Chapter 81 of 98 · 3994 words · ~20 min read

Part 81

phosphate prices and increased foreign competition. Togo serves as a regional commercial and trade center. The government's decade-long IMF and World Bank supported effort to implement economic reform measures to encourage foreign investment and bring revenues in line with expenditures has stalled. Political unrest, including private and public sector strikes throughout 1992 and 1993, has jeopardized the reform program and has disrupted vital economic activity. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.3 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: NA National product per capita: $800 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $284 million expenditures: $407 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.) Exports: $558 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: phosphates, cotton, cocoa, coffee partners: EC 40%, Africa 16%, US 1% (1990) Imports: $636 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemical products partners: EC 57%, Africa 17%, US 5%, Japan 4% (1990) External debt: $1.3 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate 9% (1991 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 179,000 kW production: 209 million kWh consumption per capita: 60 kWh (1990) Industries: phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages Agriculture: accounts for 33% of GDP; cash crops - coffee, cocoa, cotton; food crops - yams, cassava, corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock production not significant; annual fish catch of 10,000-14,000 tons Illicit drugs: increasingly used as transit hub by heroin traffickers Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $142 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $2 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $51 million Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) note: the official rate is pegged to the French franc, and beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948 Fiscal year: calendar year

@Togo, Communications

Railroads: 570 km 1.000-meter gauge, single track Highways: total: 6,462 km paved: 1,762 km unpaved: unimproved earth 4,700 km Inland waterways: 50 km Mono River Ports: Lome, Kpeme (phosphate port) Merchant marine: 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,118 GRT/20,529 DWT Airports: total: 9 usable: 9 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: fair system based on network of radio relay routes supplemented by open wire lines; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 3 (2 relays) TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 SYMPHONIE

@Togo, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie Manpower availability: males age 15-49 898,448; fit for military service 471,807 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $43 million, about 3% of GDP (1989)

@Tokelau

Header Affiliation: (territory of New Zealand)

@Tokelau, Geography

Location: Oceania, Polynesia, 3,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 10 sq km land area: 10 sq km comparative area: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 101 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) Terrain: coral atolls enclosing large lagoons Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt international agreements: NA

@Tokelau, People

Population: 1,523 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: -1.35% (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan Ethnic divisions: Polynesian Religions: Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA

@Tokelau, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau Digraph: TL Type: territory of New Zealand Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center Administrative divisions: none (territory of New Zealand) Independence: none (territory of New Zealand) National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand) Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 Legal system: British and local statutes Suffrage: NA Executive branch: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Administrator Graham ANSELL (since NA 1990; appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in New Zealand); Official Secretary Casimilo J. PEREZ (since NA), Office of Tokelau Affairs; Tokelau's governing Council will elect its first head of government Legislative branch: unicameral Council of Elders (Taupulega) on each atoll Judicial branch: High Court in Niue, Supreme Court in New Zealand Political parties and leaders: NA Member of: SPC, WHO (associate) Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of New Zealand) US diplomatic representation: none (territory of New Zealand) Flag: the flag of New Zealand is used

@Tokelau, Economy

Overview: Tokelau's small size, isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand to maintain public services, annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million (1988 est.) National product real growth rate: NA% National product per capita: $800 (1988 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $430,830 expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) Exports: $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts partners: NZ Imports: $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983) commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel partners: NZ External debt: $0 Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: capacity: 200 kW production: 300,000 kWh consumption per capita: 180 kWh (1990) Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, wood work, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing Agriculture: coconuts, copra; basic subsistence crops - breadfruit, papaya, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $24 million Currency: 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.7771 (January 1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), l.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6708 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

@Tokelau, Communications

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Airports: none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Western Samoa Telecommunications: radiotelephone service between islands and to Western Samoa

@Tokelau, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

@Tonga, Geography

Location: Oceania, Polynesia, 2,250 km north-northwest of New Zealand, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand Map references: Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 748 sq km land area: 718 sq km comparative area: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 419 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base Natural resources: fish, fertile soil Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 55% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 12% other: 2% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: deforestation natural hazards: subject to cyclones (October to April) international agreements: party to - Marine Life Conservation Note: archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)

@Tonga, People

Population: 104,778 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 0.79% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 24.76 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.75 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -10.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 20.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.97 years male: 65.64 years female: 70.43 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.62 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan Ethnic divisions: Polynesian, Europeans about 300 Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) Languages: Tongan, English Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write simple message in Tongan or English (1976) total population: 57% male: 60% female: 60% Labor force: NA by occupation: agriculture 70%, mining (600 engaged in mining)

@Tonga, Government

Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands Digraph: TN Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy Capital: Nuku'alofa Administrative divisions: three island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK) National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970) Constitution: 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 Legal system: based on English law Suffrage: all literate, tax-paying males and all literate females over 21 Executive branch: chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Baron VAEA (since 22 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister S. Langi KAVALIKU (since 22 August 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king Privy Council: consists of the king and the cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fale Alea): elections last held 14-15 February 1990 (next to be held NA February 1993); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (29 total, 9 elected) 6 proreform, 3 traditionalist Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Democratic Reform Movement, 'Akilisi POHIVA; Christian Democratic Party, leader NA Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: Ambassador Sione KITE, resides in London consulate(s) general: San Francisco US diplomatic representation: the US has no offices in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga and makes periodic visits Flag: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner

@Tonga, Economy

Overview: The economy's base is agriculture, which employs about 70% of the labor force and contributes 40% to GDP. Coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops and make up two-thirds of exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The manufacturing sector accounts for only 11% of GDP. Tourism is the primary source of hard currency earnings, but the island remains dependent on sizable external aid and remittances to offset its trade deficit. The economy continued to grow in 1993 largely because of a rise in squash exports, increased aid flows, and several large construction projects. The government is now turning its attention to further development of the private sector and the reduction of the budget deficit. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $200 million (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 4% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $2,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (FY92) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $36.4 million expenditures: $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $33.2 million (1991 est.) Exports: $18.8 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.) commodities: vanilla, fish, root crops, coconut oil, squash partners: Japan 34%, US 17%, Australia 13%, NZ 13% (FY91) Imports: $68.3 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.) commodities: food products, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, fuels, chemicals partners: NZ 33%, Australia 22%, US 8%, Japan 8% (FY91) External debt: $47.5 million (FY91) Industrial production: growth rate 1.5% (FY92); accounts for 11% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 6,000 kW production: 8 million kWh consumption per capita: 80 kWh (1990) Industries: tourism, fishing Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; dominated by coconut, copra, and banana production; vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $16 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $258 million Currency: 1 pa'anga (T$) = 100 seniti Exchange rates: pa'anga (T$) per US$1 - 1.3934 (November 1993), 1.3471 (1992), 1.2961 (1991), 1.2809 (1990), 1.2637 (1989), Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

@Tonga, Communications

Highways: total: 366 km paved: 272 km (198 km on Tongatapu; 74 km on Vava'u) unpaved: 94 km (usable only in dry weather) Ports: Nuku'alofa, Neiafu, Pangai Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,761 GRT/10,597 DWT, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 Airports: total: 6 usable: 6 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: 3,529 telephones; 66,000 radios; no TV sets; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Tonga, Defense Forces

Branches: Tonga Defense Services, Maritime Division, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Police Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

@Trinidad and Tobago, Geography

Location: Caribbean, in the extreme southeastern Caribbean Sea, 11 km off the coast of Venezuela Map references: Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 5,130 sq km land area: 5,130 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Delaware Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 362 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the outer edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December) Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 44% other: 23% Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and untreated sewage; oil pollution of beaches; land degradation natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Trinidad and Tobago, People

Population: 1,328,282 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.1% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 19.6 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -2.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 16.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.73 years male: 68.09 years female: 73.43 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian Ethnic divisions: black 43%, East Indian 40%, mixed 14%, white 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 32.2%, Hindu 24.3%, Anglican 14.4%, other Protestant 14%, Muslim 6%, none or unknown 9.1% Languages: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93% Labor force: 463,900 by occupation: construction and utilities 18.1%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14.8%, agriculture 10.9%, other 56.2% (1985 est.)

@Trinidad and Tobago, Government

Names: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago Digraph: TD Type: parliamentary democracy Capital: Port-of-Spain Administrative divisions: 8 counties, 3 municipalities*, and 1 ward**; Arima*, Caroni, Mayaro, Nariva, Port-of-Spain*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick, San Fernando*, Tobago**, Victoria Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962) Constitution: 1 August 1976 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Noor Mohammed HASSANALI (since 18 March 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick Augustus Mervyn MANNING (since 17 December 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; responsible to parliament Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: consists of a 31-member body appointed by the president House of Representatives: elections last held 16 December 1991 (next to be held by December 1996); results - PNM 32%, UNC 13%, NAR 2%; seats - (36 total) PNM 21, UNC 13, NAR 2 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: People's National Movement (PNM), Patrick MANNING; United National Congress (UNC), Basdeo PANDAY; National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Selby WILSON; Movement for Social Transformation (MOTION), David ABDULLAH; National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), Makandal DAAGA; Republic Party, Nello MITCHELL; National Development Party (NDP), Carson CHARLES Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Corinne Averille McKNIGHT chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 467-6490 FAX: (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Sally G. COWAL embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: (809) 622-6372 through 6376, 6176 FAX: (809) 628-5462 Flag: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

