Part 57
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Ratha Satha) consists of an upper house or Senate (Woothi Satha) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Satha Poothan)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarn Dika)
Leaders: Chief of State--King BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ (since 9 June 1946); Heir Apparent Crown Prince VAJIRALONGKORN (born 28 July 1952);
Head of Government Prime Minister Maj. Gen. CHATCHAI CHUNHAWAN (since 9 August 1988); Deputy Prime Minister CHUAN LIKPHAI
Political parties and leaders: Democrat Party (DP), Social Action Party (SAP), Thai Nation Party (TNP), People's Party (Ratsadon), People's Party (Prachachon), Thai Citizens Party (TCP), United Democracy Party, Solidarity Party, Thai People's Party, Mass Party, Force of Truth Party (Phalang Dharma)
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: House of Representatives--last held 24 July 1988 (next to be held within 90 days of July 1992); results--TNP 27%, SAP 15%, DP 13%, TCP 9%, others 36%; seats--(357 total) TNP 96, Solidarity 62, SAP 54, DP 48, TCP 31, People's Party (Ratsadon) 21, People's Party (Prachachon) 17, Force of Truth Party (Phalang Dharma) 14, United Democracy Party 5, Mass Party 5, others 4
Communists: illegal Communist party has 500 to 1,000 members (est.); armed Communist insurgents throughout Thailand total 300 to 500 (est.)
Member of: ADB, ANRPC, ASEAN, ASPAC, Association of Tin Producing Countries, CCC, Colombo Plan, GATT, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INRO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador VITTHYA VEJJAJIVA; Embassy at 2300 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-7200; there are Thai Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York; US--Ambassador Daniel O'DONAHUE; Embassy at 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96346); telephone [66] (2) 252-5040; there is a US Consulate General in Chiang Mai and Consulates in Songkhla and Udorn
Flag: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red
- Economy Overview: Thailand, one of the more advanced developing countries in Asia, enjoyed its second straight exceptionally prosperous year in 1989. Real output again rose about 11%. The increasingly sophisticated manufacturing sector benefited from export-oriented investment, and agriculture grew by 4.0% because of improved weather. The trade deficit of $5.2 billion was more than offset by earnings from tourism ($3.9 billion), remittances, and net capital inflows. The government has followed a fairly sound fiscal and monetary policy, aided by increased tax receipts from the fast-moving economy. In 1989 the government approved new projects--roads, ports, electric power, communications--needed to refurbish the now overtaxed infrastructure. Although growth in 1990-91 must necessarily fall below the 1988-89 pace, Thailand's immediate economic outlook is good, assuming the continuation of prudent government policies in the context of a private-sector-oriented development strategy.
GNP: $64.5 billion, per capita $1,160; real growth rate 10.8% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 6% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $12.1 billion; expenditures $9.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY89)
Exports: $19.9 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--textiles 12%, fishery products 12%, rice 8%, tapioca 8%, jewelry 6%, manufactured gas, corn, tin; partners--US 18%, Japan 14%, Singapore 9%, Netherlands, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China (1988)
Imports: $25.1 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--machinery and parts 23%, petroleum products 13%, chemicals 11%, iron and steel, electrical appliances; partners--Japan 26%, US 14%, Singapore 7%, FRG, Malaysia, UK (1987)
External debt: $18.5 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 12.5% (1989)
Electricity: 7,100,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced, 500 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism is the largest source of foreign exchange; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, other light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
Agriculture: accounts for 16% of GNP and 73% of labor force; leading producer and exporter of rice and cassava (tapioca); other crops--rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans; except for wheat, self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 2.2 million tons (1987)
Illicit drugs: a minor producer, major illicit trafficker of heroin,
## particularly from Burma and Laos, and cannabis for the international drug
market; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been affected by eradication efforts, but unusually good weather boosted output in 1989
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $828 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $7.0 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million
Currency: baht (plural--baht); 1 baht (B) = 100 satang
Exchange rates: baht (B) per US$1--25.726 (January 1990), 25.699 (1989), 25.294 (1988), 25.723 (1987), 26.299 (1986), 27.159 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
- Communications Railroads: 3,940 km 1.000-meter gauge, 99 km double track
Highways: 44,534 km total; 28,016 km paved, 5,132 km earth surface, 11,386 km under development
Inland waterways: 3,999 km principal waterways; 3,701 km with navigable depths of 0.9 m or more throughout the year; numerous minor waterways navigable by shallow-draft native craft
