Part 38

Long-form name: Republic of Kiribati; note - pronounced Kiribas Type: republic Capital: Tarawa Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - a new administrative structure of 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) may have been changed to 21 island councils (one for each of the inhabited islands) named Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Canton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK; formerly Gilbert Islands) Constitution: 12 July 1979 National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979) Executive branch: president (Beretitenti), vice president (Kauoman-ni-Beretitenti), Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (Maneaba Ni Maungatabu) Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Teatao TEANNAKI (since 8 July 1991); Vice President Taomati IUTA (since 8 July 1991) Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Party, Teatao TEANNAKI; Christian Democratic Party, Teburoro TITO; New Movement Party, leader NA; Liberal Party, Tewareka TENTOA; note - there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held on 8 July 1991 (next to be held May 1995); results - Teatao TEANNAKI 52%, Roniti TEIWAKI 28% House of Assembly: last held on 8 May 1991 (next to be held May 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (40 total; 39 elected) percent of seats by party NA Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP (associate), IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador (vacant) lives in Tarawa (Kiribati) US: the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati Flag: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

:Kiribati Economy

Overview: The country has few national resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Real GDP declined about 8% in 1987, as the fish catch fell sharply to only one-fourth the level of 1986 and copra production was hampered by repeated rains. Output rebounded strongly in 1988, with real GDP growing by 17%. The upturn in economic growth came from an increase in copra production and a good fish catch. Following the strong surge in output in 1988, GNP increased 1% in both 1989 and 1990. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $36.8 million, per capita $525; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.0% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 2% (1985); considerable underemployment Budget: revenues $29.9 million; expenditures $16.3 million, including capital expenditures of $14.0 million (1990 est.) Exports: $5.8 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: fish 55%, copra 42% partners: EC 20%, Marshall Islands 12%, US 8%, American Samoa 4% (1985) Imports: $26.7 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, fuel, transportation equipment partners: Australia 39%, Japan 21%, NZ 6%, UK 6%, US 3% (1985) External debt: $2.0 million (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1988 est.); accounts for less than 4% of GDP Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 13 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: fishing, handicrafts Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP (including fishing); copra and fish contribute about 95% to exports; subsistence farming predominates; food crops - taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $273 million Currency: Australian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3177 (March 1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986) Fiscal year: NA

:Kiribati Communications

Highways: 640 km of motorable roads Inland waterways: small network of canals, totaling 5 km, in Line Islands Ports: Banaba and Betio (Tarawa) Civil air: 2 Trislanders; no major transport aircraft Airports: 21 total; 20 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 1,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Kiribati Defense Forces

Branches: no military force maintained; the Police Force carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; there are small police posts on all islands Manpower availability: NA Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

:Korea, North Geography

Total area: 120,540 km2 Land area: 120,410 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi Land boundaries: 1,673 km; China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km Coastline: 2,495 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea (all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned) Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer Terrain: mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower Land use: arable land 18%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 74%; other 7%; includes irrigated 9% Environment: mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated; late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding Note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia

:Korea, North People

Population: 22,227,303 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992) Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 30 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 72 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Korean(s);adjective - Korean Ethnic divisions: racially homogeneous Religions: Buddhism and Confucianism; some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo; autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom Languages: Korean Literacy: 99%, (male 99%, female 99%); note - presumed to be virtually universal among population under age 60 Labor force: 9,615,000; agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%; shortage of skilled and unskilled labor (mid-1987 est.) Organized labor: 1,600,000 members; single-trade union system coordinated by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea under the Central Committee

:Korea, North Government

Long-form name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea; abbreviated DPRK Type: Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship Capital: P'yongyang Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Chagang-do, Hamgyong-namdo, Hamgyong-bukto, Hwanghae-namdo, Hwanghae-bukto, Kaesong-si*, Kangwon-do, Namp'o-si*, P'yongan-bukto, P'yongan-namdo,P'yongyang-si*, Yanggang-do Independence: 9 September 1948 Constitution: adopted 1948, revised 27 December 1972 Legal system: based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 9 September (1948) Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, premier, eleven vice premiers, State Administration Council (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui) Judicial branch: Central Court Leaders: Chief of State: President KIM Il-song (national leader since 1945, formally President since 28 December 1972); designated Successor KIM Chong-il (son of President, born 16 February 1942) Head of Government: Premier YON Hyong-muk (since December 1988) Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Il-song, general secretary, and his son, KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, YI Kye-paek, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, CHONG Sin-hyok, chairman Suffrage: universal at age 17 Elections: President: last held 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); results - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition Supreme People's Assembly: last held on 24 May 1990 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats Communists: KWP claims membership of about 3 million Member of: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, IMF (observer), IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: none

