Chapter 54
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Corrine C. BOGGS embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via Delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624
Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
Economy
Economy--overview: This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican
Budget: revenues: $175.5 million expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Electricity--production: 0 kWh
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; note?electricity supplied by Italy
Economic aid--recipient: none
Currency: 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1--1,688.7 (January 1998), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996), 1,628.9 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994); note--the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,000
Telephone system: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1996)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: total: 862 m; note--connects to Italy's network at Rome's Saint Peter's station narrow gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge
Highways: none; all city streets
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: none
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Honduras --------
Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
Coastline: 820 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 54% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Environment--current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several rivers and streams with heavy metals; severe Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 5,997,327 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 1,262,190; female 1,217,752) 15-64 years: 55% (male 1,643,550; female 1,665,666) 65 years and over: 4% (male 98,715; female 109,454) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.24% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 30.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.46 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 40.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.68 years male: 63.16 years female: 66.27 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.97 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.7% male: 72.6% female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras
Data code: HO
Government type: republic
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of vote--Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%, Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 42%, other 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held November 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--PLH 50%, PNH 42%, PINU-SD 4%, PDCH 2%, other 2%; seats by party--PLH 70, PNH 55, PINU-SD 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PLH [Raphael MELGAR, president]; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; National Union of Campesinos or UNC; General Workers Confederation or CGT; United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH; Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America--Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Economy
Economy--overview: Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Honduras had been pursuing a moderate economic reform program and had posted strong annual growth numbers. The storm has dramatically changed economic forecasts for Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Central America and the hardest hit by Mitch. Honduras sustained approximately $3 billion in damages and will probably see GDP shrink by 2% in 1999 and unemployment rise. Hardest hit was the all-important agricultural sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to $445 million. However, significant aid has helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and bilateral creditors have offered substantial debt relief, and Tegucigalpa is currently under consideration for inclusion in the IMF-World Bank Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC). Additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch level.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$14.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 19% services: 61% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 50% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.1% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 37%, services 39%, industry 24% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 6.3% (1997); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $655 million expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.)
Electricity--production: 2.73 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 12.09% hydro: 87.91% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 2.734 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 4 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
Exports--partners: US 54%, Germany 7%, Belgium 5%, Japan 4%, Spain 3% (1995)
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
Imports--partners: US 43%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3% (1995)
Debt--external: $4.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid--recipient: $418.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period)--13.8076 (December 1998), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 2.115 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 400,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 595 km narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways: total: 14,173 km paved: 3,126 km unpaved: 11,047 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine: total: 247 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,534 GRT/730,602 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 157, chemical tanker 4, container 7, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 25, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1, Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 122 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 111 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 87 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,455,053 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 866,492 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 69,646 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $33 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.6% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: demarcation of boundary with El Salvador defined by 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision has not been completed; small boundary section left unresolved by ICJ decision not yet reported to have been settled; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption
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@Hong Kong ---------
Introduction
Background: Pursuant to the agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. Under the terms of this agreement, China has promised that under its "one country, two systems" formula its socialist economic system will not be practiced in Hong Kong, and that Hong Kong shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.
Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km
Area--comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 20% other: 72% (1997 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1997 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment--current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: more than 200 islands
People
Population: 6,847,125 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 644,982; female 598,188) 15-64 years: 71% (male 2,397,277; female 2,490,745) 65 years and over: 11% (male 323,949; female 391,984) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.9% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.96 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.91 years male: 76.15 years female: 81.85 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 92.2% male: 96% female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK
Data code: HK
Dependency status: special administrative region of China
Government type: NA
Capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)
Independence: none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday: National Day, 1-2 October; note--1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution: Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member Election Commission drawn from broad regional groupings and other central government bodies
Executive branch: chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN (since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since 7 March 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997) elections: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by popular vote, and 10 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Democratic Party 13, Liberal Party 9, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 9, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 5, Frontier Party 3, Citizens Party 1, independents 20
Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Martin LEE,
Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for Democracy Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Chamber of Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Professional chairman]
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002
Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Economy
Economy--overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88 and a still strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$168.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$25,100 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 15.9% services: 84% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 3.216 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31.9%, social services 9.9%, manufacturing 9.2%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13.1%, transport and communications 5.7%, construction 2.6%, other 27.6% (October 1998)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $30.1 billion expenditures: $26 billion, including capital expenditures of $289 million (FY97/98)
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: -3.7% (1998)