Chapter 79
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (since 1 December 1994); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 August 1994 (next to be held in July or August 2000) election results: Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon elected president; percent of vote--Ernesto ZEDILLO Ponce de Leon (PRI) 50.18%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 17.08%, Diego FERNANDEZ DE CEVALLOS (PAN) 26.69%, other 6.05%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; half are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and half are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) elections: Senate--last held 6 July 1997 for one-quarter of the seats; Chamber of Deputies--last held 6 July 1997 (the next legislative elections will coincide with the presidential election in July or August 2000) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PRI 77, PAN 33, PRD 16, PVEM 1, PT 1; note--the distribution of seats as of May 1998 is as follows--PRI 77, PAN 31, PRD 15, PT 1, independents 4; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--PRI 39%, PAN 27%, PRD 26%; seats by party--PRI 239, PRD 125, PAN 121, PVEM 8, PT 7; note--the distribution of seats as of May 1998 is as follows--PRI 237, PRD 127, PAN 120, PT 7, PVEM 6, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate)
Political parties and leaders: recognized parties--Institutional
Political pressure groups and leaders: Roman Catholic Church; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; Revolutionary Workers Party or PRT; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or CROM; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Union of Workers or UNT
International organization participation: APEC, BCIE, BIS, Caricom (observer), CCC, CDB, EBRD, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesus REYES HEROLES Gonzalez Garza chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Corpus Christi, Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Orlando, Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, San Jose, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffery DAVIDOW embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 3087, Laredo, TX 78044-3087 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band
Economy
Economy--overview: Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. The number of state-owned enterprises in Mexico has fallen from more than 1,000 in 1982 to fewer than 200 in 1998. The ZEDILLO administration is privatizing and expanding competition in sea ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity, natural gas distribution, and airports. A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's decline in 1995 and led the recovery in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, private consumption became the leading driver of growth, which was accompanied by increased employment and higher wages. The government expects the economy to slow in 1999 because of low commodity prices, tighter international liquidity, and slacker demand for exports. Mexico still needs to overcome many structural problems as it strives to modernize its economy and raise living standards. Income distribution is very unequal, with the top 20% of income earners accounting for 55% of income. Trade with the US and Canada has nearly doubled since NAFTA was implemented in 1994. Mexico is pursuing additional trade agreements with most countries in Latin America and with the EU to lessen its dependence on the US.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$815.3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$8,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 26% services: 68% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 27% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 36.6% 1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.6% (1998)
Labor force: 37.5 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: services 28.8%, agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing 21.8%, commerce 17.1%, manufacturing 16.1%, construction 5.2%, public administration and national defense 4.4%, transportation and communications 4.1%
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1998) urban; plus considerable underemployment
Budget: revenues: $117 billion expenditures: $123 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 154.395 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 71.46% hydro: 20.16% nuclear: 4.85% other: 3.53% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 154.448 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 1.263 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 1.316 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products
Exports: $117.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)
Exports--commodities: crude oil, oil products, coffee, silver, engines, motor vehicles, cotton, consumer electronics
Exports--partners: US 87.5%, Canada 1.3%, Japan 0.8%, Spain 0.6%, Chile 0.6%, Brazil 0.5% (1998 est.)
Imports: $111.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998), includes in-bond industries (assembly plant operations with links to US companies)
Imports--commodities: metal-working machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Imports--partners: US 74.2%, Japan 3.7%, Germany 3.7%, Canada 1.8%, South Korea 1.5%, Italy 1.3%, France 1.2% (1998 est.)
Debt--external: $154 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $1.166 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 New Mexican peso (Mex$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Mexican pesos (Mex$) per US$1--10.1104 (January 1999), 9.1360 (1998), 7.9141 (1997), 7.5994(1996), 6.4194 (1995), 3.3751 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 11,890,868 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed system with extensive microwave radio relay links; privatized in December 1990; opened to competition January 1997 domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the population is poorly served; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations--5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); launched Solidaridad I satellite in November 1993 and Solidaridad II in October 1994, giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections
Radio broadcast stations: AM 824 (1999 est.), FM 500 (1998 est.), shortwave 19 (1999 est.)
