Part 181

Chapter 1813,640 wordsPublic domain

foreign-owned: 850 (Australia 11, Bangladesh 2, Bermuda 21, Chile 7, China 26, Cyprus 3, Denmark 125, France 3, Germany 30, Greece 19, Hong Kong 38, India 19, Indonesia 53, Italy 3, Japan 146, Malaysia 27, Netherlands 1, Norway 132, Slovenia 1, South Africa 3, South Korea 9, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Taiwan 79, Thailand 30, UAE 10, UK 6, US 33)

registered in other countries: 327 (Australia 2, Bahamas 7, Bangladesh 3, Belize 7, Cambodia 4, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, France 3, Gibraltar 1, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 13, Indonesia 42, Isle of Man 1, Kiribati 11, Liberia 27, Malaysia 19, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 28, Mongolia 1, North Korea 2, Panama 79, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Sierra Leone 5, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 25, US 17, unknown 6) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Singapore

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military ::Singapore

Military branches:

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,266,426 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,027,701

females age 16-49: 1,097,762 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 27,430

female: 25,918 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Transnational Issues ::Singapore

Disputes - international:

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awards sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but does not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:

drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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@Sint Maarten (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Sint Maarten

Background:

Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished the island of Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded slavery on the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; the practice was not abolished in the Dutch half until 1863. The island's economy declined until 1939 when it became a free port; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded beginning in the 1950s. In 1954, Sint Maarten and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the Netherlands Antilles. In a 2000 referendum, the citizens of Sint Maarten voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October of 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Geography ::Sint Maarten

Location:

Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Sint Maarten lies east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:

18 4 N, 63 4 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 34 sq km country comparison to the world: 235 land: 34 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin

Area - comparative:

one-fifth the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km

border countries: Saint Martin (France) 15 km

Coastline:

364 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 1500 mm/year; July-November is the hurricane season

Terrain:

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Flagstaff 386 m

Natural resources:

fish, salt

Land use:

arable land: 10%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 90%

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Environment - current issues:

Geography - note:

the northern border is shared with the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin; together, these two enties make up the smallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states

People ::Sint Maarten

Population:

37,429 (January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.4% (male 4,299/female 4,455)

15-64 years: 73% (male 13,053/female 14,259)

65 years and over: 3.6% (male 608/female 755) (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

3 deaths/1,000 population (2009) country comparison to the world: 221

Net migration rate:

14.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 4

Sex ratio:

at birth: 0.98 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2010)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: NA

male: 73.1 years

female: 78.2 years (2009)

Total fertility rate:

1.7 children born/woman (2009) country comparison to the world: 170

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Religions:

Roman Catholic 39%, Protestant 27%, Pentecostal 11.6%, none 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.2%, other 5.4%, Jewish 3.4%, not reported 0.7% (2001 census)

Languages:

English 67.5% (official), Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch 4.2% (official), Papiamento 2.2% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 census)

Government ::Sint Maarten

Country name:

Dutch long form: Land Sint Maarten

Dutch short form: Sint Maarten

English long form: Country of Sint Maarten

English short form: Sint Maarten

former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:

constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:

parliamentary

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Independence:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Constitution:

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

Legal system:

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010)

head of government: Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS (since 10 October 2010)

cabinet: Cabinet (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the legislature

Legislative branch:

unicameral parliament or Staten (15 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year term)

elections: last held 17 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 45.9%, UPP 36.1%, Democratic Party 17.1%; seats by party - National Alliance 7, UPP 6, Democratic Party 2

Judicial branch:

Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party or DP [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; United People's Party or UPP [Theodore HEYLIGER]; Concordia Political Alliance or CPA [Jeffery RICHARDSON]

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the center of the triangle displays the Sint Maarten coat of arms; the arms consist of an orange-bordered blue shield prominently displaying the white court house in Philipsburg, as well as a bouquet of yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left, and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; the shield is surmounted by a yellow rising sun in front of which is a Brown Pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield bears the motto: SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing); the three main colors are identical to those on the Dutch flag

note: the flag somewhat resembles that of the Philippines, but with the main red and blue bands reversed; the banner more closely evokes the wartime Philippine flag

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS

note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" is official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" is official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands)

Economy ::Sint Maarten

Economy - overview:

The economy of Sint Maarten centers around tourism with nearly four-fifths of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year - 1.3 million in 2008 - with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport. Cruise ships and yachts also call on Sint Maarten's numerous ports and harbors. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported. Sint Maarten had the highest per capita income among the five islands that formerly comprised the Netherlands Antilles.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$794.7 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 206 $748.9 million (2007 est.)