Pipelines: natural gas, 350 km; refined products, 67 km
Ports: Bangkok, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha
Merchant marine: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 483,688 GRT/730,750 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 70 cargo, 8 container, 27 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 liquefied gas, 1 chemical tanker, 3 bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 1 combination bulk
Civil air: 41 (plus 2 leased) major transport aircraft
Airports: 127 total, 103 usable; 56 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 26 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: service to general public adequate; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network; 739,500 telephones (1987); stations--over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks; satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; domestic satellite system being developed
- Defense Forces Branches: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force; paramilitary forces include Border Patrol Police, Thahan Phran (irregular soldiers), Village Defense Forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 15,617,486; 9,543,119 fit for military service; 610,410 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.9% of GNP, or $1.9 billion (1989 est.) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Togo - Geography Total area: 56,790 km2; land area: 54,390 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 1,647 km total; Benin 644 km, Burkina 126 km, Ghana 877 km
Coastline: 56 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 30 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Natural resources: phosphates, limestone, marble
Land use: 25% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 28% forest and woodland; 42% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; recent droughts affecting agriculture; deforestation
- People Population: 3,674,355 (July 1990), growth rate 3.7% (1990)
Birth rate: 50 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 112 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 53 years male, 57 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.2 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Togolese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Togolese
Ethnic divisions: 37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabye; under 1% European and Syrian-Lebanese
Religion: about 70% indigenous beliefs, 20% Christian, 10% Muslim
Language: French, both official and language of commerce; major African languages are Ewe and Mina in the south and Dagomba and Kabye in the north
Literacy: 40.7%
Labor force: NA; 78% agriculture, 22% industry; about 88,600 wage earners, evenly divided between public and private sectors; 50% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: one national union, the National Federation of Togolese Workers
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Togo
Type: republic; one-party presidential regime
Capital: Lome
Administrative divisions: 21 circumscriptions (circonscriptions, singular--circonscription); Amlame (Amou), Aneho (Lacs), Atakpame (Ogou), Badou (Wawa), Bafilo (Assoli), Bassar (Bassari), Dapaong (Tone), Kante (Keran), Klouto (Kloto), Kpagouda (Binah), Lama-Kara (Kozah), Lome (Golfe), Mango (Oti), Niamtougou (Doufelgou), Notse (Haho), Sotouboua, Tabligbo (Yoto), Tchamba, Tchaoudjo, Tsevie (Zio), Vogan (Vo); note--the 21 units may now be called prefectures (prefectures, singular--prefecture) and reported name changes for individual units are included in parenthesis
Independence: 27 April 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration, formerly French Togo)
Constitution: 30 December 1979, effective 13 January 1980
Legal system: French-based court system
National holiday: Liberation Day (anniversary of coup), 13 January (1967)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel), Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967)
Political parties and leaders: only party--Rally of the Togolese People (RPT), President Eyadema
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: President--last held 21 December 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results--Gen. Eyadema was reelected without opposition;
National Assembly--last held 4 March 1990 (next to be held March 1995); results--RPT is the only party; seats--(77 total) RPT 77
Communists: no Communist party
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEAO (observer), EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, ENTENTE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ellom-Kodjo SCHUPPIUS; Chancery at 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-4212 or 4213; US--Ambassador Rush W. TAYLOR, Jr.; Embassy at Rue Pelletier Caventou and Rue Vauban, Lome (mailing address is B. P. 852, Lome); telephone [228] 21-29-91 through 94 and 21-36-09
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
- Economy Overview: Togo is one of the least developed countries in the world with a per capita GDP of about $400. The economy is heavily dependent on subsistence agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and provides employment for 80% of the labor force. Primary agricultural exports are cocoa, coffee, and cotton, which together account for about 30% of total export earnings. Togo is self-sufficient in basic foodstuffs when harvests are normal. In the industrial sector phosphate mining is by far the most important activity, with phosphate exports accounting for about 40% of total foreign exchange earnings.
