230 (1995), 5.996 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.216 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations
Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 8, shortwave 0
Radios: 1.1 million
Television broadcast stations: 18 (in addition, there are 145 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.52 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,296 km standard gauge: 2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (796 km electrified) note: some lines remain inoperative or not in use; disrupted by territorial dispute (1997)
Highways: total: 27,840 km paved: 22,690 km (including 330 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,150 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 785 km perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris
Pipelines: crude oil 670 km; petroleum products 20 km; natural gas 310 km (1992); note--under repair following territorial dispute
Ports and harbors: Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar
Merchant marine: total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 810,226 GRT/1,227,468 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 26, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 5, container 5, liquefied gas 1, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 1, passenger 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 72 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 42 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,188,898 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 943,719 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 33,722 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $950 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 5% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Eastern Slavonia, which was held by ethnic Serbs during the ethnic conflict, was returned to Croatian control by the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia on 15 January 1998; Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from World War II over property and ethnic minority rights; significant progress has been made with Slovenia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; Serbia and Montenegro is disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro; Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN military observer mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP)
Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; a minor transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe
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@Cuba ----
Introduction
Background: Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959, and his guiding vision has defined Cuba's Communist revolution while his iron will has held the country together for more than four decades. CASTRO brought Cuba onto the world stage by inviting Soviet support in the 1960s, inciting revolutionary movements throughout Latin America and Africa in the 1970s, and sending his army to fight in Angola in the 1980s. At home, Havana provided Cubans with high levels of healthcare, education, and social security while suppressing the Roman Catholic Church and arresting political dissidents. Cuba is slowly recovering from severe economic recession following the withdrawal of former-Soviet subsidies, worth $4billion-$6 billion per year, in 1990.
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Coastline: 3,735 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 27% forests and woodland: 24% other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
Environment--current issues: pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation
Environment--international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography--note: largest country in Caribbean
People
Population: 11,096,395 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 1,236,899; female 1,172,560) 15-64 years: 69% (male 3,820,255; female 3,801,768) 65 years and over: 9% (male 496,772; female 568,141) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.78 years male: 73.41 years female: 78.3 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.58 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Languages: Spanish
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 96.2% female: 95.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba
Data code: CU
Government type: Communist state
Capital: Havana
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
National holiday: Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953); Liberation Day, 1 January (1959)
Constitution: 24 February 1976
Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976, when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly note: there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 24 February 1998 (next election unscheduled) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote--100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote--100%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (601 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 January 1998 (next to be held in 2003) election results: percent of vote--PCC 94.39%; seats--PCC 601
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: only party--Cuban Communist Party
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Fernando REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss (202) 797-8518
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note--the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael G. KOZAK; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 and 33-3543 through 3547 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center
Economy
Economy--overview: The state plays the primary role in the economy and controls practically all foreign trade. The government has undertaken several reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase labor incentives, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The liberalized agricultural markets introduced in October 1994, at which state and private farmers sell above-quota production at unrestricted prices, have broadened legal consumption alternatives and reduced black market prices. Government efforts to lower subsidies to unprofitable enterprises and to shrink the money supply caused the semi-official exchange rate for the Cuban peso to move from a peak of 120 to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 21 to the dollar by yearend 1998. New taxes introduced in 1996 helped drive down the number of self-employed workers from 208,000 in January 1996 to 155,000 by July 1998. Havana announced in 1995 that GDP declined by 35% during 1989-93, the result of lost Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The drop in GDP apparently halted in 1994, when Cuba reported 0.7% growth, followed by increases of 2.5% in 1995 and 7.8% in 1996. Growth slowed again in 1997 and 1998 to 2.5% and 1.2% respectively. Export earnings declined 22% in 1998, to $1.4 billion, the result of lower sugar export volume and lower world prices for nickel and sugar. Import expenditures also fell 15% to $3.0 billion, in part due to lower world oil prices. Tourism and remittances play a key role in foreign currency earnings. Living standards for the average Cuban remain at a depressed level compared with 1990.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$17.3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.2% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,560 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 7.4% industry: 36.5% services: 56.1% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 4.5 million economically active population (1996 est.) note: state sector 76%, non-state sector 24% (1996 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services and government 30%, industry 22%, agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and communications 7% (June 1990)
Unemployment rate: 6.8% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $12.3 billion expenditures: $13 billion , including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: sugar, petroleum, food, tobacco, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
Electricity--production: 14.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 98.96% hydro: 1.04% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 14.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, shellfish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports--partners: Russia 27%, Canada 18%, Spain 8% (1998 est.)
Imports: $3 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals
Imports--partners: Spain 17%, France 9%, Canada 9% (1998 est.)
Debt--external: $10.1 billion (convertible currency, 1997); another $20 billion owed to Russia (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $46 million (1997 est.)
Currency: 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1--1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, linked to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 229,000
Telephone system: among the world's least developed telephone systems domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 150, FM 5, shortwave 1
Radios: 2.14 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 58 (1997)
Televisions: 2.5 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 4,807 km standard gauge: 4,807 km 1.435-m gauge (147 km electrified) note: a large amount of track is in private use by sugar plantations
Highways: total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 240 km
Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba