Part 41
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Gibraltar
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Constitution: 30 May 1969
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Admiral Sir Richard LUCE (NA February 1997) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats, 15 elected; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - SD 53%, SL 42%, NP 3%; seats by party - SD 8, SL 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or SL [Joe BOSSANO]; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights or GCL/AACR [Adolfo CANEPA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or SD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar National Party or NP [Joe GARCIA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization
International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
Economy
Economy - overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. Because more than 70% of the economy is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major impact on the level of employment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $205 million (1993 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,600 (1993 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services : NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: total: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) by occupation : services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995-96)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral waters, beer, canned fish
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 33,000 kW (1993)
Electricity - production: 90 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: none
Exports: total value: $57 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% partners : UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
Imports: total value: $708 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
Debt - external: $318 million (1987)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Gibraltar pound (£G) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (£G) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Gibraltar:Communications
Telephones: 19,356 (1994)
Telephone system: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 4
Televisions: NA
@Gibraltar:Transportation
Railways: total : NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only
Highways: total: 49.9 km (including 12.9 km public highways) paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km
Pipelines: 0 km
Ports and harbors: Gibraltar
Merchant marine: total : 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 356,676 GRT/633,152 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, container 1, oil tanker 14 (1996 est.)
Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: source of friction between Spain and the UK ______________________________________________________________________
GLORIOSO ISLANDS
(possession of France)
@Glorioso Islands:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 5 sq km land : 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock
Area - comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m
Natural resources: guano, coconuts
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland : NA% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues: NA
@Glorioso Islands:People
Population: uninhabited
@Glorioso Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form : none local short form: Iles Glorieuses
Data code: GO
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
@Glorioso Islands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar ______________________________________________________________________
GREECE
@Greece:Geography
Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama
Land boundaries: total: 1,210 km border countries : Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea : 6 nm
Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point : Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
Land use: arable land : 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 20% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues: air pollution; water pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to : Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification, Tropical Timber 94
Geography - note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
@Greece:People
Population: 10,616,055 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 905,146; female 845,929) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,583,854; female 3,565,882) 65 years and over: 16% (male 759,648; female 955,596) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 9.75 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.17 years male: 75.64 years female: 80.89 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages: Greek (official), English, French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98% female : 93% (1991 est.)
@Greece:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form : Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas former : Kingdom of Greece
Data code: GR
Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
National capital: Athens
Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Iraklion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkira, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos
Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)
Constitution: 11 June 1975
Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995) head of government : Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Chamber of Deputies for a five-year term; election last held 10 March 1995 (next to be held by NA March 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS elected president; percent of Chamber of Deputies vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by NA September 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 41.5%, ND 38.1%, KKE 5.6%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 5.1%, DIKKI 4.4%, Political Spring 2.9%; seats by party - PASOK 162, ND 108, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 10, DIKKI 9
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council; Special Supreme Tribunal, judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Political parties and leaders: New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]; Communist Party or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; Political Spring [Andonios SAMARAS]; Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Democratic Social Movement or DIKKI [Dhimitrios TSOVOLAS]; Rainbow Coalition [Pavlos VOSKOPOULOS]
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Loukas TSILAS chancery : 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 939-5824 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s) : Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas M. T. NILES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842 telephone: [30] (1) 721-2951, 8401 FAX: [30] (1) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
Economy
Economy - overview: Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for roughly half of GDP. Tourism is a major source of foreign exchange, and agriculture is self-sufficient, except for meat, dairy products, and animal feedstuffs. Macroeconomic problems include mediocre GDP growth, the huge public sector, substantial budget deficits, and 10% unemployment. The government's hard drachma policy and public sector wage restraint are largely responsible for the downward trend in inflation, now at the lowest level in 22 years. Investment is likely to be the primary engine for economic growth in 1997. Athens continues to rely heavily on EU aid, which currently amounts to about 4% of GDP. Despite widespread protests from unions and farmers, Prime Minister SIMITIS presented a tough 1997 budget to help bring Greece closer to meeting the EU criteria for participating in economic and monetary union. SIMITIS faces strong opposition to further privatization and further austerity. Plans to increase defense spending could undermine SIMITIS's goal to curb government expenditures.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.9 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 25% services : 64% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.6% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.21 million by occupation : services 52%, agriculture 23%, industry 25% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $33 billion (excluding privatization receipts) expenditures: $45 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 8.61 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 41.5 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 3,466 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; meat, dairy products
Exports: total value: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : manufactured goods 53%, foodstuffs 34%, fuels 5% (1994) partners: EU 60% (Germany 22%, Italy 14%, France 6%, UK 6%), US 3% (1995)
Imports: total value: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods 72%, foodstuffs 15%, fuels 10% (1994) partners : EU 70% (Italy 18%, Germany 16%, France 8%, UK 6%) US 4% (1995)
Debt - external: $34.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 drachma (Dr) = 100 lepta
Exchange rates: drachmae (Dr) per US$1 - 251.55 (January 1997), 240.71 (1996), 231.66 (1995), 242.60 (1994), 229.26 (1993), 190.62 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Greece:Communications
Telephones: 5,571,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 17 (repeaters 20), shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 361 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 2.3 million (1993 est.)
@Greece:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,474 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 100 km double track) narrow gauge: 887 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack type railway for steep grades)
Highways: total : 116,440 km paved: 106,775 km (including 420 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,665 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 80 km; system consists of three coastal canals; including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Piraievs (Piraeus) by 325 km; and three unconnected rivers
Pipelines: crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km
Ports and harbors: Alexandroupolis, Elevsis, Iraklion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkira, Khalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Piraievs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos
Merchant marine: total: 984 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,571,920 GRT/49,674,832 DWT ships by type: bulk 433, cargo 85, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 16, combination ore/oil 18, container 39, liquefied gas tanker 4, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 239, passenger 15, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off cargo 18, short-sea passenger 82, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 1 note: Greece owns an additional 1,883 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 67,631,159 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Syria, Vanuatu (1996 est.)
Airports: 78 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 75 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m : 18 under 914 m: 21 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police
Military manpower - military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,677,826 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 2,050,740 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 80,102 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4.9 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.6% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece ______________________________________________________________________
GREENLAND
(part of the Danish realm)
@Greenland:Geography
Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 2,175,600 sq km land : 2,175,600 sq km (341,600 sq km ice-free, 1,834,000 sq km ice-covered) (est.)
Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 44,087 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 3 nm
Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point : Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales
Land use: arable land : 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 0% other: 99% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Environment - current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling; note - Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)
Environment - international agreements: party to: Whaling (extended through Denmark) signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast
@Greenland:People
Population: 58,768 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 7,843; female 7,711) 15-64 years: 68% (male 21,931; female 18,237) 65 years and over : 5% (male 1,393; female 1,653) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.94% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 16.39 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 22.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.84 years male: 64.62 years female: 73.08 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 13%
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran
Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)
Literacy: NA note: similar to Denmark proper
@Greenland:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Data code: GL
Dependency status: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division
Government type: NA
National capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland
Independence: none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division)
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system: Danish
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Steen SPORE (since NA 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995) cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; high commissioner appointed by the queen; prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held NA 1991 (next to be held NA) election results: Gunnar MARTENS elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 4 March 1995 (next to be held by 5 March 1999) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 38.4%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 20.3%, Atassut Party 30.1%; seats by party - Siumut 12, Atassut Party 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 6, conservative splinter grouping 2, independent 1 note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by NA September 1998); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberals 1, Social Democrats 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties
Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret
Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Lars Emil JOHANSEN, chairman]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors continuing close relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
Economy