Part 14
_*_Economy _#_Overview: Beginning in late 1978 the Chinese leadership has been trying to move the economy from the sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more productive and flexible economy with market elements--but still within the framework of monolithic Communist control. To this end the authorities have switched to a system of household responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprise in services and light manufacturing, and opened the foreign economic sector to increased trade and joint ventures. The most gratifying result has been a strong spurt in production, particularly in agriculture in the early 1980s. Otherwise, the leadership has often experienced in its hybrid system the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy, lassitude, corruption) and of capitalism (windfall gains and stepped-up inflation). Beijing thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals and thereby undermining the credibility of the reform process. Popular resistance and changes in central policy have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to the nation's long-term economic viability.
_#_GNP: $413 billion (1989 est.), per capita $370 (World Bank est.); real growth rate 5% (1990)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 2.6% in urban areas (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
_#_Exports: $62.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities--textiles, garments, telecommunications and recording equipment, petroleum, minerals;
partners--Hong Kong, US, Japan, USSR, Singapore, FRG (1989)
_#_Imports: $53.4 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities--specialized industrial machinery, chemicals, manufactured goods, steel, textile yarn, fertilizer;
partners--Hong Kong, Japan, US, FRG, USSR (1989)
_#_External debt: $51 billion (1990 est.)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 7.6% (1990); accounts for 45% of GNP
_#_Electricity: 117,580,000 kW capacity; 585,000 million kWh produced, 520 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: iron, steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, consumer durables, food processing
_#_Agriculture: accounts for 26% of GNP; among the world's largest producers of rice, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, and pork; commercial crops include cotton, other fibers, and oilseeds; produces variety of livestock products; basically self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 8 million metric tons in 1986
_#_Economic aid: donor--to less developed countries (1970-89) $7.0 billion; US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $220.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $13.5 billion
_#_Currency: yuan (plural--yuan); 1 yuan (3) = 10 jiao
_#_Exchange rates: yuan (3) per US$1--5.31 (April 1991), 4.7832 (1990), 3.7651 (1989), 3.7221 (1988), 3.7221 (1987), 3.4528 (1986), 2.9367 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*_Communications _#_Railroads: total about 54,000 km common carrier lines; 53,400 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; 600 km 1.000-meter gauge; all single track except 11,200 km double track on standard-gauge lines; 6,500 km electrified; 10,000 km industrial lines (gauges range from 0.762 to 1.067 meters)
_#_Highways: about 980,000 km all types roads; 162,000 km paved roads, 617,200 km gravel/improved earth roads, 200,800 km unimproved natural earth roads and tracks
_#_Inland waterways: 138,600 km; about 109,800 km navigable
_#_Pipelines: crude, 6,500 km; refined products, 1,100 km; natural gas, 6,200 km
_#_Ports: Dalian, Guangzhou, Huangpu, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Xingang, Zhanjiang, Ningbo, Xiamen, Tanggu, Shantou
_#_Merchant marine: 1,421 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,010,317 GRT/21,223,170 DWT; includes 24 passenger, 42 short-sea passenger, 19 passenger-cargo, 7 cargo/training, 776 cargo, 11 refrigerated cargo, 70 container, 17 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 multifunction barge carrier, 181 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 chemical tanker, 250 bulk, 2 liquefied gas, 2 vehicle carrier, 9 combination bulk; note--China beneficially owns an additional 183 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 5,921,000 DWT that operate under Maltese and Liberian registry
_#_Airports: 330 total, 330 usable; 260 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 10 with runways over 3,500 m; 90 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 200 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: domestic and international services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed internal system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and most townships; 11,000,000 telephones (December 1989); stations--274 AM, unknown FM, 202 (2,050 relays) TV; more than 215 million radio receivers; 75 million TVs; satellite earth stations--4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 INMARSAT, and 55 domestic
_*_Defense Forces _#_Branches: Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA), CPLA Navy (including Marines), CPLA Air Force, Chinese People's Armed Police
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 335,382,062; 187,046,680 fit for military service; 10,967,622 reach military age (18) annually
_#_Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GNP _%_ _@_Christmas Island (territory of Australia) _*_Geography _#_Total area: 135 km2; land area: 135 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 0.8 times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 138.9 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
_#_Climate: tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
_#_Terrain: steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
_#_Natural resources: phosphate
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: almost completely surrounded by a reef
_#_Note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
_*_People _#_Population: 2,278 (July 1991), growth rate NA% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Christmas Islander(s), adjective--Christmas Island
_#_Ethnic divisions: Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%; no indigenous population
_#_Religion: Buddhist 36.1%, Muslim 25.4%, Christian 17.7% (Roman Catholic 8.2%, Church of England 3.2%, Presbyterian 0.9%, Uniting Church 0.4%, Methodist 0.2%, Baptist 0.1%, and other 4.7%), none 12.7%, unknown 4.6%, other 3.5% (1981)
_#_Language: English
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: NA; all workers are employees of the Phosphate Mining Company of Christmas Island, Ltd.