@Trinidad and Tobago, Economy

Overview: Trinidad and Tobago's petroleum-based economy still enjoys a high per capita income by Latin American standards, even though output and living standards are substantially below the boom years of 1973-82. The country suffers from widespread unemployment, large foreign-debt payments, and periods of low international oil prices. Seven successive years of economic contraction were followed by small gains in output in 1990-91 of 1.2% and 0.9%, in turn followed by small declines in 1992-93 of roughly 1.0%. The government has begun to make progress in its efforts to diversify exports. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $10.4 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: -1% (1993) National product per capita: $8,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1993) Unemployment rate: 18.5% (1991) Budget: revenues: $1.6 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $158 million (1993 est.) Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers partners: US 47%, CARICOM 13%, Latin America 9%, EC 5% (1992) Imports: $900 million (f.o.b. , 1993) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals (1992) partners: US 41%, Venezuela 10%, UK 8%, other EC 8% External debt: $2 billion (1993) Industrial production: growth rate 2.3% (1991); accounts for 37% of GDP, including petroleum Electricity: capacity: 1,176,000 kW production: 3.48 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,680 kWh (1992) Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles Agriculture: accounts for 3% of GDP; highly subsidized sector; major crops - cocoa, sugarcane; sugarcane acreage is being shifted into rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry sector most important source of animal protein; must import large share of food needs Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $373 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $518 million Currency: 1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TT$) per US$1 - 5.8111 (January 1994), 5.3511 (1993), 4.2500 (fixed rate 1989-1992); note - effective 13 April 1993, the exchange rate of the TT dollar is market-determined as opposed to the prior fixed relationship to the US dollar Fiscal year: calendar year

@Trinidad and Tobago, Communications

Railroads: minimal agricultural railroad system near San Fernando Highways: total: 8,000 km paved: 4,000 km unpaved: improved earth 1,000 km; unimproved earth 3,000 km Pipelines: crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km Ports: Port-of-Spain, Pointe-a-Pierre, Scarborough Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,507 GRT/21,923 DWT Airports: total: 6 usable: 5 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1 Telecommunications: excellent international service via tropospheric scatter links to Barbados and Guyana; good local service; 109,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 4 FM, 5 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Trinidad and Tobago, Defense Forces

Branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Manpower availability: males age 15-49 357,904; fit for military service 257,667 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $59 million, 1%-2% of GDP (1989 est.)

@Tromelin Island

Header Affiliation: (possession of France)

@Tromelin Island, Geography

Location: Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 350 km east of Madagascar and 600 km north of Reunion Map references: World Area: total area: 1 sq km land area: 1 sq km comparative area: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3.7 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: claimed by Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles Climate: tropical Terrain: sandy Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (scattered bushes) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary

@Tromelin Island, People

Population: uninhabited

@Tromelin Island, Government

Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Tromelin Digraph: TE Type: French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion Independence: none (possession of France)

@Tromelin Island, Economy

Overview: no economic activity

@Tromelin Island, Communications

Ports: none; offshore anchorage only Airports: total: 1 usable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 0 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0 Telecommunications: important meteorological station

@Tromelin Island, Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France

@Tunisia, Geography

Location: Northern Africa, 144 km from Italy across the Strait of Sicily, between Algeria and Libya Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 163,610 sq km land area: 155,360 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia Land boundaries: total 1,424 km, Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km Coastline: 1,148 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Libya; land boundary dispute with Algeria settled in 1993 Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 10% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 4% other: 47% Irrigated land: 2,750 sq km (1989) Environment: current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from untreated sewage; water scarcity; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation Note: strategic location in central Mediterranean

@Tunisia, People

Population: 8,726,562 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 1.76% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 23.4 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 4.95 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: -0.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 34.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.89 years male: 70.85 years female: 75.03 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.88 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian Ethnic divisions: Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, Jewish less than 1% Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1% Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 65% male: 74% female: 56% Labor force: 2.25 million by occupation: agriculture 32% note: shortage of skilled labor

@Tunisia, Government