Chapter 70
Labor force--by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment effecting more than half of the labor force (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $507 million expenditures: $487 million, including capital expenditures of $170 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 19.7% (1995)
Electricity--production: 0 kWh (1995) note: electricity supplied by South Africa
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity--consumption: 335 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 335 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Exports: $200 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: manufactures 65% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair 7%, food and live animals 7% (1996)
Exports--partners: South African Customs Union 66%, North America 26%, EU 4% (1996)
Imports: $880 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995)
Imports--partners: South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 6%, EU 2% (1995)
Debt--external: $660 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $123.7 million (1995)
Currency: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente note: maloti (M) is the plural form of loti
Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1--5.98380 (January 1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995), 3.55080 (1994); note--the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 12,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 66,000
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 11,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2.6 km; note--owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 4,955 km paved: 887 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 29 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 504,442 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 271,925 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Liberia -------
Introduction
Background: The 1995 Abuja Peace Accords ended seven years of civil warfare in Liberia. More than 20,000 of the estimated 33,000 factional fighters gave up their arms to the Cease-Fire Monitoring Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG). Free and open presidential and legislative elections were held 19 July 1997; former faction leader, Charles TAYLOR, and his National Patriotic Party won overwhelming victories. The years of civil strife coupled with the flight of most business people disrupted formal economic activity. A short-lived armed clash in September 1998 between government forces and supporters of factional leader Roosevelt JOHNSON and continuing uncertainty about the security situation have slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of the war-torn country. For two centuries the US has had uniquely close ties to Liberia and today is a major aid donor.
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 59% forests and woodland: 18% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment--current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment--international agreements: party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
People
Population: 2,923,725 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 656,101; female 649,389) 15-64 years: 52% (male 775,429; female 738,904) 65 years and over: 3% (male 50,126; female 53,776) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.92% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 41.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 11.03 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 18.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: evidence from UNHCR indicates Liberians are being repatriated
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 100.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.88 years male: 57.2 years female: 62.64 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves)
Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%
Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.3% male: 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.) note: these figures are increasing because of the improving school system
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia
Data code: LI
Government type: republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote--Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate--last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2001); House of Representatives--last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2001) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note--the Alliance of Political Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the LUP
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: TAYLOR]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rachel DIGGS chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Donald PETTERSON embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy
Economy--overview: A civil war in 1989-97 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned during 1997. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The democratically elected government, installed in August 1997, inherited massive international debts and currently relies on revenues from its maritime registry to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depends on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 36% services: 34%
Population below poverty line: 80%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 70%
Unemployment rate: 70%
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: 0%
Electricity--production: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee
Exports--partners: Belgium, Norway, Ukraine, Singapore (1997)
Imports: $3.65 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
Imports--partners: South Korea, Japan, Italy, Singapore (1997)
Debt--external: $2 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $122.8 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1--1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1--40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995), 7 (January 1992); market rate floats against the US dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: fewer than 25,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 note: two of the FM radio stations are limited to a small area
Radios: 675,000 (1995 est.); note--10,000 windup radios were distributed in the country prior to the 1997 election
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are four low-power repeaters; the station is located in Monrovia) (1997)
Televisions: 56,000 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 480 km (328 km single track); note--three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with the Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two were shut down by the civil war; large sections of the rail lines have been dismantled; approximately 60 km of railroad track was exported for scrap standard gauge: NA km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: NA km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 10,037 km (there is major deterioration on all highways due to lack of maintenance since the civil war began) paved: 603 km unpaved: 9,434 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia
Merchant marine: total: 1,651 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,804,012 GRT/96,650,752 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 4, bulk 408, cargo 106, chemical tanker 176, combination bulk 25, combination ore/oil 50, container 193, liquefied gas tanker 89, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 413, passenger 37, refrigerated cargo 69, roll-on/roll-off cargo 19, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 45 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 54 countries among which are Germany 186, US 161, Norway 142, Greece 144, Japan 124, Hong Kong 100, China 53, UK 32, Singapore 39, and Monaco 38 (1998 est.)
Airports: 45 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 667,032 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 356,825 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.4 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets
======================================================================
@Libya -----
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 4,383 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line--32 degrees 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment--current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
Environment--international agreements: party to: Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
People
Population: 4,992,838 (July 1999 est.) note: includes 161,251 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 930,661; female 891,046) 15-64 years: 60% (male 1,545,958; female 1,437,120) 65 years and over: 4% (male 93,726; female 94,327) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.33 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 3.35 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 28.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.73 years male: 73.81 years female: 77.74 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.79 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 87.9% female: 63% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah local short form: none
Data code: LY
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital: Tripoli
Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular--baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan note: the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note--holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH (since NA January 1998) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH elected head of government; percent of General People's Congress vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of peoples' committees)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an embassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980
Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
Economy
Economy--overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Low oil prices in 1998 cut back revenue sharply, and GDP growth fell by 1%. In this statist society, import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP; it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. The UN sanctions imposed in April 1992 do not have a major impact on the economy although they have increased transaction and transportation costs.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$38 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -1% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 55% services: 40% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 24.2% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1 million