Chapter 85 of 98 · 3952 words · ~20 min read

Part 85

Names: conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland conventional short form: United Kingdom Abbreviation: UK Digraph: UK Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: London Administrative divisions: 47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26 districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas England: 39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire Northern Ireland: 26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane Scotland: 9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles* Wales: 8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands Independence: 1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established) National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the Queen, born 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November 1990) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament House of Lords: consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths are hereditary peers, 2 archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers House of Commons: elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held by NA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%, Liberal Democratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total) Conservative 336, Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24 Judicial branch: House of Lords Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party, John MAJOR; Labor Party; Liberal Democrats (LD), Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND; Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), James MOLYNEAUX; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Ulster Popular Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Sir James KILFEDDER; Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESCAP, ESA, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTRC, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UN Trusteeship Council, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Robin RENWICK chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 462-1340 FAX: (202) 898-4255 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, Nuku'alofa, and Seattle US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Adm. William CROWE embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W.1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000 FAX: [44] (71) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast and Edinburgh Flag: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

@United Kingdom, Economy

Overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic; over the past thirteen years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force and generating only 21% of GDP. The economy is emerging out of its 3-year recession with only weak recovery in 1993; even so, the economy fared better in 1993 than the economies of most other European countries. Unemployment is hovering around 10% of the labor force. The government in 1992 adopted a pro-growth strategy, cutting interest rates sharply and removing the pound from the European exchange rate mechanism. Excess industrial capacity probably will moderate inflation which for the first time in a decade is below the EC average. The major economic policy question for Britain in the 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $980.2 billion (1993) National product real growth rate: 2.1% (1993) National product per capita: $16,900 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1993) Unemployment rate: 10.3% (1993) Budget: revenues: $325.5 billion expenditures: $400.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $33 billion (1993 est.) Exports: $190.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EC countries 56.7% (Germany 14.0%, France 11.1%, Netherlands 7.9%), US 10.9% Imports: $221.6 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EC countries 51.7% (Germany 14.9%, France 9.3%, Netherlands 8.4%), US 11.6% External debt: $16.2 billion (June 1992) Industrial production: growth rate 2.2% (1993 est.) Electricity: capacity: 99,000,000 kW production: 317 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,480 kWh (1992) Industries: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, equipment for the automation of production, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods Agriculture: accounts for only 1.5% of GDP and 1% of labor force; highly mechanized and efficient farms; wide variety of crops and livestock products produced; about 60% self-sufficient in food and feed needs Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer of synthetic drugs; money-laundering center Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1992-93), $3.2 billion Currency: 1 British pound (#) = 100 pence Exchange rates: British pounds (#) per US$1 - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

@United Kingdom, Communications

Railroads: UK, 16,914 km total; Great Britain's British Railways (BR) operates 16,584 km 1,435-mm (standard) gauge (including 4,545 km electrified and 12,591 km double or multiple track), several additional small standard-gauge and narrow-gauge lines are privately owned and operated; Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) operates 330 km 1,600-mm gauge (including 190 km double track) Highways: total: 362,982 km (Great Britian 339,483 km; Northern Ireland 23,499 km) paved: 362,390 km (Great Britian 339,483 km, including 2,573 km limited access divided highway; Northern Ireland 22,907 km) unpaved: gravel 592 km (in Northern Ireland) Inland waterways: 2,291 total; British Waterways Board, 606 km; Port Authorities, 706 km; other, 979 km Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km Ports: London, Liverpool, Felixstowe, Tees and Hartlepool, Dover, Sullom Voe, Southampton Merchant marine: 180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,428,571 GRT/4,297,489 DWT, bulk 17, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 24, liquefied gas 5, oil tanker 59, passenger 7, passenger cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 14, specialized tanker 1 Airports: total: 497 usable: 388 with permanent-surface runways: 251 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 37 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 133 Telecommunications: technologically advanced domestic and international system; 30,200,000 telephones; equal mix of buried cables, microwave and optical-fiber systems; excellent countrywide broadcast systems; broadcast stations - 225 AM, 525 (mostly repeaters) FM, 207 (3,210 repeaters) TV; 40 coaxial submarine cables; 5 satellite ground stations operating in INTELSAT (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), INMARSAT, and EUTELSAT systems; at least 8 large international switching centers

@United Kingdom, Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 14,432,081; fit for military service 12,056,828 Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $34.8 billion, 3.7% of GDP (FY93/94)

@United States, Geography

Location: North America, between Canada and Mexico Map references: North America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 9,372,610 sq km land area: 9,166,600 sq km comparative area: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia Land boundaries: total 12,248 km, Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km Coastline: 19,924 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm depth continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Republic of Marshall Islands claims Wake Island Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 26% forest and woodland: 29% other: 25% Irrigated land: 181,020 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; sparse water resources in much of the western part of the country requires careful management; desertification natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the midwest; mudslides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes Note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)

