Part 82
Legislative branch: unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed by the amir) note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Saad Muhammad al-KUBAYSI chancery: Suite 200, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick N. THEROS embassy: 149 Ahmed Bin Ali St., Fariq Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha; pouch address - AMEMB Doha, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6130 telephone: [974] 864701 through 864703 FAX: [974] 861669
Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side
Economy
Economy - overview: Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of off-shore petroleum and the diversification of the economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.2% (1995)
Labor force: total: 233,000 (1993 est.) note: 83.49% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues : $3 billion expenditures: $3.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries: crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 1.3 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 5.5 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 10,095 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish (all on small scale)
Exports: total value: $4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum products 80%, steel, fertilizers partners: Japan 54%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 6%, Australia 3%, UAE 3% (1995 est.)
Imports: total value: $4.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals partners: Italy 16%, Germany 11%, Japan 10%, UK 9%, France 9% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $5.7 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Exchange rates: Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Qatar:Communications
Telephones: 160,717 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international : tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 201,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 205,000 (1992 est.)
@Qatar:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,210 km paved : 1,089 km unpaved: 121 km (1995 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km
Ports and harbors: Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id
Merchant marine: total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 512,456 GRT/850,858 DWT ships by type : combination ore/oil 2, container 3, cargo 11, oil tanker 3 (1996 est.)
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 286,178 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 150,398 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,432 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $400 million (1996 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain; in 1996, agreed with Saudi Arabia to demarcate border per 1992 accord; that process is ongoing ______________________________________________________________________
REUNION
(overseas department of France)
@Reunion:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references: World
Area: total: 2,510 sq km land: 2,500 sq km water : 10 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 201 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Natural resources: fish, arable land
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland : 35% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
@Reunion:People
Population: 692,204 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 32% (male 114,655; female 109,301) 15-64 years: 62% (male 211,112; female 217,897) 65 years and over: 6% (male 16,211; female 23,028) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.87% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.4 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.71 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.08 years male: 72.03 years female: 78.29 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective : Reunionese
Ethnic groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist
Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.)
@Reunion:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form : Ile de la Reunion
Data code: RE
Dependency status: overseas department of France
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996) head of government : President of the General Council Christophe PAYET (since 4 April 1994) and President of the Regional Council Margarite SUDRE (since 25 June 1993) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils, who vote on party lines
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections : General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UPF 17, Free-Dom Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6 note : Reunion elects 3 representatives to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, FRA 1, independent 1; Reunion also elects 5 deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held as a special election on 25 May - 1 June 1997); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1, PCR 1, UPF 1, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre' Maurice PIHOUEE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Ibrahim DINDAN]; Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; France-Reunion Future or FRA [Andre THIEN AH KOON]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Social Democrats or CDS; Union for France or UPF (includes RPR and UDF); Free-DOM Movement [Marguerite SUDRE]; National Front (FN), Alix MOREL
International organization participation: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.9 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry : NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force: total: 242,169 (1993) by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
Unemployment rate: 35% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: 1.09 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,670 kWh (1994)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn
Exports: total value: $171.776 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Imports: total value: $2.354 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities : manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: recipient: substantial annual subsidies from France
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Reunion:Communications
Telephones: 191,647 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic : modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios: 151,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 18)
Televisions: 116,181 (1992 est.)
@Reunion:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,784 km paved: 2,187 km unpaved: 597 km (1987 est.)
Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1996)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 176,600 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 92,170 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,724 (1997 est.)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________
ROMANIA
@Romania:Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water : 7,160 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total : 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone : 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point : Moldoveanu 2,544 m
Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
Land use: arable land: 41% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures : 21% forests and woodland: 29% other: 6% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 31,020 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - international agreements: party to : Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Geography - note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
@Romania:People
Population: 22,463,077 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 2,223,136; female 2,130,497) 15-64 years : 68% (male 7,586,237; female 7,679,992) 65 years and over: 13% (male 1,186,948; female 1,656,267) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.28% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.75 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.88 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 : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.11 years male : 66.28 years female: 74.13 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian
Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.1%, Hungarian 8.9%, German 0.4%, Ukrainian, Serb, Croat, Russian, Turk, and Gypsy 1.6%
Religions: Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Languages: Romanian, Hungarian, German
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male : 98% female: 95% (1992 est.)
