Part 19
Elections: President--last held 10 September 1987 (next to be held September 1992); results--National Assembly elected President Mengistu Haile-Mariam;
National Assembly--last held 14 June 1987 (next to be held June 1992); results--WPE is the only party; seats--(835 total) WPE 835
Other political or pressure groups: important dissident groups include Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in Eritrea; Tigrean People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement in Tigray, Welo, and border regions; Oromo Liberation Front in Welega and Harerge regions
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICO, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Counselor, Charge d'Affaires ad interim GIRMA Amare; Chancery at 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-2281 or 2282; US--Charge d'Affaires Robert G. HOUDEK; Embassy at Entoto Street, Addis Ababa (mailing address is P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa); telephone 254-233-4141
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
- Economy Overview: Ethiopia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for about 45% of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates over 60% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. The economy is centrally planned, and over 90% of large-scale industry is state run. Favorable agricultural weather largely explains the 4.5% growth in output in FY89.
GDP: $6.6 billion, per capita $130, real growth rate 4.5% (FY89 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6% (FY89)
Unemployment rate: NA; shortage of skilled manpower
Budget: revenues $1.4 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.7 billion (FY87)
Exports: $418 million (f.o.b., FY88); commodities--coffee 60%, hides; partners--US, FRG, Djibouti, Japan, PDRY, France, Italy
Imports: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., FY88), commodities--food, fuels, capital goods; partners--USSR, Italy, FRG, Japan, UK, US, France
External debt: $2.6 billion (1988)
Industrial production: growth rate - 0.2% (FY88 est.)
Electricity: 330,000 kW capacity; 700 million kWh produced, 14 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: cement, textiles, food processing, oil refinery
Agriculture: accounts for 45% of GDP and is the most important sector of the economy even though frequent droughts, poor cultivation practices, and state economic policies keep farm output low; famines not uncommon; export crops of coffee and oilseeds grown partly on state farms; estimated 50% of agricultural production at subsistence level; principal crops and livestock--cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseeds, potatoes, sugarcane, vegetables, hides and skins, cattle, sheep, goats
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $471 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $8 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $2.0 billion
Currency: birr (plural--birr); 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1--2.0700 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 8 July-7 July
- Communications Railroads: 988 km total; 681 km 1.000-meter gauge; 307 km 0.950-meter gauge (nonoperational)
Highways: 44,300 km total; 3,650 km bituminous, 9,650 km gravel, 3,000 km improved earth, 28,000 km unimproved earth
Ports: Aseb, Mitsiwa
Merchant marine: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,837 GRT/92,067 DWT; includes 10 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll off cargo, 1 livestock carrier, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
Civil air: 21 major transport aircraft
Airports: 152 total, 111 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 51 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: open-wire and radio relay system adequate for government use; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; stations--4 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 45,000 TV sets; 3,300,000 radios; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
Military manpower: males 15-49, 11,438,616; 5,922,555 fit for military service; 589,231 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 8.5% of GDP (1988) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Europa Island (French possession) - Geography Total area: 28 km2; land area: 28 km2
Comparative area: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 22.2 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; heavily wooded
Environment: wildlife sanctuary
Note: located in the Mozambique Channel 340 km west of Madagascar
- People Population: uninhabited
- Government Long-form name: none
Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic Daniel CONSTANTIN, resident in Reunion
- Economy Overview: no economic activity
- Communications Airports: 1 with runway 1,220 to 2,439 m
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Telecommunications: 1 meteorological station
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of France ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (dependent territory of the UK) - Geography Total area: 12,170 km2; land area: 12,170 km2; includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 100 meter depth;
Exclusive fishing zone: 150 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Natural resources: fish and wildlife
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 99% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 1% other
Environment: poor soil fertility and a short growing season
Note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors
- People Population: 1,958 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Falkland Islander(s); adjective--Falkland Island
Ethnic divisions: almost totally British
Religion: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Free Church; Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
Language: English
Literacy: NA%, but compulsory education up to age 15
Labor force: 1,100 (est.); about 95% in agriculture, mostly sheepherding
Organized labor: Falkland Islands General Employees Union, 400 members
- Government Long-form name: Colony of the Falkland Islands
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Stanley
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 3 October 1985
Legal system: English common law
National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government--Governor William Hugh FULLERTON (since NA 1988)
Political parties: NA
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Legislative Council--last held 3 October 1985 (next to be held October 1990); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(10 total, 8 elected) number of seats by party NA
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on sheep farming, which directly or indirectly employs most of the work force. A few dairy herds are kept to meet domestic consumption of milk and milk products, and crops grown are primarily those for providing winter fodder. Major sources of income are from the export of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of stamps and coins. Rich stocks of fish in the surrounding waters are not presently exploited by the islanders, but development plans called for the islands to have six trawlers by 1989. In 1987 the government began to sell fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees amount to more than $25 million per year. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands Development Corporation has built three lodges for visitors who are attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing.
GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 0%
Budget: revenues $11 million; expenditures $11.8 million, including capital expenditures of $1.2 million (FY87)
Exports: at least $14.7 million; commodities--wool, hides and skins, and other; partners--UK, Netherlands, Japan (1987 est.)
Imports: at least $13.9 million; commodities--food, clothing, fuels, and machinery; partners--UK, Netherlands Antilles (Curacao), Japan (1987 est.)
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 9,200 kW capacity; 17 million kWh produced, 8,700 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: wool processing
Agriculture: predominantly sheep farming; small dairy herds and fodder crops
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $102 million
Currency: Falkland pound (plural--pounds); 1 Falkland pound (LF) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Falkland pound (LF) per US$1--0.6055 (January 1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); note--the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Highways: 510 km total; 30 km paved, 80 km gravel, and 400 km unimproved earth
Ports: Port Stanley
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m
Telecommunications: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radio networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands; 590 telephones; stations--2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station with links through London to other countries
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Faroe Islands (part of the Danish realm) - Geography Total area: 1,400 km2; land area: 1,400 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 764 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 4 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy
Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Natural resources: fish
Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 98% other
Environment: precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands; archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited islets
Note: strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic about midway between Iceland and Shetland Islands
- People Population: 47,715 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Faroese (sing., pl.); adjective--Faroese
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Scandinavian population
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran
Language: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 17,585; largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce
Organized labor: NA
- Government Long-form name: none
Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark
Capital: Torshavn
Administrative divisions: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark
Constitution: Danish
Legal system: Danish
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyri)
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Logting)
Judicial branch: none
Leaders: Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Jogvan SUNDSTEIN (since 17 January 1989)
Political parties and leaders: four-party ruling coalition--People's Party, Jogvan Sundstein; Republican Party, Signer Hansen; Progressive and Fishing Industry Party combined with the Christian People's Party (CPP-PFIP); Home Rule Party, Hilmar Kass; opposition--Social Democratic Party, Atli P. Dam; Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli Ellefsen; Progress Party
Suffrage: universal at age 20
Elections: Parliament--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(32 total) three-party coalition 21 (People's Party 8, Cooperation Coalition Party 7, Republican Party 6); Social Democrat 7, CPP-PFIP 2, Home Rule 2
Communists: insignificant number
Member of: Nordic Council
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
- Economy Overview: The Faroese enjoy the high standard of living characteristic of the Danish and other Scandinavian economies. Fishing is the dominant economic activity. It employs over 25% of the labor force, accounts for about 25% of GDP, and contributes over 80% to export revenues. A handicraft industry employs about 20% of the labor force. Because of cool summers agricultural activities are limited to raising sheep and to potato and vegetable cultivation. There is a labor shortage, and immigrant workers accounted for 5% of the work force in 1989. Denmark annually subsidizes the economy, perhaps on the order of 15% of GDP.
GDP: $662 million, per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0% (1988)
Unemployment rate: labor shortage
Budget: revenues $176 million; expenditures $176 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY86)
Exports: $267 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--fish and fish products 86%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment; partners--Denmark 18%, US 14%, FRG, France, UK, Canada
Imports: $363 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--machinery and transport equipment 38%, food and livestock 11%, fuels 10%, manufactures 10%, chemicals 5%; partners: Denmark 46%, FRG, Norway, Japan, UK
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 80,000 kW capacity; 280 million kWh produced, 5,910 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 27% of GDP and employs 27% of labor force; principal crops--potatoes and vegetables; livestock--sheep; annual fish catch about 360,000 metric tons
Aid: none
Currency: Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.560 (January 1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Highways: 200 km
Ports: Torshavn, Tvoroyri; 8 minor
Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,249 GRT/11,887 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 2 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo; note--a subset of the Danish register
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: good international communications; fair domestic facilities; 27,900 telephones; stations--1 AM, 3 (10 repeaters) FM, 3 (29 repeaters) TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Fiji - Geography Total area: 18,270 km2; land area: 18,270 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper; offshore oil potential
Land use: 8% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 65% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: subject to hurricanes from November to January; includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
Note: located 2,500 km north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean
- People Population: 759,567 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 70 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Fijian(s); adjective--Fijian
Ethnic divisions: 49% Indian, 46% Fijian, 5% European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and others
Religion: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu with a Muslim minority
Language: English (official); Fijian; Hindustani
Literacy: 80%
Labor force: 176,000; 60% subsistence agriculture, 40% wage earners (1979)
Organized labor: about 45,000 employees belong to some 46 trade unions, which are organized along lines of work and ethnic origin (1983)
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Fiji
Type: military coup leader Major General Sitiveni Rabuka formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