@United States, People

Population: 260,713,585 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 0.99% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 15.2 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 3.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.9 years male: 72.58 years female: 79.39 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American Ethnic divisions: white 83.4%, black 12.4%, Asian 3.3%, Native American 0.8% (1992) Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989) Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority) Literacy: age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1991) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% Labor force: 129.525 million (includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 128.040 million) (1993) by occupation: managerial and professional 27.1%; technical, sales and administrative support 30.9%; services 13.8%; manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 25.5%; farming, forestry, and fishing 2.8%

@United States, Government

Names: conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States Abbreviation: US or USA Digraph: US Type: federal republic; strong democratic tradition Capital: Washington, DC Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: since 18 July 1947, the US has administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with three of the four political units; the Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US that was approved by the US Congress but to date the Compact process has not been completed in Palau, which continues to be administered by the US as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986) Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - William Jefferson CLINTON (Democratic Party) 43.2%, George BUSH (Republican Party) 37.7%, Ross PEROT (Independent) 19.0%, other 0.1% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president with Senate approval Legislative branch: bicameral Congress Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 8 November 1994); results - Democratic Party 53%, Republican Party 47%, other NEGL%; seats - (100 total) Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 43 House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 8 November 1994); results - Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 46%, other 2%; seats - (435 total) Democratic Party 258, Republican Party 176, Independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Haley BARBOUR, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, David C. WILHELM, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, ESCAP, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UNTAC, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Flag: thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

@United States, Economy

Overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $24,700, the largest among major industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace. In 1989 the economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and a general decline in business and consumer confidence. In 1991 output fell by 1%, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Growth picked up to 2.6% in 1992 and to 3.0% in 1993. Unemployment, however, declined only gradually, the increase in GDP being mainly attributable to gains in output per worker. Ongoing economic problems for the remainder of the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.379 trillion (1993) National product real growth rate: 3% (1993) National product per capita: $24,700 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1993) Unemployment rate: 6% (May 1994) Budget: revenues: $1.1535 trillion expenditures: $1.4082 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.) Exports: $449 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Western Europe 24.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 10.5% (1993 est.) Imports: $582 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners: Canada, 19.3%, Western Europe 18.1%, Japan 18.1% (1993 est.) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 4.6% (1993); accounts for 23% of GDP (1991) Electricity: capacity: 780,000,000 kW production: 3.23 trillion kWh consumption per capita: 12,690 kWh (1992) Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GDP and 2.8% of labor force; favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock production; world's second largest producer and number one exporter of grain; surplus food producer; fish catch of 4.4 million metric tons (1990) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production Economic aid: donor: commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: British pounds: (#) per US$ - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989) Canadian dollars: (Can$) per US$ - 1.3174 (January 1994), 1.2901 (1993), 1.2087 (1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989) French francs: (F) per US$ - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989) Italian lire: (Lit) per US$ - 1,700.2 (January 1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989) Japanese yen: (Y) per US$ - 111.51 (January 1994), 111.20 (1993), 126.65 (1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989) German deutsche marks: (DM) per US$ - 1.7431 (January 1994), 1.6533 (1993), 1.5617 (1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

@United States, Communications

Railroads: 240,000 km of mainline routes, all standard 1.435 meter track, no government ownership (1989) Highways: total: 6,243,163 km paved: 3,633,520 km (including 84,865 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,609,643 km (1990) Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.) Pipelines: petroleum 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991) Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland, Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington Merchant marine: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,567,000 GRT/19,511,000 DWT, bulk 23, cargo 36, intermodal 128, liquefied gas 13, passenger-cargo 3, tanker 169, tanker tug-barge 13 note: in addition, there are 219 government-owned vessels Airports: total: 14,177 usable: 12,417 with permanent-surface runways: 4,820 with runways over 3,659 m: 63 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 325 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2,524 Telecommunications: 126,000,000 telephone access lines; 7,557,000 cellular phone subscribers; broadcast stations - 4,987 AM, 4,932 FM, 1,092 TV; about 9,000 TV cable systems; 530,000,000 radio sets and 193,000,000 TV sets in use; 16 satellites and 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite ground stations - 45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT (1990)

@United States, Defense Forces

Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $315.5 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1992)

@Uruguay, Geography

Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Argentina and Brazil Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 176,220 sq km land area: 173,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Washington State Land boundaries: total 1,564 km, Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km Coastline: 660 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm International disputes: short section of boundary with Argentina is in dispute; two short sections of the boundary with Brazil are in dispute - Arroyo de la Invernada (Arroio Invernada) area of the Rio Quarai and the islands at the confluence of the Rio Cuareim (Rio Quarai) and the Uruguay River Climate: warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland Natural resources: soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 78% forest and woodland: 4% other: 10% Irrigated land: 1,100 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to seasonally high winds, droughts, floods international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

@Uruguay, People