Chapter 92
Agriculture--products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Exports: $6.68 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2%
Exports--partners: US 37%, EU, Central America and Caribbean
Imports: $7.38 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports--partners: US 48%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan
Debt--external: $7.26 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $197.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1--1.000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 273,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 564,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 420,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 355 km broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways: total: 11,100 km paved: 3,730 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,370 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km
Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte
Merchant marine: total: 4,632 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 98,433,972 GRT/149,800,820 DWT ships by type: bulk 1,335, cargo 1,028, chemical tanker 288, combination bulk 68, combination ore/oil 15, container 507, liquefied gas tanker 176, livestock carrier 9, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 498, passenger 41, passenger-cargo 5, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 312, roll-on/roll-off cargo 102, short-sea passenger 40, specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier 177 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 71 countries among which are Japan 1,262, Greece 378, Hong Kong 244, South Korea 259, Taiwan 229, China 193, Singapore 103, US 116, Switzerland 78, and Indonesia 53 (1998 est.)
Airports: 110 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 43 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 67 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 50 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 746,910 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 511,866 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $132 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997)
Military--note: in October 1994, a month after President PEREZ BALLADARES assumed office, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of a "special police force" to counter acts of "external aggression"
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and major drug-money-laundering center; no recent signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving
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@Papua New Guinea ----------------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline: 5,152 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use: arable land: 0.1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 92.9% other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
Environment--current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment--international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
People
Population: 4,705,126 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 951,532; female 902,841) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,411,053; female 1,298,937) 65 years and over: 3% (male 64,101; female 76,662) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.26% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 32.04 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.47 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 55.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.47 years male: 57.58 years female: 59.4 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.17 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant sects 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Languages: English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.2% male: 81% female: 62.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea abbreviation: PNG
Data code: PP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port Moresby
Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain
Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Constitution: 16 September 1975
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Iairo LASARO (since 20 October 1998) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament--sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats--89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party--PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note--association with political parties is very fluid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice, other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission
Political parties and leaders: Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA MUMURIK]
International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
Economy
Economy--overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for the bulk of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. Budgetary support from Australia and development aid under World Bank auspices have helped sustain the economy. In 1995, Port Moresby reached agreement with the IMF and World Bank on a structural adjustment program, of which the first phase was successfully completed in 1996. In 1997, droughts caused by the El Nino weather pattern wreaked havoc on Papua New Guinea's coffee, cocoa, and coconut production, the mainstays of the agricultural-based economy and major sources of export earnings. The coffee crop was slashed by up to 50% in 1997. Despite problems with drought, the year 1998 saw a small recovery in GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$11.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 28.2% industry: 34.5% services: 37.3% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (FY97/98 est.)
Labor force: 1.941 million
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 64% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 70.59% hydro: 29.41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 1.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables; poultry, pork
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: gold, copper ore, oil, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish and prawns
Exports--partners: Australia, Japan, Germany, UK, South Korea, China
Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports--partners: Australia, Singapore, Japan, US, New Zealand, Malaysia
Debt--external: $3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid--recipient: $376.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Exchange rates: kina (K) per US$1--0.47 (December 1998), 0.6975 (1997), 0.7588 (1996), 0.7835 (1995), 0.9950 (1994); note--the government floated the kina on 10 October 1994
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 63,212 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: services are adequate and being improved; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 298,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 10,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 10,940 km
Ports and harbors: Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,400 GRT/50,869 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 5, container 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 492 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 473 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 400 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,238,683 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 687,978 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $41.5 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Paracel Islands ---------------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: typhoons
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Data code: PF
Economy
Economy--overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Transportation
Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
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@Paraguay --------
Geography
Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro San Rafael 850 m
Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 55% forests and woodland: 32% other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Environment--current issues: deforestation (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land have been lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents
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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography--note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
People
Population: 5,434,095 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39% (male 1,086,107; female 1,049,833) 15-64 years: 56% (male 1,528,127; female 1,517,213) 65 years and over: 5% (male 116,761; female 136,054) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 31.87 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.23 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 36.35 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.43 years male: 70.47 years female: 74.49 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, white plus Amerindian 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Data code: PA
Government type: republic
Capital: Asuncion
Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento); Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Days, 14-15 May (1811)
Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992
Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 60
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi (since 28 March 1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote--55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999 note: President Luis GONZALEZ Macchi, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned following the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA will be decided in an election to be held in late 1999
Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators--last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies--last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Chamber of Senators--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Colorado Party 24, PLRA/PEN 20, other 1; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Colorado Party 45, PLRA/PEN 35
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates (Consejo de la Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Maria LJUBETIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Unitary Workers Central or CUT; Roman Catholic Church; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York