Capital: Suva
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK)
Constitution: 10 October 1970 (suspended 1 October 1987); note--a new constitution was proposed on 23 September 1988 and awaits final approval
Legal system: based on British system
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 October (1970)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: the bicameral Parliament, consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives, was dissolved following the coup of 14 May 1987; the proposed constitution of NA September 1988 provides for a bicameral Parliament
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State--President Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu GANILAU (since 5 December 1987);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese MARA (since 5 December 1987); note--Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara served as prime minister from 10 October 1970 until the 5-11 April 1987 election; after a second coup led by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka on 25 September 1987, Ratu Mara was reappointed as prime minister
Political parties and leaders: Alliance, primarily Fijian, Ratu Mara; National Federation, primarily Indian, Siddiq Koya; Western United Front, Fijian, Ratu Osea Gavidi; Fiji Labor Party, Adi Kuini Bavadra; coalition of the National Federation Party and the Fiji Labor Party, Adi Kuini Vuikaba Bavadra
Suffrage: none
Elections: none
Communists: some
Member of: ACP, ADB, Colombo Plan, EC (associate), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Counselor (Commercial), Vice Consul, Charge d'Affaires ad interim Abdul H. YUSUF; Chancery at Suite 240, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone (202) 337-8320; there is a Fijian Consulate in New York; US--Ambassador Leonard ROCHWARGER; Embassy at 31 Loftus Street, Suva (mailing address is P. O. Box 218, Suva); telephone [679] 314-466 or 314-069
Flag: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of St. George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
- Economy Overview: Fiji's economy is primarily agricultural, with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports are a major source of foreign exchange and sugar processing accounts for one-third of industrial output. Industry, including sugar milling, contributes 10% to GDP. Fiji traditionally earned considerable sums of hard currency from the 250,000 tourists who visited each year. In 1987, however, after two military coups, the economy went into decline. GDP dropped by 7.8% in 1987 and by another 2.5% in 1988; political uncertainly created a drop in tourism, and the worst drought of the century caused sugar production to fall sharply. In contrast, sugar and tourism turned in strong performances in 1989, and the economy rebounded vigorously.
GDP: $1.32 billion, per capita $1,750; real growth rate 12.5% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.8% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 11% (1988)
Budget: revenues $260 million; expenditures $233 million, including capital expenditures of $47 million (1988)
Exports: $312 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--sugar 49%, copra, processed fish, lumber; partners--UK 45%, Australia 21%, US 4.7%
Imports: $454 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--food 15%, petroleum products, machinery, consumer goods; partners--US 4.8%, NZ, Australia, Japan
External debt: $398 million (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate - 15% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 215,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 440 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: sugar, copra, tourism, gold, silver, fishing, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries
Agriculture: principal cash crop is sugarcane; coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes, and bananas; small livestock sector includes cattle, pigs, horses, and goats
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $677 million
Currency: Fijian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1--1.4950 (January 1990), 1.4833 (1989), 1.4303 (1988), 1.2439 (1987), 1.1329 (1986), 1.1536 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 644 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, belonging to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation
Highways: 3,300 km total (1984)--390 km paved; 1,200 km bituminous-surface treatment; 1,290 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized soil surface; 420 unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
Ports: Lambasa, Lautoka, Savusavu, Suva
Merchant marine: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 42,872 GRT/49,795 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 2 liquefied gas, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
Civil air: 1 DC-3 and 1 light aircraft
Airports: 26 total, 24 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio center; important COMPAC cable link between US-Canada and New Zealand-Australia; 53,228 telephones; stations--7 AM, 1 FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: integrated ground and naval forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 194,433; 107,317 fit for military service; 7,864 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (1988) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Finland - Geography Total area: 337,030 km2; land area: 305,470 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: 2,578 km total; Norway 729 km, Sweden 536 km, USSR 1,313 km
Coastline: 1,126 km excluding islands and coastal indentations
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 6 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
Territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Natural resources: timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Land use: 8% arable land; 0% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 76% forest and woodland; 16% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: permanently wet ground covers about 30% of land; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Note: long boundary with USSR; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent
- People Population: 4,977,325 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Finn(s); adjective--Finnish
Ethnic divisions: Finn, Swede, Lapp, Gypsy, Tatar
Religion: 97% Evangelical Lutheran, 1.2% Eastern Orthodox, 1.8% other
Language: 93.5% Finnish, 6.3% Swedish (both official); small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Literacy: almost 100%
Labor force: 2,556,000; 33.1% services, 22.9% mining and manufacturing, 13.8% commerce, 10.3% agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 7.2% construction, 7.1% transportation and communications (1989 est.)
Organized labor: 80% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Finland
Type: republic
Capital: Helsinki
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (laanit, singular--laani); Ahvenanmaa, Hame, Keski-Suomi, Kuopio, Kymi, Lappi, Mikkeli, Oulu, Pohjois-Karjala, Turku ja Pori, Uusimaa, Vaasa
Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)
Constitution: 17 July 1919
Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)