Chapter 89
Economy--overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $1 billion to the US in 1998 under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$524 million (1996 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$9,300 (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): 6.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)
Labor force--by occupation: managerial 20.5%, technical, sales 16.4%, services 19.3%, farming 3.1%, precision production 13.8%, operators, fabricators 26.9%
Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)
Budget: revenues: $221 million expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: NA kWh
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Electricity--consumption: NA kWh
Electricity--exports: NA kWh
Electricity--imports: NA kWh
Agriculture--products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: $1 billion (1998)
Exports--commodities: garments
Exports--partners: US
Imports: $NA
Imports--commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports--partners: US, Japan
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $21.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October--30 September
Communications
Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3
Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable stations on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 362 km (1991 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Norway ------
Introduction
Background: Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905. As a separate realm, Norway stayed free of World War I but suffered German occupation in World War II. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s gave a strong boost to Norway's economic fortunes. Norway is planning for the time when its oil and gas reserves are depleted and is focusing on containing spending on its extensive welfare system. It has decided at this time not to join the European Union and the new euro currency regime.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 324,220 sq km land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,515 km border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 27% other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia
People
Population: 4,438,547 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 447,607; female 423,844) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,462,906; female 1,415,992) 65 years and over: 15% (male 286,339; female 401,859) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.4% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.12 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.36 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.35 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Languages: Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge
Data code: NO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (fylker, singular--fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold
Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party--Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND];
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tom Erik VRAALSON chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David B. HERMELIN embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy--overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A major shipping nation, with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods. The country is richly endowed with natural resources--petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals--and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Economic growth in 1999 should drop to about 1%. Despite their high per capita income and generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$109 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.4% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$24,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.2% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.3 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (yearend 1997)
Budget: revenues: $48.6 billion expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)
Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 103.374 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 0.76% hydro: 99.23% nuclear: 0% other: 0.01% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 112.374 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 4.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 13.2 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: oats, other grains; beef, milk; fish
Exports: $39.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 55%, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish (1997)
Exports--partners: EU 76% (UK 19%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 11%, Sweden 9%, France 8%), US 6% (1997)
Imports: $37.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
Imports--partners: EU 68% (Sweden 16%, Germany 14%, UK 9%, Denmark 7%, Netherlands 4%), US 6%, Japan 4%(1997)
Debt--external: none?Norway is a net external creditor
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)
Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1--7.4524 (January 1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2.39 million (1994 est.); 470,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1994)
Telephone system: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services domestic: NA domestic satellite earth stations international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations--NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note--Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 493 (350 private and 143 government), shortwave 0
Radios: 3.3 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 209 (1997)
Televisions: 1.5 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 4,012 km standard gauge: 4,012 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 91,180 km paved: 67,473 km (including 109 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,707 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,577 km along west coast; navigable by 2.4 m draft vessels maximum
Pipelines: refined petroleum products 53 km
Ports and harbors: Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim
Merchant marine: total: 788 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,200,416 GRT/33,642,888 DWT ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 150, chemical tanker 99, combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 39, container 19, liquefied gas tanker 86, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 143, passenger 12, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 52, short-sea passenger 22, vehicle carrier 36 note: the government has created an internal register, the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians (1998 est.)
Airports: 103 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 29 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,103,738 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 917,244 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 27,448 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market; increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines
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@Oman ----
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Coastline: 2,092 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Terrain: vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: NA% other: 95% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 580 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Environment--current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
People
Population: 2,446,645 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 508,681; female 489,453) 15-64 years: 57% (male 856,062; female 535,123) 65 years and over: 2% (male 30,083; female 27,243) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.45% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 37.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.84 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: 1.6 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.33 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.3 years male: 69.31 years female: 73.39 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Literacy: definition: NA total population: approaching 80% male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman
Data code: MU
Government type: monarchy
Capital: Muscat
Administrative divisions: 6 regions (mintaqat, singular--mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular--muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam*, Zufar*
Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
National holiday: National Day, 18 November (1940)
Constitution: none; note--on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral Omani council, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: limited to approximately 50,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis ash-Shura
Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note--the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note--the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis ad-Dawla (41 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis ash-Shura (82 seats; members elected by limited suffrage, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held NA October 1997 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: NA
Judicial branch: none; traditional Islamic judges and a nascent civil court system, administered by region
Political parties and leaders: none
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA