Chapter 55
Electricity--production: 27 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 28.598 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 1.483 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 5.875 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: fresh vegetables; poultry
Exports: $188.08 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys
Exports--partners: China 35%, US 22%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 4% (1997)
Imports: $208.63 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported
Imports--partners: China 38%, Japan 14%, Taiwan 8%, US 8%, Singapore 5% (1997)
Debt--external: none (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: none
Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$--7.74 (1997-99), 7.730 (1996), 7.800 (1995), 7.800 (1994); note--linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 4.47 million (1998)
Telephone system: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 3 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.75 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (all electrified) (1996 est.)
Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1997)
Ports and harbors: Hong Kong
Merchant marine: total: 195 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,075,304 GRT/10,133,186 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 117, cargo 18, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 2, container 40, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 13 countries among which are UK 16, South Africa 3, China 9, Japan 6, Bermuda 2, Germany 3, Canada 2, Cyprus 1, Belgium 1, and Norway 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Hong Kong garrison of the PLA including elements of the PLA Army, the PLA Navy and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,924,304 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,452,110 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 45,656 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of China
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse
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@Howland Island --------------
Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 1.6 sq km land: 1.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6.4 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 95%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Environment--current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
People
Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island
Data code: HQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy--overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note--there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan--they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable
Transportation--note: Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Hungary -------
Introduction
Background: After World War II Hungary became part of Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe, and its government and economy were refashioned on the communist model. Increased nationalist opposition, which culminated in the government's announcement of withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact in 1956, led to massive military intervention by Moscow and the swift crushing of the revolt. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily moved toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary has developed close political and economic relations with western Europe and is now being considered a possible future member of the European Union.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 2,009 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use: arable land: 51% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 19% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Environment--current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments, estimated by the Government of Hungary at $4 billion over six years; the 1997 budget allocated $9.7 million for this purpose; the 1998 budget allocated $11.3 million; the Central Environmental Fund, which collects monies from product charges, environmental fines, and mining taxes, provided approximately $76.2 million in 1997 and is expected to provide $109.5 million in 1998
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin
People
Population: 10,186,372 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 908,434; female 865,621) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,406,512; female 3,524,260) 65 years and over: 15% (male 552,337; female 929,208) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.2% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 13.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.5 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.18 years male: 66.85 years female: 75.74 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%
Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag
Data code: HU
Government type: republic
Capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular--megye), 20 urban counties* (singular--megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day, 20 August (commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president since 2 May 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 6 July 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president election results: Arpad GONCZ reelected president; a total of 335 votes were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259; Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 10 and 24 May 1998 (next to be held May/June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round)--MSZP 32.0%, FIDESZ 28.2%, FKGP 13.8%, SZDSZ 7.9%, MIEP 5.5%, MMP 4.1%, MDF 2.8%, KDNP 2.3%, MDNP 1.5%; seats by party--MSZP 134, FIDESZ 148, FKGP 48, SZDSZ 24, MDF 17, MIEP 14, independent 1; note--the MDF won 17 single-member district seats
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly for a nine-year term
Political parties and leaders: Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF GICZY, president]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSZMP renounced communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP in October 1989; the MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Geza JESZENSZKY chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. TUFO embassy: V. 1054 Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy
Economy--overview: Hungary has consolidated its March 1995 stabilization program and undergone enough restructuring to become an established market economy. The country appears to have entered a period of sustainable growth, gradually falling inflation, and stable external balances. The government's main economic priorities are to complete structural reforms, particularly the implementation of the 1997 pension reform act (the first in the region), taxation reform, and planning for comprehensive health care, local government finance reform, and the reform of education at all levels. Foreign investment has totaled more than $17 billion through 1998. In recognition of Hungary's improved macroeconomic situation, all major credit-rating agencies listed the country's foreign currency debt issuances as investment grade in 1996. The current IMF stand-by arrangement expired in February 1998, and Budapest and the IMF agree that there is no need to renew it. The OECD welcomed Hungary as a member in May 1996, and in December 1997 the EU invited Hungary to begin the accession process. Forecasters expect 4%-5% growth in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$75.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 30.3% services: 66.7% (1996)
Population below poverty line: 25.3% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 24% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.2 million (1997)
Labor force--by occupation: services 65%, industry 26.7%, agriculture 8.3 (1996)
Unemployment rate: 10.8% (1997)
Budget: revenues: $11.2 billion expenditures: $13.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 11.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 33.162 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 58.76% hydro: 0.62% nuclear: 40.62% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 35.362 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 2.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 4.4 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: machinery and equipment 51.9%, other manufactures 32.7%, agriculture and food products 10.5%, raw materials 2.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (1998)
Exports--partners: Germany 37.3%, Austria 11.4%, Italy 6.1%, Russia 5.0% (1997)
Imports: $22.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment 46.5%, other manufactures 40.2%, fuels and electricity 6.6%, agricultural and food products 3.7%, raw materials 3.0% (1998)
Imports--partners: Germany 26.7%, Austria 10.5%, Italy 9.5%, Russia 7.4% (1997)
Debt--external: $22.1 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $122.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates: forints per US$1--215.960 (January 1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997), 152.647 (1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.16 million (267,000 cellular telephone subscribers) (1996)
Telephone system: 14,213 telex lines; automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system; the average waiting time for telephones is expected to drop to one year by the end of 1997 (down from over 10 years in the early 1990s); note--the former state-owned telecommunications firm MATAV--now privatized and managed by a US/German consortium--has ambitious plans to upgrade the inadequate system, including a contract with the German firm Siemens and the Swedish firm Ericsson to provide 600,000 new telephone lines domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 39 (in addition, there are low-power stations) (1997)
Televisions: 4.38 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 7,606 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,394 km 1.435-m gauge (2,207 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) narrow gauge: 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1996) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurt (Gyor-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasut Rt) a distance of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria
Highways: total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,622 km (1988)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports and harbors: Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Merchant marine: total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,210 GRT/19,810 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 25 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Border Guard
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,601,741 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,073,419 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 70,393 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $645 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia is before the International Court of Justice
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamines and methamphetamines
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@Iceland -------
Introduction
Background: Iceland boasts the oldest surviving parliament in the world, the Althing, established in 930. Subsequently this Nordic island, whose small population has largely depended on fishing and sheep-herding for a living, came under the rule of Norway and then Denmark. It gained home rule in 1874 and full independence in 1944. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are topnotch by world standards. Tensions continue with Norway, Russia, and other nearby countries over fishing rights in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 1% other: 76% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment