Chapter 49
Executive branch: chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president; percent of Parliament vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by NA September 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%, KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%, Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party--PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9; note--seating has subsequently changed as a result of disciplinary actions by PASOK, ND, and DIKKI; 1998 seating is PASOK 162, ND 105, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 8, independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Special Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative)
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandre PHILON chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
Economy
Economy--overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP, although the government plans to privatize some leading state enterprises. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy with the goal of qualifying Greece to join the EU's single currency (the euro) in 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to just over 2% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell below 4% by the end of 1998--the lowest rate in 26 years. The outlook for 1999 is good with the budget deficit and inflation both expected to decline further, while GDP growth stays near 3% and the current account deficit remains below 2% of GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$143 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$13,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 23.5% services: 68% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.28 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: services 59.2%, agriculture 19.8%, industry 21% (1998)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $45 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 40.028 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 89.16% hydro: 10.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0.09% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 41.388 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 1.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 2.66 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Exports: $12.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels (1998)
Exports--partners: EU 56% (Germany 25%, Italy 11%, UK 8%, France 6%), US 16% (1997)
Imports: $27.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals (1998)
Imports--partners: EU 61% (Italy 16%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%) US 11% (1997)
Debt--external: $40.8 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)
Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta
Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1--278.78 (January 1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 64 (in addition, there are about 1,000 low-power repeaters and two stations in the US armed forces network) (1997)
Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,548 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type railway for steep grades)
Highways: total: 117,000 km paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers
Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km
Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos
Merchant marine: total: 810 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,798,431 GRT/44,056,618 DWT ships by type: bulk 307, cargo 66, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 12, container 45, liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 229, passenger 15, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 17, short-sea passenger 76, specialized tanker 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 78 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 63 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police
Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,707,628 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,071,670 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 79,376 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.04 billion (1998 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece
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@Greenland ---------
Geography
Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 2,175,600 sq km land: 2,175,600 sq km (341,600 sq km ice-free, 1,834,000 sq km ice-covered) (est.)
Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 44,087 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 0% other: 99% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Environment--current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling; note--Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast
People
Population: 59,827 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 7,789; female 7,728) 15-64 years: 68% (male 22,248; female 18,678) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,562; female 1,822) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.84% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 15.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.1 years male: 65.98 years female: 74.24 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 13%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran
Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)
Literacy: NA note: similar to Denmark proper
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Data code: GL
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Government type: NA
Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system: Danish
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since NA September 1997) cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by the Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 11 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote--23 out of 31 votes
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 17 February 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party--Siumut 35.2%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidates' League 12.3%; seats by party--Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Candidates' League 4, independent 1 note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on NA March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); percent of vote by party--Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by party--Siumut 1, Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties
Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret
Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete Atassut Party (Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors
International organization participation: NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center--the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
Economy
Economy--overview: Greenland suffered negative economic growth in the early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved. The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in the public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has registered a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically dependent on fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far the largest income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. About half the government revenues come from grants from the Danish Government, an important supplement of GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$945 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$16,100 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.6% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 24,500 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)
Budget: revenues: $706 million expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts, furs, small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: forage crops, garden vegetables; sheep; fish
Exports: $363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: fish and fish products 95%
Exports--partners: Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%
Imports: $421 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 25%, manufactured goods 18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum products 6%
Imports--partners: Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan 3.3%, Norway 3.1%, US 2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%
Debt--external: $243 million (1995)
Economic aid--recipient: $427 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.401 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some local radio and TV stations
Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and some local low-power stations; in addition, there are three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations which broadcast in the NTSC system (1997)
Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 150 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km
Ports and harbors: Kangerluarsoruseq, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Sisimiut
Merchant marine: total: 1 passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,211 GRT/162 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 13 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Grenada -------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 9% other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
People
Population: 97,008 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 21,055; female 20,365) 15-64 years: 53% (male 27,524; female 23,766) 65 years and over: 4% (male 2,034; female 2,264) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.87% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.62 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -13.74 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: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.6 years male: 68.97 years female: 74.29 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian
Ethnic groups: black
Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant sects 33.2%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada
Data code: GJ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Saint George's
Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick
Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974)
Constitution: 19 December 1973
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general from among the members of the House of Assembly
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 18 January 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2004) election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NNP 15
Judicial branch: West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada)
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or