Chapter 90
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah bin Muhammad bin Aqil al-DHAHAB chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. CRAIG embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: international: P. O. Box 202, Code No. 115, Medinat Qaboos, Muscat
Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band
Economy
Economy--overview: Economic performance is closely tied to the fortunes of the oil industry. Petroleum accounts for 75% of export earnings and government revenues and for roughly 40% of GDP. Oman has proved oil reserves of 4 billion barrels, equivalent to about 20 years' production at the current rate of extraction. Agriculture is carried on at a subsistence level and the general population depends on imported food. The government is encouraging private investment, both domestic and foreign, as a prime force for further economic development. In 1998-99 the economy is suffering from weak world oil prices.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$18.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,900 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 50% services: 48% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 850,000 (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $4 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 budget est.)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Exports: $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports--partners: Japan 26%, China 19%, Thailand 19%, South Korea 14%, US 4% (1997)
Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports--partners: UAE 23% (largely reexports), Japan 16%, UK 14%, US 8%, Germany 5% (1997)
Debt--external: $3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $76.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Omani rial (RO) = 1,000 baiza
Exchange rates: Omani rials (RO) per US$1--0.3845 (fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 150,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: modern system consisting of open wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1
Radios: 1.043 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (in addition, there are 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.195 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 32,800 km paved: 9,840 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 22,960 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,300 km; natural gas 1,030 km
Ports and harbors: Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,306 GRT/8,210 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 143 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 137 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 58 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police)
Military manpower--military age: 14 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 752,637 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 420,361 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: NA
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.672 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 11.1% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: southern boundary with the United Arab Emirates has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary
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@Pacific Ocean -------------
Geography
Location: body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 160 00 W
Map references: World
Area: total: 165.384 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Flores Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Java Sea, Philippine Sea, Ross Sea, Savu Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area--comparative: about 18 times the size of the US; the largest ocean (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
Coastline: 135,663 km
Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal--a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December
Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
Natural hazards: surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs from Antarctica; cyclical El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of Peru, when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by the thousands because of the loss of their food source; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May and in extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Environment--current issues: endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea
Environment--international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes--see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes appendix
Economy
Economy--overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of Australia, NZ, China, US, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.
Communications
Telephone system: international: several submarine cables with network nodal points on Guam and Hawaii
Transportation
Ports and harbors: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
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@Pakistan --------
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km
Coastline: 1,046 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m
Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 5% other: 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 171,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Environment--current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography--note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
People
Population: 138,123,359 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (male 29,423,876; female 27,763,774) 15-64 years: 55% (male 38,533,918; female 36,804,592) 65 years and over: 4% (male 2,768,942; female 2,828,257) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.18% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 33.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.45 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 91.86 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.38 years male: 58.49 years female: 60.3 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.73 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani
Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendants)
Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%
Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 50% female: 24.4% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan
Data code: PK
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Islamabad
Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas
Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday: Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of the republic)
Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985
Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF (since 17 February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next to be held no later than 1 January 2003); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: Mohammad Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of Parliament and provincial vote--NA; Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote--NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly (217 seats--10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate--last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999); National Assembly--last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judicial chiefs are appointed by the president; Federal Islamic (Shari'a) Court
Political parties and leaders: government: Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N frequently shifting: Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S, Tehrik-I-Jafria Noorani faction or JUP/NO note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently; subsequent to the election Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami, Fazlur Rehman group or JUI/F was disbanded
Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Riaz Hussain KHOKHAR chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William MILAM embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar
Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy
Economy--overview: Pakistan continues to suffer through a damaging foreign exchange crisis--stemming from years of loose fiscal policies that have exacerbated inflation and allowed public debt to explode. After accruing more than $1.5 billion in debt arrears in the first six months of FY98/99, Pakistani officials approached multilateral creditors requesting balance-of-payments relief and structural support. In January 1999, Islamabad received more than $1 billion in loans along with $3 billion in debt relief following the Finance Minister DAR's pledge to implement an economic reform program to reduce the budget deficit, deepen the financial sector, and broaden the industrial base. Although the economy has shown signs of improvement following implementation of some corrective measures, Prime Minister SHARIF--historically--has failed to implement the tough structural reforms necessary for sustained, longer-term growth. The government must also cope with long-standing economic vulnerabilities--inadequate infrastructure and low levels of literacy.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$270 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 24.2% industry: 26.4% services: 49.4% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 34% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 25.2% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (FY97/98)
Labor force: 37.8 million (1998) note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 47%, mining and manufacturing 17%, services 17%, other 19%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $10.8 billion expenditures: $12 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (FY97/98)
Electricity--production: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 42.13% nuclear: 0.57% other: 0% (1997)
Electricity--consumption: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs
Exports: $8.5 billion (FY97/98)
Exports--commodities: cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, carpets
Exports--partners: EU, US, Hong Kong, Japan
Imports: $10.1 billion (FY97/98)
Imports--commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transportation equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals
Imports--partners: EU, Japan, US, China
Debt--external: $34 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $2 billion (FY97/98)
Currency: 1 Pakistani rupee (PRe) = 100 paisa
Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1--46.000 (January 1999), 45.033 (1998), 41.086 (1997), 36.056 (1996), 31.623 (1995), 30.548 (1994); note--annual average of official rate; parallel market rate is higher
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 2.828 million (1998)
Telephone system: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite international: satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 3, shortwave 18 (1998 est.)
Radios: 10.2 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 22 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2.08 million (1998 est.)
Transportation