Chapter 82
National holiday: National Day, 3 March (1961) (anniversary of King HASSAN II's accession to the throne)
Constitution: 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961) head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since 14 March 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors--last held 5 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2000); Chamber of Representatives--last held 14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Chamber of Counselors--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, IP 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, UT 13, FFD 12, CDT 11, UTM 8, PPS 7, PSD 4, PDI 4, UGTM 3, UNMT 2, other 3; Chamber of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: ARCHANE] labor unions and community organizations (indirect elections only):
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL embassy: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE 09718 consulate(s) general: Casablanca
Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam
Economy
Economy--overview: Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries--restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and keeping inflation within manageable bounds. Since the early 1980s the government has pursued an economic program toward these objectives with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club of creditors. The dirham is now fully convertible for current account transactions; reforms of the financial sector have been implemented; and state enterprises are slowly being privatized. Drought conditions in 1997 depressed activity in the key agricultural sector, holding down exports and contributing to a 2.2% contraction in real GDP. Favorable rainfalls in the fall of 1997 have led to 6.8% real GDP growth in 1998. Growth is forecast to be about 4.0% in 1999. Formidable long-term challenges include: servicing the external debt; preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU; and improving education and attracting foreign investment to improve living standards and job propects for Morocco's youthful population.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$107 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 6.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 33% services: 53% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 13.1% (1990-91 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1990-91)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2%-3% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 11 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 50%, services 26%, industry 15%, other 9% (1985)
Unemployment rate: 19% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $8.4 billion expenditures: $10 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 11.5 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 95.65% hydro: 4.35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 12.52 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 1.02 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock
Exports: $7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: food and beverages 30%, semiprocessed goods 23%, consumer goods 21%, phosphates 17% (1995 est.)
Exports--partners: EU 63%, Japan 7.7%, India 6.6%, US 3.4%, Libya 3.4% (1996 est.)
Imports: $10 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: semiprocessed goods 26%, capital goods 25%, food and beverages 18%, fuel and lubricants 15%, consumer goods 12%, raw materials 4% (1995 est.)
Imports--partners: EU 57%, US 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%, Brazil 2.8% (1996 est.)
Debt--external: $20.9 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $565.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams (DH) per US$1--9.320 (January 1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996), 8.540 (1995), 9.203 (1994)
Fiscal year: July 1-June 30
Communications
Telephones: 1,312,596 (1999 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; principal centers are Casablanca and Rabat; secondary centers are Fes, Marrakech, Oujda, Tangier, and Tetouan international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 22, FM 7, shortwave 5 (1998 est.)
Radios: 5.1 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 26 (in addition, there are 35 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.21 million (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified; 246 km double track) (1994)
Highways: total: 60,626 km paved: 30,556 km (including 219 km of expressways) unpaved: 30,070 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 362 km; petroleum products 491 km (abandoned); natural gas 241 km
Ports and harbors: Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla
Merchant marine: total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 217,869 GRT/263,033 DWT ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 6, container 3, oil tanker 3, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 69 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 7,735,597 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,888,595 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 320,040 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.3611 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991; Spain controls five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco--the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla which Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of hashish; trafficking on the increase for both domestic and international drug markets; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe
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@Mozambique ----------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 801,590 sq km land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline: 2,470 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical to subtropical
Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 56% forests and woodland: 18% other: 22% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,180 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe droughts and floods occur in central and southern provinces; devastating cyclones
Environment--current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 19,124,335 (July 1999 est.) note: the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,542,800; other estimates range as low as 16.9 million
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 4,236,545; female 4,325,586) 15-64 years: 53% (male 4,941,048; female 5,181,282) 65 years and over: 2% (male 182,857; female 257,017) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 42.75 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 17.31 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 117.56 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.89 years male: 44.73 years female: 47.09 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.88 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups: indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Languages: Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 57.7% female: 23.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique
Data code: MZ
Government type: republic
Capital: Maputo
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia); Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Constitution: 30 November 1990
Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986); note--before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since NA December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO elected president; percent of vote--Joaquim CHISSANO 53.3%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 33.3%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27-29 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--Frelimo 44.33%, Renamo 33.78%, DU 5.15%, other 16.74%; seats by party--Frelimo 129, Renamo 112, DU 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president and judges elected by the Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Alberto CHISSANO, chairman]; Mozambique National Resistance secretary]; note--the DU may have broken up into the three parties that composed it--Liberal and Democratic Party of Mozambique, National Democratic Party, and National Party of Mozambique
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcos Geraldo NAMASHULUA chancery: Suite 570, 1990 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bryan Dean CURRAN embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book
Economy
Economy--overview: Before the peace accord of October 1992, Mozambique's economy was devastated by a protracted civil war and socialist mismanagement. In 1994, it ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. Since then, Mozambique has undertaken a series of economic reforms. Almost all aspects of the economy have been liberalized to some extent. More than 900 state enterprises have been privatized. Pending are tax and much needed commercial code reform, as well as greater private sector involvement in the transportation, telecommunications, and energy sectors. Since 1996, inflation has been low and foreign exchange rates stable. Albeit from a small base, Mozambique achieved one of the highest growth rates in the world in 1997-98. Still, the country depends on foreign assistance to balance the budget and to pay for a trade imbalance in which imports outnumber exports by three to one. The medium-term outlook for the country looks bright, as trade and transportation links to South Africa and the rest of the region are expected to improve and sizable foreign investments materialize. Among these investments are metal production (aluminum, steel), natural gas, power generation, agriculture (cotton, sugar), fishing, timber, and transportation services. Additional exports in these areas should bring in needed foreign exchange.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$16.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 11% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$900 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 13% services: 52% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.3% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry 9.5%, services 5.5%, wage earners working abroad 5% (1993 est)
Unemployment rate: NA
Budget: revenues: $402 million expenditures: $799 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 39% (1997)
Electricity--production: 426 million kWh (1997)
Electricity--production by source: NA%
Electricity--consumption: 1.11 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 685.6 million kWh (1997)
Agriculture--products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, rice, tropical fruits; beef, poultry
Exports: $295 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: shrimp 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, copra, citrus (1997)
Exports--partners: Spain 17%, South Africa 16%, Portugal 12%, US 10%, Japan, Malawi, India, Zimbabwe (1996 est.)
Imports: $965 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: food, clothing, farm equipment, petroleum (1997)
Imports--partners: South Africa 55%, Zimbabwe 7%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Portugal 4%, US, Japan, India (1996 est.)
Debt--external: $5.7 billion (December 1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $1.115 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 metical (Mt) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: meticais (Mt) per US$1--12,394.0 (January 1999), 11,874.6 (1998), 11.543.6 (1997), 11,293.8 (1996), 9,024.3 (1995), 6,038.6 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 70,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: fair system of tropospheric scatter, open-wire lines, and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations--5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 700,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 44,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,131 km narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (1994)
Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: about 3,750 km of navigable routes
Pipelines: crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km note: not operating
Ports and harbors: Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane
Merchant marine: total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 174 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 152 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 96 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Militia
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 4,385,483 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,526,447 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $72 million (FY97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.7% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: Southern African transit hub for South American cocaine probably destined for the European and US markets; producer of hashish and methaqualone
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@Namibia -------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 3,824 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km
Coastline: 1,572 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m
Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 22% other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought
Environment--current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 1,648,270 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 366,030; female 358,105) 15-64 years: 52% (male 424,879; female 435,116) 65 years and over: 4% (male 26,787; female 37,353) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.57% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 35.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 19.92 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 65.94 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.26 years male: 41.64 years female: 40.87 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian
Ethnic groups: black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%