@Romania:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form : Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania
Data code: RO
Government type: republic
National capital: Bucharest
Administrative divisions: 40 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Independence: 1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
National holiday: National Day of Romania, 1 December (1990)
Constitution: 8 December 1991
Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the Constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Emil CONSTANTINESCU (since 29 November 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Victor CIORBEA (since 12 December 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 3 November 1996, with runoff between the top two candidates held 17 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Emil CONSTANTINESCU 54.4%, Ion ILIESCU 45.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (143 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (343 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); Chamber of Deputies - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.7%, PDSR 23.1%, USD 13.2%, UDMR 6.8%, PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.2%, others 17.5%; seats by party - CDR 53, PDSR 41, USD 23, UDMR 11, PRM 8, PUNR 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDR 30.2%, PDSR 21.5%, USD 12.9%, UDMR 6.6% PRM 4.5%, PUNR 4.4%, others 19.9%; seats by party - CDR 122, PDSR 91, USD 53, UDMR 25, PRM 19, PUNR 18, ethnic minorities 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice, judges are appointed by the president on recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party or DP [Petre ROMAN]; Romanian Social Democratic Party or PSDR [Sergiu CUNESCU]; Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR [Adrian NASTASE]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Mircea IONESCU-QUINTUS]; National Peasants' Christian and Democratic Party or PNTCD [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romanian National Unity Party or PUNR [Valeriu TABARA]; Socialist Labor Party or PSM [Ilie VERDET]; Agrarian Democratic Party of Romania or PDAR [Victor SURDU]; The Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Civic Alliance Party or PAC [Nicolae MANOLESCU, chairman]; Liberal Party '93 or PL-93 [Dinu PATRICIU]; National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention or PNL-CD [Nicolae CERVENI]; Socialist Party or PS [Tudor MOHORA] note: to increase their voting strength several of the above-mentioned
## parties united under umbrella organizations: PNTCD, PNL, and PNL-CD
form the bulk of the Democratic Convention or CDR [Ion DIACONESCU]; PD and PSDR form the Union of Social Democrats or USD [Petre ROMAN]; and PAC and PL-93 form the National Liberal Alliance or ANL [Nicolae MANOLESCU]; PSM, PS, ANL, and numerous other small parties failed to gain representation in the most recent election
Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mircea Dan GEOANA chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX : [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Alfred H. MOSES embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Consulate General (Bucharest), Unit 1315, APO AE 09213-1315 telephone: [40] (1) 210 01 49, 210 40 42 FAX: [40] (1) 210 03 95 branch office: Cluj-Napoca
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad
Economy
Economy - overview: Romania, one of the poorer countries in Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past seven years, economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, economic performance is declining, with slowing GDP growth, ballooning budget deficits, accelerating inflation, a plunging exchange rate, and anemic foreign investment. Unemployment was low at about 6% at the end of 1996, but the rate will rise when restructuring gets underway. A new government elected in November 1996 promises to accelerate economic reform, restructuring, and privatization, introduce fiscal and monetary austerity, reduce the state's role in the economy, and open Romania to foreign investment. The government will tackle its formidable economic problems in two stages, with an emergency plan over the winter of 1996/97 to ensure social and political stability, followed by a radical structural reform program over its remaining three-and-one-half years aimed eventually at EU accession. At the same time, it wants to keep campaign promises to increase benefits to disadvantaged groups. Bucharest hopes to receive financial and technical assistance from international financial institutions and western governments and negotiations over a new IMF standby agreement are underway. If reform stalls, however, Romania's bond rating - just below investment grade - could fall and needed capital from both public and private sources could quickly dry up. Rich agricultural and oil resources are strengths for the future.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $113.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.1% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,200 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 33.4% services: 46.6% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 56.9% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total : 10.1 million (1996 est.) by occupation: industry 28.8%, agriculture 36.4%, other 34.8% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 6.1% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $6 billion expenditures: $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 22.06 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 52.48 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,245 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; milk, eggs, meat
Exports: total value: $7.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles and footwear 25.2%, metals and metal products 19.4%, fuels and mineral products 10.0%, chemicals 9.4%, other 36.0% (1995) partners : Germany 17.8%, Italy 15.6%, France 5.7%, Turkey 4.5%, Netherlands 3.0%, China 3.0% (1995)
Imports: total value : $93.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: fuels and minerals 25.1%, machinery and transport equipment 19.4%, food and agricultural goods 6.1%, chemicals 9.0%, other 40.4% (1995) partners: Germany 17.1%, Italy 13.2%, Russia 12.6%, France 5.2%, US 4.2%, Egypt 4.1% (1995)