_#_Organized labor: NA
_*_Government _#_Long-form name: Territory of Christmas Island
_#_Type: territory of Australia
_#_Capital: The Settlement
_#_Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Independence: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958
_#_Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia
_#_National holiday: NA
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, Advisory Council (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: none
_#_Judicial branch: none
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government--Administrator A. D. TAYLOR (since NA)
_#_Communists: none
_#_Member of: none
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Flag: the flag of Australia is used
_*_Economy _#_Overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine as no longer economically viable. Plans have been under way to reopen the mine and also to build a casino and hotel to develop tourism, with a possible opening date during the first half of 1992.
_#_GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
_#_Unemployment rate: 0%
_#_Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
_#_Exports: $NA;
commodities--phosphate;
partners--Australia, NZ
_#_Imports: $NA;
commodities--NA;
partners--NA
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 11,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 13,170 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: phosphate extraction (near depletion)
_#_Agriculture: NA
_#_Economic aid: none
_#_Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
_*_Communications _#_Ports: Flying Fish Cove
_#_Airports: 1 usable with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: 4,000 radios (1982)
_*_Defense Forces _#_Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia _%_ _@_Clipperton Island (French possession) _*_Geography _#_Total area: 7 km2
_#_Comparative area: about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 11.1 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: claimed by Mexico
_#_Climate: tropical
_#_Terrain: coral atoll
_#_Natural resources: none
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other (coral) 100%
_#_Environment: reef about 8 km in circumference
_#_Note: located 1,120 km southwest of Mexico in the North Pacific Ocean; also called Ile de la Passion
_*_People _#_Population: uninhabited
_*_Government _#_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: French possession administered from French Polynesia by High Commissioner of the Republic Jean MONTPEZAT; note--may have become a dependency of French Polynesia
_*_Economy _#_Overview: only economic activity is a tuna fishing station
_*_Communications _#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
_*_Defense Forces _#_Note: defense is the responsibility of France _%_ _@_Cocos (Keeling) Islands (territory of Australia) _*_Geography _#_Total area: 14 km2; land area: 14 km2; main islands are West Island and Home Island
_#_Comparative area: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 42.6 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
_#_Climate: pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
_#_Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls
_#_Natural resources: fish
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
_#_Note: located 1,070 km southwest of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the Indian Ocean about halfway between Australia and Sri Lanka
_*_People _#_Population: 684 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Cocos Islander(s); adjective--Cocos Islander(s)
_#_Ethnic divisions: mostly Europeans on West Island and Cocos Malays on Home Island
_#_Religion: almost all Sunni Muslims
_#_Language: English
_#_Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
_#_Labor force: NA
_#_Organized labor: none
_*_Government _#_Long-form name: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
_#_Type: territory of Australia
_#_Capital: West Island
_#_Administrative divisions: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Independence: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
_#_Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
_#_National holiday: NA
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general of Australia, administrator, chairman of the Islands Council
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Islands Council
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government--Administrator D. LAWRIE (since NA 1989); Chairman of the Islands Council Parson Bin YAPAT (since NA)
_#_Suffrage: NA
_#_Elections: NA
_#_Member of: none
_#_Diplomatic representation: none (territory of Australia)
_#_Flag: the flag of Australia is used
_*_Economy _#_Overview: Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.
_#_GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
_#_Unemployment: NA
_#_Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
_#_Exports: $NA;
commodities--copra;
partners--Australia
_#_Imports: $NA;
commodities--foodstuffs;
partners--Australia
_#_External debt: $NA
_#_Industrial production: growth rate NA%
_#_Electricity: 1,000 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, 2,980 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: copra products
_#_Agriculture: gardens provide vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
_#_Economic aid: none
_#_Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
_#_Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
_*_Communications _#_Ports: none; lagoon anchorage only
_#_Airports: 1 airfield with permanent-surface runway, 1,220-2,439 m; airport on West Island is a link in service between Australia and South Africa
_#_Telecommunications: 250 radios (1985); linked by telephone, telex, and facsimile communications via satellite with Australia; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV
_*_Defense Forces _#_Note: defense is the responsibility of Australia _%_ _@_Colombia _*_Geography _#_Total area: 1,138,910 km2; land area: 1,038,700 km2; includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and Serranilla Bank
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
_#_Land boundaries: 7,408 km total; Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900, Venezuela 2,050 km
_#_Coastline: 3,208 km total (1,448 km North Pacific Ocean; 1,760 Caribbean Sea)
_#_Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: not specified;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela; territorial dispute with Nicaragua over Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank
_#_Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
_#_Terrain: mixture of flat coastal lowlands, plains in east, central highlands, some high mountains
_#_Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
_#_Land use: arable land 4%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 29%; forest and woodland 49%; other 16%; includes irrigated NEGL%
_#_Environment: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; deforestation; soil damage from overuse of pesticides; periodic droughts
_#_Note: only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
_*_People _#_Population: 33,777,550 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 37 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 74 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Colombian(s); adjective--Colombian
_#_Ethnic divisions: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Indian 3%, Indian 1%
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 95%
_#_Language: Spanish
_#_Literacy: 87% (male 88%, female 86%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
_#_Labor force: 11,000,000 (1986); services 53%, agriculture 26%, industry 21% (1981)
_#_Organized labor: 1,400,000 members (1987), about 12% of labor force; the Communist-backed Unitary Workers Central or CUT is the largest labor organization, with about 725,000 members (including all affiliate unions)
_*_Government _#_Long-form name: Republic of Colombia
_#_Type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure
_#_Capital: Bogota
_#_Administrative divisions: 23 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento), 5 commissariats* (comisarias, singular--comisaria), and 4 intendancies** (intendencias, singular--intendencia); Amazonas*, Antioquia, Arauca**, Atlantico, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare**, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia*, Guaviare*, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo**, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia**, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes*, Vichada*; note--there may be a new special district (distrito especial) named Bogota; the Constitution of 5 July 1991 states that the commissariats and intendancies are to become full departments and a capital district (distrito capital) of Santa Fe de Bogota is to be established by 1997
_#_Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
_#_Constitution: 5 July 1991
_#_Legal system: based on Spanish law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810)
_#_Executive branch: president, presidential designate, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Congreso) consists of a nationally elected upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a regionally elected lower chamber or Chamber of Representatives (Camara de Representantes)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (since 7 August 1990)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PL), Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo, president, and Alfonso LOPEZ Michelsen, party head; Social Conservative Party (PCS), Misael PASTRANA Borrero; National Salvation Movement (MSN), Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado; Democratic Alliance (AD) is headed by 19th of April Movement (M-19) leader Antonio NAVARRO Wolf, coalition of small leftist parties and dissident liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP), is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombian Communist Party (PCC), Carlos ROMERO
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President--last held 27 May 1990 (next to be held May 1994); results--Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo (Liberal) 47%, Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado (National Salvation Movement) 24%, Antonio NAVARRO Wolff (M-19) 13%, Rodrigo LLOREDA (Conservative) 12%;
Senate--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(114 total) Liberal 72, Conservative 40, UP 1, vacant 1;
Chamber of Representatives last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held 27 October 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(199 total) Liberal 122, Conservative 68, UP 3, M-19 1, other 5; note--on 5 July 1991 the new Constitution dissolved Congress and replaced it with a multiparty 36-member legislative commission until a new congress, to be elected on 27 October 1991, takes office on 1 December 1991
_#_Communists: 18,000 members (est.), including Communist Party Youth Organization (JUCO)
_#_Other political or pressure groups: three insurgent groups are
## active in Colombia--Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
led by Manuel MARULANDA and Alfonso CANO; National Liberation Army (ELN), led by Manuel PEREZ; and dissidents of the recently demobilized People's Liberation Army (EPL) led by Francisco CARABALLO
_#_Member of: AG, CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jaime GARCIA Parra; Chancery at 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-8338; there are Colombian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tampa;
US--Ambassador-designate Morris D. BUSBY; Embassy at Calle 38, No.8-61, Bogota (mailing address is P. O. Box A. A. 3831, Bogota or APO Miami 34038); telephone [57] (1) 285-1300 or 1688; there is a US Consulate in Barranquilla
_#_Flag: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
_*_Economy _#_Overview: Economic development has slowed gradually since 1986, but growth rates remain high by Latin American standards. Conservative economic policies have kept inflation and unemployment near 30% and 10%, respectively. The rapid development of oil, coal, and other nontraditional industries over the past four years has helped to offset the decline in coffee prices--Colombia's major export. The collapse of the International Coffee Agreement in the summer of 1989, a troublesome rural insurgency, and drug-related violence dampen prospects for future growth.
_#_GDP: $43.0 billion, per capita $1,300; real growth rate 3.7% (1990 est.)
_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32.4% (1990)
_#_Unemployment rate: 10.4% (urban areas 1990) (1990)
_#_Budget: revenues $4.39 billion; current expenditures $3.93 billion, capital expenditures $1.03 billion (1989 est.)
_#_Exports: $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1990);
commodities--coffee 24%, petroleum, coal, bananas, fresh cut flowers;
partners--US 36%, EC 21%, Japan 5%, Netherlands 4%, Sweden 3%
_#_Imports: $5.0 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities--industrial equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, paper products;
partners--US 34%, EC 16%, Brazil 4%, Venezuela 3%, Japan 3%
_#_External debt: $16.7 billion (1990)
_#_Industrial production: growth rate 5.0% (1990 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP
_#_Electricity: 9,435,000 kW capacity; 36,071 million kWh produced, 1,090 kWh per capita (1990)
_#_Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, metal products, cement; mining--gold, coal, emeralds, iron, nickel, silver, salt
_#_Agriculture: growth rate 4.9% (1990); accounts for 22% of GDP; crops make up two-thirds and livestock one-third of agricultural output; climate and soils permit a wide variety of crops, such as coffee, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseeds, vegetables; forest products and shrimp farming are becoming more important
_#_Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis and coca; key supplier of marijuana and cocaine to the US and other international drug markets; drug production and trafficking accounts for an estimated 4% of GDP and 28% of foreign exchange earnings
_#_Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $399 million
_#_Currency: Colombian peso (plural--pesos); 1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos
_#_Exchange rates: Colombian pesos (Col$) per US$1--574.09 (January 1991), 502.24 (1990), 382.57 (1989), 299.17 (1988), 242.61 (1987), 194.26 (1986), 142.31 (1985)
_#_Fiscal year: calendar year
_*_Communications _#_Railroads: 3,386 km; 3,236 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track (2,611 km in use), 150 km 1.435-meter gauge
_#_Highways: 75,450 km total; 9,350 km paved, 66,100 km earth and gravel surfaces
_#_Inland waterways: 14,300 km, navigable by river boats
_#_Pipelines: crude oil, 3,585 km; refined products, 1,350 km; natural gas, 830 km; natural gas liquids, 125 km
_#_Ports: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Covenas, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco
_#_Merchant marine: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 330,316 GRT/484,351 DWT; includes 23 cargo, 1 chemical tanker, 3 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8 bulk; note--2 naval tankers are sometimes used commercially
_#_Civil air: 106 major transport aircraft
_#_Airports: 1,165 total, 1,045 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 8 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 192 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Telecommunications: nationwide radio relay system; 1,890,000 telephones; stations--413 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 28 shortwave 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations with 2 antennas and 11 domestic satellite stations
_*_Defense Forces _#_Branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia), National Police (Policia Nacional)
_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 8,998,759; 6,102,745 fit for military service; 353,122 reach military age (18) annually
_#_Defense expenditures: $892 million, 2.2% of GDP (1990) _%_ _@_Comoros _*_Geography _#_Total area: 2,170 km2; land area: 2,170 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 340 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte
_#_Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
_#_Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
_#_Natural resources: negligible
_#_Land use: arable land 35%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 16%; other 34%
_#_Environment: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; cyclones possible during rainy season
_#_Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
_*_People _#_Population: 476,678 (July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 87 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 59 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Comoran(s); adjective--Comoran
_#_Ethnic divisions: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
_#_Religion: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
_#_Language: Shaafi Islam (a Swahili dialect), Malagasy, French
_#_Literacy: 48% (male 56%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
_#_Labor force: 140,000 (1982); agriculture 80%, government 3%; 51% of population of working age (1985)
_#_Organized labor: NA
_*_Government _#_Long-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
_#_Type: independent republic
_#_Capital: Moroni
_#_Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli; note--there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu
_#_Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
_#_Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985
_#_Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
_#_Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)
_#_Political parties: Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said Mohamed DJOHAR, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC), Mohamed TAKI
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
President--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results--Said Mohamed DJOHAR (Udzima) 55%; Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%;
Federal Assembly--last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(42 total) Udzima 42
_#_Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010;
US--Ambassador Kenneth N. PELTIER; Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni); telephone 73-22-03, 73-29-22