$703.2 million (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$794.7 million (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

1.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 4.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 18.3%

services: 81.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

23,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1.1%

industry: 15.2%

services: 83.7% (2008)

Unemployment rate:

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

0.7% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 4.6% (2008 est.)

Agriculture - products:

sugar

Industries:

tourism, light industry, and manufacturing

Electricity - production:

304.3 million kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 167

Exports - commodities:

sugar

Exports - partners:

China 23.49%, US 10.91%, Japan 5.92% (2009)

Imports - partners:

China 17.35%, Japan 14.79%, US 8.96%, Saudi Arabia 6.89% (2009)

Exchange rates:

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2009), 1.79 (2008), 1.79 (2007), 1.79 (2006)

Communications ::Sint Maarten

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,153 (2001) country comparison to the world: 210

Telephone system:

general assessment: generally adequate facilities

domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Transportation ::Sint Maarten

Airports:

1 country comparison to the world: 214

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways:

total: 53 km country comparison to the world: 216

Ports and terminals:

Philipsburg

Military ::Sint Maarten

Military branches:

the Royal Netherlands Navy maintains a permanent and active presence in the region from its main operating base on Curacao and through a detachment on Sint Maarten; other local security forces include a coast guard, para-military National Guard (Vrijwilligers Korps Sint Maarten), and Police Force (KPSM) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

no conscription (2010)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

page last updated on January 19, 2011

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@Slovakia (Europe)

Introduction ::Slovakia

Background:

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.

Geography ::Slovakia

Location:

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 49,035 sq km country comparison to the world: 130 land: 48,105 sq km

water: 930 sq km

Area - comparative:

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:

total: 1,474 km

border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:

brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use:

arable land: 29.23%

permanent crops: 2.67%

other: 68.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,830 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.04

per capita: 193 cu m/yr (2003)

Natural hazards:

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

People ::Slovakia

Population:

5,470,306 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 442,168/female 422,055)

15-64 years: 71.7% (male 1,952,527/female 1,965,646)

65 years and over: 12.5% (male 254,510/female 426,140) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 37.3 years

male: 35.7 years

female: 38.9 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.129% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

Birth rate:

10.55 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Death rate:

9.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Net migration rate:

0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Urbanization:

urban population: 56% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.051 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 170 male: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.62 years country comparison to the world: 79 male: 71.7 years

female: 79.74 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.36 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Nationality:

noun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:

Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Languages:

Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.6% (2004)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2008)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 129

Government ::Slovakia

Country name:

conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska Republika

local short form: Slovensko

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday:

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:

ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998; amended February 2001

note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister Iveta RADICOVA (since 8 July 2010); Deputy Prime Ministers Jan FIGEL, Ivan MIKLOS, Jozef MIHAL, Rudolf CHMEL (since 9 July 2010)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president

election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 12 June 2010 (next to be held in June 2014)

election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 34.8%, SDKU-DS 15%, SaS 12.1%, KDH 8.5%, Most-Hid 8.1%, SNS 5.1%, other 16.2%; seats by party - Smer 62, SDKU-DS 28, SaS 22, KDH 15, Most-Hid 14, SNS 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Political parties and leaders:

parties in the Parliament:: Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]; Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan FIGEL]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

selected parties outside the Parliament:: Alliance for a Europe of Nations or AZEN [Milan URBANI]; Association of Slovak Workers or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter ZAJAC]; Green Party or SZ [Peter PILINSKY]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Marek BLAHA]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef BERENYI]; People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; People's Party - Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef HRDLICKA]; Union - Party for Slovakia or Unia [Milan CELIK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS; Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; Slovenska Pospolitost; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

International organization participation: