Part 39

Current issues: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Permanent status negotiations began on 5 May 1996. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes a Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israelis. Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations which began on 5 May 1996.

@Gaza Strip:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries : Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: Israeli occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 39% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 11% other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: desertification; salination of fresh water

Environment - international agreements: party to : none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1996 est.)

@Gaza Strip:People

Population: 987,869 (July 1997 est.) note: in addition, there are 5,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip (August 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 51% (male 261,014; female 248,236) 15-64 years: 46% (male 225,707; female 224,483) 65 years and over: 3% (male 12,281; female 16,148) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 6.59% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 49.85 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 20.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 72.46 years male: 71.12 years female : 73.87 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.68 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy: NA

@Gaza Strip:Government

Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Data code: GZ

Economy

Economy - overview: Economic progress in the Gaza Strip has been hampered by tight Israeli security restrictions. In 1991 roughly 40% of Gaza Strip workers were employed across the border by Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker remittances supplementing GDP by roughly 50%. Gaza has depended upon Israel for nearly 90% of its external trade. The Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks has dealt blows to Gaza since August 1990. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have dropped, unemployment and popular unrest have increased, and living standards have fallen. The withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip in May 1994 has added to the set of adjustment problems. This series of disruptions has meant a sharp decline in employment in Israel since 1991 and a drop in GDP as a whole. An estimated 378,000 persons were in refugee camps in 1996.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% to -2% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 33% industry: 25% services: 42% (1995 est., includes West Bank)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 11% (1995 est.)

Labor force: NA by occupation: construction 33.4%, agriculture 20.0%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 14.9%, industry 10.0%, other services 21.7% (1991) note: excluding Israeli settlers

Unemployment rate: 35% to 40% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $684 million expenditures : $779 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996) note: includes West Bank

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW note: electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - production: NA kWh note : electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: olives, citrus, other fruits, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports: total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) (includes West Bank) commodities: citrus partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports: total value : $1.55 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) (includes West Bank) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.41 (May 1997), 3.2882 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

@Gaza Strip:Communications

Telephones: NA note: 3.1% of Palestinian households have telephones

Telephone system: domestic : NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: NA; note - 95% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA; note - 59% of Palestinian households have televisions (1992 est.)

@Gaza Strip:Transportation

Railways: total: NA km; note - one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little trackage remains

Highways: total : NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Ports and harbors: Gaza

Airports: 1 (1996 est.) note: new international airport under construction and scheduled to open in June 1997

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: NA

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation ______________________________________________________________________

GEORGIA

Introduction

Current issues: Beset by ethnic and civil strife since independence in 1991, Georgia began to stabilize in 1994. Separatist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been dormant since spring 1994, although political settlements remain elusive. Russian peacekeepers are deployed in both regions and a UN Observer Mission is operating in Abkhazia. As a result of these conflicts, Georgia still has about 250,000 internally displaced people. In 1995, Georgia adopted a new constitution and conducted generally free and fair nationwide presidential and parliamentary elections. In 1996, the government focused its attention to implementing an ambitious economic reform program and professionalizing its parliament. Violence and organized crime were sharply curtailed in 1995 and 1996, but corruption remains rife.

@Georgia:Geography

Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia

Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total: 69,700 sq km land : 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km

Coastline: 310 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhida Lowland opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m

Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth

Land use: arable land : 9% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 34% other: 28% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification

@Georgia:People

Population: 5,160,042 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 581,370; female 558,390) 15-64 years : 66% (male 1,640,361; female 1,766,319) 65 years and over: 12% (male 231,698; female 381,904) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.09% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 11.82 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.96 years male: 61.59 years female : 68.49 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Religions: Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Languages: Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, other 7%

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.)

@Georgia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form : Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: GG

Government type: republic

National capital: T'bilisi

Administrative divisions: 53 rayons (raionebi, singular - raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika); Abashis, Abkhazia (Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika)** (Sokhumi), Adigenis, Ajaria (Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika)** (Bat'umi), Akhalgoris, Akhalk'alak'is, Akhalts'ikhis, Akhmetis, Ambrolauris, Aspindzis, Baghdat'is, Bolnisis, Borjomis, Chiat'ura*, Ch'khorotsqus, Ch'okhatauris, Dedop'listsqaros, Dmanisis, Dushet'is, Gardabanis, Gori*, Goris, Gurjaanis, Javis, K'arelis, Kaspis, Kharagaulis, Khashuris, Khobis, Khonis, K'ut'aisi*, Lagodekhis, Lanch'khut'is, Lentekhis, Marneulis, Martvilis, Mestiis, Mts'khet'is, Ninotsmindis, Onis, Ozurget'is, P'ot'i*, Qazbegis, Qvarlis, Rust'avi*, Sach'kheris, Sagarejos, Samtrediis, Senakis, Sighnaghis, T'bilisi*, T'elavis, T'erjolis, T'et'ritsqaros, T'ianet'is, Tqibuli*, Ts'ageris, Tsalenjikhis, Tsalkis, Tsqaltubo*, Vanis, Zestap'onis, Zugdidi*, Zugdidis note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1991)

Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state : President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council 10 March 1992, Council has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; elected president 5 November 1995); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE elected president; percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 74%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - CUG 24%, NDP 8%, All Georgia Revival Union 7%, all other parties received less than 5% each; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Citizens Union of Georgia or CUG [Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, Zurab ZHVANIA, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina SARISHVILI-CHANTARIA]; United Republican Party, umbrella organization for parties including the GPF and the Charter 1991 Party [Notar NATADZE, chairman]; Georgian Popular Front or GPF [Nodar NATADZE, chairman]; Charter 1991 Party [Tedo PAATASHVILI]; Georgian Social Democratic Party or GSDP [Guram MUCHAIDZE, secretary general]; All Georgia Union for Revival [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Irakli SHENGELAYA]; Democratic Georgia Union or DGU [Avtandil MARGIANI]; National Independence Party or NIP [Irakliy TSERETELI, chairman]; Georgian Monarchists' Party or GMP [Temur ZHORZHOLIANI]; Greens Party; Agrarian Party of Georgia or APG [Roin LIPARTELIANI]; United Communist Party of Georgia or UCP [Panteleimon GIORGADZE, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: supporters of ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDIA (deceased 1 January 1994) remain a source of opposition; separatist elements in the breakaway region of Abkhazia

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tedo JAPARIDZE chancery: (temporary) Suite 424, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 393-5959 FAX : [1] (202) 393-4537

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William H. COURTNEY embassy: #25 Antoneli Street, T'bilisi 380026 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : 995-32-989-967 or 995-32-933-803 (operator assisted) FAX: tie-line FAX 997-0200; 933-759 or 938-951

Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below

Economy

Economy - overview: Georgia's economy has traditionally revolved around Black Sea tourism; cultivation of citrus fruits, tea, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing wine, metals, machinery, chemicals, and textiles. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains in 1995-96, pushing GDP growth and slashing inflation. Georgia had been suffering from acute energy shortages, although energy deliveries improved in 1996. Georgia is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on the development of an international transportation corridor through the key Black Sea ports of P'ot'i and Bat'umi. The decision in 1996 to construct an early Caspian oil pipeline through Georgia underscores the viability of such a corridor and may spur greater western investment in the economy. A growing trade deficit and political uncertainties cloud the short-term economic picture.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate: 11% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,350 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 70.4% industry: 10.2% services: 19.4% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 13.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force: total: 2.2 million (1996) by occupation: industry and construction 31%, agriculture and forestry 25%, other 44% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 21% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment, electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors, process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 4.56 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 7.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,095 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; small livestock sector

Exports: total value: $356 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: citrus fruits, tea, wine, other agricultural products; diverse types of machinery; ferrous and nonferrous metals; textiles; chemicals; fuel re-exports partners : Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria (1996)

Imports: total value: $647 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment partners: Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan (1996); note - EU and US send humanitarian food shipments

Debt - external: $1.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $28 million (1993) note : commitments, 1992-95, $1,200 million ($675 million disbursements)

Currency: lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon

Exchange rates: lari per US$1 (end of period) - 1.28 (December 1996), 1.24 (December 1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Georgia:Communications

Telephones: 672,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: poor service; 339,000 unsatisfied applications for telephones (December 1990 est.) domestic: NA international: landline to CIS members and Turkey; satellite earth station - 1 Eutelsat; leased connections with other countries via the Moscow international gateway switch; international electronic mail and telex service available

Radio broadcast stations: 2 national broadcast stations, 3 regional broadcast stations

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 3

Televisions: NA

@Georgia:Transportation

Railways: total: 1,583 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 1,583 km 1.520-m gauge (1993)

Highways: total: 21,000 km paved: NA km unpaved : NA km note: Georgia reports 19,635 km of "hard surfaced" roads which combine the lengths of paved and graveled roads; 1,365 km of unsurfaced or dirt roads are reported separately (1995 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 370 km; refined products 300 km; natural gas 440 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine: total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 183,202 GRT/292,021 DWT ships by type : bulk 4, cargo 3, oil tanker 8 (1996 est.)

Airports: 28 (1994 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m : 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m : 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m : 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Transportation - note: transportation network is in poor condition and disrupted by ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks maintenance and repair

Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,288,694 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,020,609 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 40,799 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: 38.2 trillion coupons (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates to Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________

GERMANY

@Germany:Geography

Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 356,910 sq km land : 349,520 sq km water: 7,390 sq km note: includes the formerly separate Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, and Berlin, following formal unification on 3 October 1990

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 3,621 km border countries : Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline: 2,389 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity

Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Freepsum Lake -2 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,962 m

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel

Land use: arable land : 33% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 31% other : 20% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,750 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries and lead emissions from vehicle exhausts (the result of continued use of leaded fuels) contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; heavy pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

Geography - note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea

@Germany:People

Population: 82,071,765 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 6,652,245; female 6,315,479) 15-64 years: 68% (male 28,649,361; female 27,498,980) 65 years and over: 16% (male 4,772,547; female 8,183,153) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 8.98 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 10.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.81 years male: 73.64 years female: 80.16 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : German(s) adjective: German

Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, Italians 0.7%, Greeks 0.4%, Poles 0.4%, other 4.6% (made up largely of people fleeing the war in the former Yugoslavia)

Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 1.7%, unaffiliated or other 26.3%

Languages: German

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1977 est.) male: NA% female : NA%

@Germany:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form : Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland

Data code: GM

Government type: federal republic

National capital: Berlin note: the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period of years, with Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several ministries even after parliament moves in 1999

Administrative divisions: 16 states (laender, singular - land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen

Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four power rights formally relinquished 15 March 1991