Part 110
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 2,507,219; female 2,471,357) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,020,632; female 3,106,729) 65 years and over : 3% (male 154,231; female 163,007) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.26% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 31.65 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 19.02 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 72.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.84 years male: 40.85 years female : 40.83 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)
@Zimbabwe:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia
Data code: ZI
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Harare
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria), Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: 21 December 1979
Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for a six-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Assembly elects the president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats, 120 of which are directly elected by popular vote for six-year terms; of the other 30 seats, 12 are nominated by the president, 10 are occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 by provincial governors) elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-Ndonga 2, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African National Union-NDONGA or ZANU-NDONGA [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]; Democratic Party or DP [Emmanuel MAGOCHE]; Forum Party of Zimbabwe [Enock DUMBUTSHENA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX : [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone : [263] (4) 794521 FAX: [263] (4) 796488
Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
Economy
Economy - overview: Agriculture employs 70% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports. Severe drought caused GDP to drop 8% in 1992, with growth rebounding to 2% in 1993 and 4.5% in 1994, only to drop by 2.4% in 1995. The government is continuing to push its IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program aimed at encouraging exports and foreign investment. Officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,340 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.3% industry: 35.3% services: 46.4% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 21.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.228 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 70%, transport and services 22%, industry 8%
Unemployment rate: at least 45% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures : $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $29 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: mining (coal, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), copper, steel, nickel, tin, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 2.15 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 7.33 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 747 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs
Exports: total value: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: agricultural 47% (tobacco 31%), manufactures 27%, gold 12%, textiles 8%, ferrochrome 6% (1994 est.) partners: South Africa 14%, UK 10%, Germany 8%, Japan 8%, (1995 est.)
Imports: total value: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 41%, other manufactures 16%, chemicals 16%, fuels 10% (1994 est.) partners: South Africa 41%, UK 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $4.4 billion (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $362 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 - 10.8696 (January 1997), 9.9206 (1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994), 6.4725 (1993), 5.0942 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Zimbabwe:Communications
Telephones: 301,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 18, shortwave 0
Radios: 890,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1986 est.)
Televisions: 280,000 (1992 est.)
@Zimbabwe:Transportation
Railways: total : 2,759 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 91,099 km paved: 15,486 km unpaved : 75,613 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique
Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km
Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba
Airports: 402 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 203 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 184 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 199 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 198 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,717,032 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,687,536 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $236 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement
Illicit drugs: significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets ______________________________________________________________________
TAIWAN
@Taiwan:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 35,980 sq km land : 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point : South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use: arable land : 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 55% other : 15%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; air pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
@Taiwan:People
Population: 21,699,776 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 23% (male 2,576,022; female 2,399,926) 15-64 years: 69% (male 7,630,512; female 7,363,155) 65 years and over: 8% (male 937,206; female 792,955) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.95% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.97 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.04 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.52 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86% male: 93% female: 79% (1980 est.)
@Taiwan:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code: TW
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president
National capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing revision
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President LI Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996); note - LIEN Chan serves as both vice president and premier head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February 1993) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993); note - LIEN Chan serves as both vice president and premier cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results : LI Teng-hui elected president; percent of vote - LI Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (164 seats - 128 elected by popular vote, 36 indirectly elected on the basis of proportional representation; members serve three-year terms; note - national conference agreed to change the term to four years, pending ratification by the National Assembly) and unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : Legislative Yuan - last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1998); National Assembly - last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 46%, DPP 33%, CNP 13%, independents 8%; seats by party - KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4; note - since the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows - KMT 83, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 6; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party - KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), HSU Hsin-Liang, chairman; Chinese New Party (CNP), CHEN Kuei-Miao; Labor Party (LP), leader NA; Taiwan Independence Party (TAIP), leader NA
Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, various environmental groups note : debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, including within the DPP, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually reunify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550, FAX [886] 757-7162
Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Economy
Economy - overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable guidance of investment and foreign trade by government officials and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low. Agriculture contributes less than 4% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $315 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,700 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 3.3% industry: 35.7% services: 61% (1996)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.1% (1996)
Labor force: total: 9.31 million by occupation: services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $57.6 billion expenditures: $79.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 21.87 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 117.16 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,270 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish catch increasing, reached 1.4 million metric tons in 1988
Exports: total value: $116 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 46.3%, textile products 13.5%, basic metals and articles 8.8%, chemicals 6.7% (1996 est.) partners : US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EU countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1994 est.)
Imports: total value: $102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 35.5%, chemicals 10.9%, basic metals and articles 10.3%, minerals 9.2% (1996 est.) partners: Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EU countries 17.6% (1993 est.)
Debt - external: $600 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Taiwan:Communications
Telephones: 9,391,304 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and west coasts international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0
Radios: 8.62 million
Television broadcast stations: 15 (repeaters 13)
Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)
@Taiwan:Transportation
Railways: total : 4,600 km (498 km electrified); note - 1,108 km belongs to the Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated to industrial use narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m
Highways: total : 19,584 km paved: 17,124 km (including 387 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,460 km
Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Merchant marine: total: 200 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,872,739 GRT/8,965,523 DWT ships by type : bulk 50, cargo 29, combination bulk 3, combination ore/oil 1, container 85, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)
Airports: 38 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m : 6 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,394,422 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 4,927,346 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 207,332 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $11.5 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.6% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan
Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin