Chapter 46
Telephone system: domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open wire international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 180,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government owned) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 400 km
Ports and harbors: Banjul
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes marine unit), National Police, National Guard
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 296,976 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 149,670 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.2 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
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@Gaza Strip ----------
Introduction
Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Permanent status negotiations began on 5 May 1996, but have not resumed since the initial meeting. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes a Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, and the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israelis. Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations.
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement--permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 39% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 11% other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment
Environment--international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1998 est.)
People
Population: 1,112,654 (July 1999 est.) note: in addition, there are some 6,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip (August 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 52% (male 294,196; female 280,017) 15-64 years: 46% (male 255,209; female 251,317) 65 years and over: 2% (male 13,475; female 18,440) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.44% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 48.24 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 3.8 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.44 years male: 72.01 years female: 74.95 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%
Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah
Data code: GZ
Economy
Economy--overview: Economic conditions in the Gaza Strip?under the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994--have deteriorated since the early 1990s. Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) declined 36% between 1992 and 1996 owing to the combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and robust population growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of Israeli closure policies--the imposition of generalized border closures in response to security incidents in Israel--which disrupted previously established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most serious negative social effect of this downturn has been the emergence of chronic unemployment; average unemployment rates in the WBGS during the 1980s were generally under 5%, by the mid-1990s this level had risen to over 20%. Since 1997 Israel's use of comprehensive closures has decreased and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These positive changes to the conduct of economic activity, combined with international donor pledges of over $3 billion made to the Palestinian Authority in November, may fuel a moderate economic recovery in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.2% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 25% services: 42% (1995 est., includes West Bank)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.8% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA note: excluding Israeli settlers
Labor force--by occupation: services 66%, industry 21%, agriculture 13% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 26.8% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $816 million expenditures: $866 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) note: includes West Bank
Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by Israel
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity--consumption: NA kWh
Electricity--exports: NA kWh
Electricity--imports: NA kWh
Agriculture--products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Exports: $781 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.) (includes West Bank)
Exports--commodities: citrus
Exports--partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Imports: $2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) (includes West Bank)
Imports--commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports--partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Debt--external: $108 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1--4.2260 (November 1998), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
Communications
Telephones: NA; 3.1% of Palestinian households have telephones
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA; note--95% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corp.) (1997)
Televisions: NA; note--59% of Palestinian households have televisions (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: NA km; note--one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little trackage remains
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network
Ports and harbors: Gaza
Airports: 2 (1998 est.) note: includes Gaza International Airport that opened on 24 November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum
Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: NA
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement--permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
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@Georgia -------
Introduction
Background: Beset by ethnic and civil strife since independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991, Georgia began to stabilize in 1994. Political settlements for separatist conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia remain elusive. The conflict in South Ossetia has been dormant since spring 1994, but sporadic violence continues between Abkhaz forces and Georgian partisans in western Georgia. Russian peacekeepers are deployed in both regions and a UN Observer Mission is operating in Abkhazia. As a result of these conflicts, Georgia still has about 250,000 internally displaced people. In 1995, Georgia adopted a new constitution and conducted generally free and fair nationwide presidential and parliamentary elections. In 1996, the government focused its attention on implementing an ambitious economic reform program and professionalizing its parliament. Violence and organized crime were sharply curtailed in 1995 and 1996, but corruption remains rife. Georgia has taken some steps to reduce its dependence on Russia, acquiring coastal patrol boats in 1997 to replace Russian border units along the Black Sea coast. In 1998, Georgia assumed control of its Black Sea coast and about half of its land border with Turkey in line with a June 1998 agreement with Russia. Since 1997, Georgia's parliament has sharpened its rhetoric against Russia's continued military presence on Georgian territory. In February 1998 an assassination attempt was made against President SHEVARDNADZE by supporters of the late former president Zviad GAMSAKHURDIA. In October 1998, a disaffected military officer led a failed mutiny in western Georgia; the armed forces continue to feel the ripple effect of the uprising. Georgia faces parliamentary elections this fall, and presidential elections next spring. After two years of robust growth, the economy, hurt by the financial crisis in Russia, slowed in 1998.
Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline: 310 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m
Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 34% other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes
Environment--current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Desertification
People
Population: 5,066,499 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 544,055; female 522,491) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,628,993; female 1,753,527) 65 years and over: 12% (male 236,124; female 381,309) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.74% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.64 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 14.3 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.69 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: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 52.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.63 years male: 61.13 years female: 68.32 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%
Religions: Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%
Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz (official in Abkhazia)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: GG
Government type: republic
Capital: T'bilisi
Administrative divisions: 53 rayons (raionebi, singular--raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular--k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular--avtom respublika); Abashis, Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Adigenis, Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris, Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus, Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis, Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis, Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is, Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis, Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris, Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis, T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris, Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*, Zugdidis note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995; note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995; note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of vote--Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--CUG 24%, NDP 8%, AGUR 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each; seats by party--CUG 107, NDP 34, AGUR 32, Progress Bloc 4, SPG 4, others 9, Abkazian deputies 12, independents 29, not filled 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president's recommendation; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG groups: Democratic Union of Georgia or DUG, Political Association "Georgian Proprietors"--Electoral Association "T'bilisi", Political Union of Young Democrats "Our Choice", Political Union Tanadgoma)
Political pressure groups and leaders: supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition; separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia; Georgian refugees from Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament)
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth S. YALOWITZ embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below
Economy
Economy--overview: Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, made substantial economic gains since 1995, increasing GDP growth and slashing inflation. The Georgian economy suffered some setbacks in late 1998, including a large budget deficit due to a failure to collect tax revenue and to the impact of the Russian economic crisis. Georgia also still suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the distribution network in 1998, and deliveries are steadily improving. Georgia is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. The construction of a Caspian oil pipeline through Georgia--scheduled to open in early 1999--should spur greater Western investment in the economy. The global economic slowdown, a growing trade deficit, continuing problems with corruption, and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$11.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 16% services: 55% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 3.08 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 25%, other 44% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $364 million expenditures: $568 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment, electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors, process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine
Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 6.845 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 29.88% hydro: 70.12% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 6.949 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 300 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 404 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; livestock
Exports: $230 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles; chemicals; fuel reexports
Exports--partners: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Armenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, US, UK, Italy, Germany, Romania (1997)
Imports: $931 million (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment
Imports--partners: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan (1996); note?EU and US send humanitarian food shipments
Debt--external: $1.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $212.7 million (1995)
Currency: lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon
Exchange rates: lari per US$1 (end of period)--1.82 (December 1998), 1.32 (December 1997), 1.28 (December 1996), 1.24 (December 1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 760,000 (1996 est.)