Chapter 93
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Maura A. HARTY embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
Economy
Economy--overview: Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods (electronics, whiskeys, perfumes, cigarettes, and office equipment) to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. The formal sector is largely oriented toward services. A large percentage of the population derive their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy has grown an average of about 3% over the past six years, but GDP declined in 1998. However, population has increased at about the same rate over the same period, leaving per capita income nearly stagnant. The new government of Raul CUBAS Grau was pursuing an economic reform agenda, albeit with limited success because of in-fighting in the ruling party and resistance from the opposition.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$19.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -0.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$3,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 30% services: 43% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 21.8% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 46.6% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.6% (1998)
Labor force: 1.8 million (1995 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 45%
Unemployment rate: 8.2% (urban) (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.25 billion expenditures: $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (1995 est.)
Industries: meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (1995)
Electricity--production: 45.03 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 0.07% hydro: 99.93% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 4.768 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 40.262 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities: cotton, soybeans, timber, vegetable oils, meat products, coffee, tung oil
Exports--partners: Brazil 48%, Netherlands 22%, Argentina 9%, US 4%, Uruguay 3%, Chile 2% (1997)
Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, foodstuffs, raw materials, fuels
Imports--partners: Brazil 29%, US 22%, Argentina 14%, Hong Kong 9% (1995)
Debt--external: $1.3 billion (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $180.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 guarani (G) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: guaranies (G) per US$--2,866.3 (January 1999), 2,755.7 (1998), 2,191.0 (1997), 2,062.8 (1996), 1,970.4 (1995), 1,911.5 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 88,730 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios: 775,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (1997)
Televisions: 370,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Highways: total: 29,500 km paved: 2,803 km unpaved: 26,697 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,100 km
Ports and harbors: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Merchant marine: total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,287 GRT/32,510 DWT ships by type: cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 4, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 941 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 931 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 349 under 914 m: 552 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military manpower--military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,311,382 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 947,347 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 55,065 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $125 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for Europe and the US
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@Peru ----
Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 1,285,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 6,940 km border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 2,900 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,414 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west
Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m
Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 66% other: 10% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: deforestation; overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes
Environment--international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
People
Population: 26,624,582 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 4,786,048; female 4,637,280) 15-64 years: 60% (male 8,045,747; female 7,939,760) 65 years and over: 5% (male 557,252; female 658,495) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.93% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.09 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.13 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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 38.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.38 years male: 68.08 years female: 72.78 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.23 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian
Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 94.5% female: 83% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru
Data code: PE
Government type: republic
Capital: Lima
Administrative divisions: 24 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali note: the 1979 constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular--region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 departments--Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments
Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821)
Constitution: 31 December 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alberto Kenyo FUJIMORI Fujimori (since 28 July 1990); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government note: Prime Minister Victor JOYWAY (since 4 January 1999) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: President FUJIMORI reelected; percent of vote--Alberto FUJIMORI 64.42%, Javier PEREZ de CUELLAR 21.80%, Mercedes CABANILLAS 4.11%, other 9.67%
Legislative branch: unicameral Democratic Constituent Congress or Congresso Constituyente Democratico (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--C90/NM 52.1%, UPP 14%, other parties 33.9%; seats by party--C90/NM 67, UPP 17, APRA 8, FIM 6, CODE-Pais Posible 5, AP 4, PPC 3, Renovation 3, IU 2, OBRAS 2, other parties 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary
Political parties and leaders: Change 90-New Majority or C90/NM
Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups RAMIREZ Durand (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary (top leader at-large)]
International organization participation: APEC, CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo V. LUNA MENDOZA chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis C. JETT embassy: Avenida Encalada, Cuadra 17, Monterrico, Lima mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000
Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath
Economy
Economy--overview: The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed since 1990 in the mining, electricity, and telecommunications industries. An austerity program implemented shortly after the FUJIMORI government took office in July 1990 contributed to a short-lived contraction of economic activity, but the slide came to a halt late that year, and in 1991 output rose 2.4%. By working with the IMF and World Bank on new financial conditions and arrangements, the government succeeded in ending its arrears by March 1993. In 1992, GDP fell by 2.8%, in part because a warmer-than-usual El Nino current resulted in a 30% drop in the fish catch, but the economy rebounded as strong foreign investment helped push growth to 7% in 1993, about 13% in 1994, and 6.8% in 1995. Growth slowed to 2.8% in 1996 as the government adopted tight fiscal and monetary policy to reduce the current account deficit and meet its IMF targets. Growth then rebounded to 7.3% in 1997 even as inflation fell to its lowest level in 23 years. Capital inflows surged to record levels in early 1997 and have remained strong. In 1998, El Nino's impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in Brazilian markets undercut growth. While Lima publicly projects a rebound to 5% in 1999, private sector analysts believe this figure is overly optimistic.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$111.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 37% services: 56% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 54% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 7.6 million (1996 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services
Unemployment rate: 8.2%; extensive underemployment (1996)
Budget: revenues: $8.5 billion expenditures: $9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (1996 est.)
Industries: mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication
Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (1996)
Electricity--production: 16.211 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 19.25% hydro: 80.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 16.211 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish
Exports: $6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: copper, zinc, fishmeal, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, refined silver, coffee, cotton
Exports--partners: US 20%, Japan 7%, UK 7%, China 7%, Germany 5% (1996)
Imports: $10.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports--partners: US 31%, Colombia 7%, Chile 6%, Venezuela 6%, UK 6% (1996)
Debt--external: $25.7 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $895.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates: nuevo sol (S/.) per US$1--3.250 (January 1999), 2.930 (1998), 2.664 (1997), 2.453 (1996), 2.253 (1995), 2.195 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 779,306 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: adequate for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 273, FM 0, shortwave 144
Radios: 5.7 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (in addition, there are 112 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 2,041 km standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 315 km 0.914-m gauge (1997)
Highways: total: 72,146 km paved: 7,353 km unpaved: 64,793 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca
Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km
Ports and harbors: Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,518 GRT/75,018 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 244 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 200 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 99 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 6,913,471 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,657,649 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 268,624 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $913 million (1998); note--may not include off-budget purchases related to military modernization program
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: on 26 October 1998, Peru and Ecuador concluded treaties on commerce and navigation and on boundary integration, to complete a package of agreements settling the long-standing boundary dispute between them; demarcation of the agreed-upon boundary was scheduled to begin in mid-January 1999
Illicit drugs: until recently the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru has reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 26%, from 68,800 hectares in 1997 to 51,000 hectares at the end of 1998; most of cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia and Brazil for processing into cocaine for the international drug market, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing
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@Philippines -----------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 36,289 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth
Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 15,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
Environment--current issues: uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
People
Population: 79,345,812 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37% (male 15,057,698; female 14,555,430) 15-64 years: 59% (male 23,168,043; female 23,715,877) 65 years and over: 4% (male 1,269,522; female 1,579,242) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.04% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.88 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.03 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.58 years male: 63.79 years female: 69.5 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine
Ethnic groups: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Languages: Pilipino (official, based on Tagalog), English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.6% male: 95% female: 94.3% (1995 est.)
Government