GDP: $1.35 billion, per capita $405; real growth rate 4.1% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.0% (1987)
Budget: revenues $354 million; expenditures $399 million, including capital expenditures of $102 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $344 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--phosphates, cocoa, coffee, cotton, manufactures, palm kernels; partners--EC 70%, Africa 9%, US 2%, other 19% (1985)
Imports: $369 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--food, fuels, durable consumer goods, other intermediate goods, capital goods; partners--EC 69%, Africa 10%, Japan 7%, US 4%, other 10% (1985)
External debt: $1.3 billion (December 1988)
Industrial production: growth rate 4.9% (1987 est.)
Electricity: 117,000 kW capacity; 155 million kWh produced, 45 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
Agriculture: cash crops--coffee, cocoa, cotton; food crops--yams, cassava, corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum, fish
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $121 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $46 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 515 km 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 6,462 km total; 1,762 km paved; 4,700 km unimproved roads
Inland waterways: none
Ports: Lome, Kpeme (phosphate port)
Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,809 GRT/72,289 DWT; includes 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 multifunction large-load carrier
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 9 total, 9 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system based on network of open-wire lines supplemented by radio relay routes; 12,000 telephones; stations--2 AM, no FM, 3 (2 relays) TV; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 SYMPHONIE
- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie
Military manpower: males 15-49, 767,949; 403,546 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (1987) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Tokelau (territory of New Zealand) - Geography Total area: 10 km2; land area: 10 km2
Comparative area: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 101 km
Maritime claims:
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain: coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Natural resources: negligible
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Note: located 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
- People Population: 1,700 (July 1990), growth rate 0.0% (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--Tokelauan(s); adjective--Tokelauan
Ethnic divisions: all Polynesian, with cultural ties to Western Samoa
Religion: 70% Congregational Christian Church, 30% Roman Catholic; on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant
Language: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language) and English
Literacy: NA%, but probably high
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: NA
- Government Long-form name: none
Type: territory of New Zealand
Capital: none, each atoll has its own administrative center
Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand)
Independence: none (territory of New Zealand)
Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970
Legal system: British and local statutes
National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Executive branch: administrator (appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand), official secretary
Legislative branch: Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll
Judicial branch: High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand
Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government--Administrator Neil WALTER; Official Secretary M. NORRISH, Office of Tokelau Affairs
Suffrage: NA
Elections: NA
Communists: probably none
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of New Zealand)
Flag: the flag of New Zealand is used
- Economy Overview: Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand to maintain public services, annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.