Radios: 22.5 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 236 (not including repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 13.1 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 31,048 km standard gauge: 30,958 km 1.435-m gauge (246 km electrified) narrow gauge: 90 km 0.914-m gauge (1998 est.)
Highways: total: 252,000 km paved: 94,248 km (including 6,740 km of expressways) unpaved: 157,752 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,900 km navigable rivers and coastal canals
Pipelines: crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km
Ports and harbors: Acapulco, Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Ensenada, Guaymas, La Paz, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Progreso, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz
Merchant marine: total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 852,004 GRT/1,236,475 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, container 4, liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 28, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1,805 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 232 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 78 under 914 m: 26 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1,573 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 63 914 to 1,523 m: 468 under 914 m: 1,040 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: National Defense Secretariat (includes Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (includes Naval Air and Marines)
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 25,675,266 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 18,675,524 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 1,085,042 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $6 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.3% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 1998--5,500 hectares; potential production--60 metric tons) and cannabis cultivation in 1998--4,600 hectares; government eradication efforts have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of heroin and marijuana to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America; involved in the production and distribution of methamphetamines
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@Micronesia, Federated States of -------------------------------
Geography
Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae
Area--comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6,112 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage
Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Totolom 791 m
Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands
People
Population: 131,500 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.32 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.99 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.48 years male: 66.52 years female: 70.48 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese
Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other and none 3%
Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Kosrae, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM
Data code: FM
Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986
Capital: Palikir
Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap
Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Federated States of Micronesia, 10 May (1979)
Constitution: 10 May 1979
Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacob NENA (acting president since NA July 1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President Leo A. FALCAM (since 9 May 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Vice President Jacob NENA became acting president in July 1996 after President Bailey OLTER suffered a stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November 1996; as provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with OLTER still unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the new president; he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's term head of government: President Jacob NENA (acting president since NA July 1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President Leo A. FALCAM (since 9 May 1997); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Vice President Jacob NENA became acting president in July 1996 after President Bailey OLTER suffered a stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November 1996; as provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with OLTER still unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the new president; he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's term cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators-at-large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1999); note--because of the vacancy to the post of vice president created after NENA left to become acting president, a new election to fill the position of vice president for the remaining two years of the term was held on 9 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 1999) election results: Bailey OLTER reelected president; percent of Congress vote--NA; Leo A. FALCAM elected vice president; percent of Congress vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four--one elected from each of state--to serve four-year terms and 10--elected from single-member districts delineated by population--to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 7 March 1995 (next to be held 2 March 1999); elections for two-year term seats last held 3 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 14
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: no formal parties
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ann WRIGHT embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941
Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy
Economy--overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remoteness of the location and a lack of adequate facilities hinder development. Financial assistance from the US is the primary source of revenue, with the US pledged to spend $1 billion in the islands in the 1990s. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure are major impediments to long-term growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$220 million (1996 est.) note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually
GDP--real growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,760 (1996 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): 4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: two-thirds are government employees
Unemployment rate: 27% (1989)
Budget: revenues: $58 million expenditures: $52 million, including capital expenditures of $4.7 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: NA 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
Agriculture--products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Exports: $73 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports--partners: Japan, US, Guam
Imports: $168 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports--partners: US, Japan, Australia
Debt--external: $129 million
Economic aid--recipient: $77.4 million (1995); note?under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September
Communications
Telephones: 960
Telephone system: domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations--4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 1
Radios: 17,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: 1,290 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Midway Islands --------------
Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo
Geographic coordinates: 28 13 N, 177 22 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 6.2 sq km land: 6.2 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
Area--comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds
Terrain: low, nearly level
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 4 m
Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands
Data code: MQ