Chapter 36
Ports and harbors: Alborg, Arhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Grena, Koge, Odense, Struer
Merchant marine: total: 337 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,130,643 GRT/6,880,248 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 130, chemical tanker 19, container 73, liquefied gas tanker 26, livestock carrier 6, oil tanker 20, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 21, short-sea passenger 9, specialized tanker 3 note: Denmark has created its own internal register, called the Danish International Ship register (DIS); DIS ships do not have to meet Danish manning regulations, and they amount to a flag of convenience within the Danish register (1998 est.)
Airports: 118 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 90 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 82 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,316,584 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,129,870 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 32,130 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $2.5 billion (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.6% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Iceland, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
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@Djibouti --------
Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 22,000 sq km land: 21,980 sq km water: 20 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 508 km border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km
Coastline: 314 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; torrid, dry
Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m
Natural resources: geothermal areas
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
Environment--current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland
People
Population: 447,439 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 96,222; female 96,023) 15-64 years: 54% (male 128,506; female 114,767) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,155; female 5,766) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 41.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 14.41 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -11.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 100.24 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.54 years male: 49.48 years female: 53.67 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian
Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Data code: DJ
Government type: republic
Capital: Djibouti
Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular--cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura
Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution: multiparty constitution approved in referendum 4 September 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: chief of state: President HASSAN GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977); note--President HASSAN GOULED announced early in the year that he would resign in April 1999 head of government: Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 7 May 1993 (next to be held 9 April 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President HASSAN GOULED reelected; percent of vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--RPP 65; note--RPP (the ruling party) dominated
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: Aptidon]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy or FRUD, and affiliates; Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lange SCHERMERHORN embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to 50% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Also, renewed fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea has disturbed normal external channels of commerce. Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$530 million (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 0.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 282,000
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: 40%-50% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $156 million expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Electricity--production: 175 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 175 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels
Exports: $39.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit) (1995)
Exports--partners: Ethiopia 45%, Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia (1996)
Imports: $200.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products (1995)
Imports--partners: France, Ethiopia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Thailand (1996)
Debt--external: $276 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $106.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1--177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 7,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 35,000
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are 5 low-power repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 17,000 (1998)
Transportation
Railways: total: 97 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 97 km 1.000-m gauge note: in April 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals
Highways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Djibouti
Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 11 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 105,075 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 61,712 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $22.5 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.5% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Dominica --------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 750 sq km land: 750 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 148 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
Natural resources: timber
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 67% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 64,881 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 8,680; female 8,530) 15-64 years: 64% (male 21,090; female 20,294) 65 years and over: 9% (male 2,570; female 3,717) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.41% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.92 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -24.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.01 years male: 75.15 years female: 81.01 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: black, Carib Amerindian
Religions: Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (1970 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica
Data code: DO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Roseau
Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Constitution: 3 November 1978
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vernon Lorden SHAW (since 7 October 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Edison C. JAMES (since 12 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 7 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vernon Lorden SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote representatives; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 12 June 1995 (next to be held by October 2000); byelections held 13 August 1996 election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UWP 12, DLP 5, DFP 4
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Saint Lucia), one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (resident in Dominica) chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the Ambassador to Dominica resides in Bridgetown (Barbados), but travels frequently to Dominica
Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal bands--the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy depends on agriculture and is highly vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms. Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 20% of GDP and employs 40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy began to recover in mid-1998, fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the island's production base.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$216 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.8% (1997)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,300 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 16% services: 64% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1997)
Labor force: 25,000
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $72 million expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)
Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 50% hydro: 50% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Exports: $50.4 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports--partners: Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Imports: $104.2 million (1997)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports--partners: US 41%, Caricom 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada
Debt--external: $105 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $24.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 14,613 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: fully automatic network international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 45,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (there is one cable television company) (1997)
Televisions: 5,200 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Portsmouth, Roseau
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; banking industry is vulnerable to money laundering
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@Dominican Republic ------------------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Land boundaries: total: 275 km border countries: Haiti 275 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Land use: arable land: 21% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 43% forests and woodland: 12% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography--note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
People
Population: 8,129,734 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 1,447,435; female 1,393,122) 15-64 years: 61% (male 2,501,206; female 2,426,564) 65 years and over: 4% (male 171,049; female 190,358) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.62% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 25.97 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)