GDP: $1.4 million, per capita $800; real growth rate NA% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $430,830; expenditures $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (FY87)
Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983); commodities--stamps, copra, handicrafts; partners--NZ
Imports: $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983); commodities--foodstuffs, building materials, fuel; partners--NZ
External debt: none
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 200 kW capacity; 0.30 million kWh produced, 175 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing
Agriculture: coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops--breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $21 million
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
- Communications Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa
Telecommunications: telephone service between islands and to Western Samoa
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Tonga - Geography Total area: 748 km2; land area: 718 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 419 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: no specific limits;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use: 25% arable land; 55% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; 12% forest and woodland; 2% other
Environment: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited); subject to cyclones (October to April); deforestation
Note: located about 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand
- People Population: 101,313 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 11 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 70 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Tongan(s); adjective--Tongan
Ethnic divisions: Polynesian; about 300 Europeans
Religion: Christian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents
Language: Tongan, English
Literacy: 90-95%; compulsory education for children ages 6 to 14
Labor force: NA; 70% agriculture; 600 engaged in mining
Organized labor: none
- Government Long-form name: Kingdom of Tonga
Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Nukualofa
Administrative divisions: three island groups; Haapai, Tongatapu, Vavau
Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK; formerly Friendly Islands)
Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Legal system: based on English law
National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet), Privy Council
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State--King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Prince Fatafehi TU'IPELEHAKE (since 16 December 1965)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21
Elections: Legislative Assembly--last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held NA February 1993); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist
Communists: none known
Member of: ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, FAO, ESCAP, GATT (de facto), IFAD, ITU, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Siosaia a'Ulupekotofa TUITA resides in London; US--the US has no offices in Tonga; the Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga and makes periodic visits
Flag: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
- Economy Overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 50% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing sector accounts for only 10% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to sustain its trade deficit.
GDP: $86 million, per capita $850; real growth rate 3.6% (FY89 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.2% (FY87)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $54.8 million; expenditures $56.2 million, including capital expenditures of $16.9 million (FY88 est.)
Exports: $9.1 million (f.o.b., FY88 est.); commodities--coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra, bananas, taro, vanilla beans, fruits, vegetables, fish; partners--NZ 54%, Australia 30%, US 8%, Fiji 5% (FY87)
Imports: $60.1 million (c.i.f., FY88 est.); commodities--food products, beverages and tobacco, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, building materials; partners--NZ 39%, Australia 25%, Japan 9%, US 6%, EC 5% (FY87)
External debt: $31.8 million (1987)
Industrial production: growth rate 15% (FY86)
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 8 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, fishing
Agriculture: dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $220 million
Currency: pa'anga (plural--pa'anga); 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti
Exchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1--1.23 (FY89 est.), 1.37 (FY88), 1.51 (FY87), 1.43 (FY86), 1.30 (FY85)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications Highways: 198 km sealed road (Tongatapu); 74 km (Vavau); 94 km unsealed roads usable only in dry weather
Ports: Nukualofa, Neiafu, Pangai
Merchant marine: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 37,249 GRT/50,116 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 container, 1 liquefied gas
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 6 total, 6 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 3,529 telephones; 66,000 radio receivers; no TV sets; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Land Force, Maritime Force
Military manpower: NA
Defense expenditures: NA ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Trinidad and Tobago - Geography Total area: 5,130 km2; land area: 5,130 km2
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: maritime boundary with Venezuela in the Gulf of Paria
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, asphalt
Land use: 14% arable land; 17% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 44% forest and woodland; 23% other; includes 4% irrigated
Environment: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Note: located 11 km from Venezuela
- People Population: 1,344,639 (July 1990), growth rate 2.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 74 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s); adjective--Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic divisions: 43% black, 40% East Indian, 14% mixed, 1% white, 1% Chinese, 1% other
Religion: 36.2% Roman Catholic, 23.0% Hindu, 13.1% Protestant, 6.0% Muslim, 21.7% unknown
Language: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 463,900; 18.1% construction and utilities; 14.8% manufacturing, mining, and quarrying; 10.9% agriculture; 56.2% other (1985 est.)
Organized labor: 22% of labor force (1988)
- Government Long-form name: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria
Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
Constitution: 31 August 1976
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State--President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March 1987);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Arthur Napoleon Raymond ROBINSON (since 18 December 1986)
Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), A. N. R. Robinson; People's National Movement (PNM), Patrick Manning; United National Congress, Basdeo Panday; Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David Abdullah
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: House of Representatives--last held 15 December 1986 (next to be held by December 1991); results--NAR 66%, PNM 32%, others 2%; seats--(36 total) NAR 33, PNM 3
Communists: Communist Party of Trinidad and Tobago; Trinidad and Tobago Peace Council, James Millette