:Korea, North Government

Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

:Korea, North Economy

Overview: More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a Communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict rule of KIM Il-song and his son, KIM Chong-il. Economic growth during the period 1984-89 averaged 2-3%, but output declined by 2-4% annually during 1990-91, largely because of disruptions in economic relations with the USSR. Abundant natural resources and hydropower form the basis of industrial development. Output of the extractive industries includes coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals. Manufacturing is centered on heavy industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of improved seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Four consecutive years of poor harvests, coupled with distribution problems, have led to chronic food shortages. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards. GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $23.3 billion, per capita $1,100; real growth rate -2% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: officially none Budget: revenues $17.3 billion; expenditures $17.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990) Exports: $2.02 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural products, manufactures partners: USSR, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore Imports: $2.62 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: petroleum, machinery and equipment, coking coal, grain partners: USSR, Japan, China, Hong Kong, FRG, Singapore External debt: $7 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 7,140,000 kW capacity; 36,000 million kWh produced, 1,650 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: machine building, military products, electric power, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing Agriculture: accounts for about 25% of GNP and 36% of work force; principal crops - rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, pork, eggs; not self-sufficient in grain; fish catch estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 1987 Economic aid: Communist countries, $1.4 billion a year in the 1980s Currency: North Korean won (plural - won); 1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

:Korea, North Economy

Exchange rates: North Korean won (Wn) per US$1 - 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989), 2.13 (December 1988), 0.94 (March 1987) Fiscal year: calendar year

:Korea, North Communications

Railroads: 4,915 km total; 4,250 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 665 km 0.762-meter narrow gauge; 159 km double track; 3,084 km electrified; government owned (1989) Highways: about 30,000 km (1989); 98.5% gravel, crushed stone, or earth surface; 1.5% paved Inland waterways: 2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only Pipelines: crude oil 37 km Ports: Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam, Namp'o, Wonsan, Songnim, Najin, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Kim Chaek Merchant marine: 78 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 543,033 GRT/804,507 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger-cargo, 67 cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 4 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 container Airports: 55 total, 55 usable (est.); about 30 with permanent-surface runways; fewer than 5 with runways over 3,659 m; 20 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 30 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: broadcast stations - 18 AM, no FM, 11 TV; 200,000 TV sets; 3,500,000 radio receivers; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

:Korea, North Defense Forces

Branches: Korean People's Army (including the Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces Manpower availability: males 15-49, 6,476,839; 3,949,568 fit for military service; 227,154 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - about $5 billion, 20-25% of GNP (1991 est.); note - the officially announced but suspect figure is $1.9 billion (1991) 8% of GNP (1991 est.)

:Korea, South Geography

Total area: 98,480 km2 Land area: 98,190 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Indiana Land boundaries: 238 km; North Korea 238 km Coastline: 2,413 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specific Territorial sea: 12 nm (3 nm in the Korea Strait) Disputes: Demarcation Line with North Korea; Liancourt Rocks claimed by Japan Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower Land use: arable land 21%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 67%; other 10%; includes irrigated 12% Environment: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest; air pollution in large cities

:Korea, South People

Population: 44,149,199 (July 1992), growth rate 1.1% (1992) Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 73 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Korean(s);adjective - Korean Ethnic divisions: homogeneous; small Chinese minority (about 20,000) Religions: strong Confucian tradition; vigorous Christian minority (24.3% of the total population); Buddhism; pervasive folk religion (Shamanism); Chondogyo (religion of the heavenly way), eclectic religion with nationalist overtones founded in 19th century, about 0.1% of population Languages: Korean; English widely taught in high school Literacy: 96% (male 99%, female 94%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 16,900,000; 52% services and other; 27% mining and manufacturing; 21% agriculture, fishing, forestry (1987) Organized labor: 23.4% (1989) of labor force in government-sanctioned unions

:Korea, South Government

Long-form name: Republic of Korea; abbreviated ROK Type: republic Capital: Seoul Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 6 special cities* (jikhalsi, singular and plural); Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto, Cholla-namdo, Ch'ungch'ong-bukto, Ch'ungch'ong-namdo, Inch'on-jikhalsi*, Kangwon-do, Kwangju-jikhalsi*, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto, Kyongsang-namdo, Pusan-jikhalsi*, Soul-t'ukpyolsi*, Taegu-jikhalsi*, Taejon-jikhalsi* Independence: 15 August 1948 Constitution: 25 February 1988 Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1948) Executive branch: president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, State Council (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Kuk Hoe) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President ROH Tae Woo (since 25 February 1988) Head of Government: Prime Minister CHUNG Won Shik (since 24 May 1991); Deputy Prime Minister CHOI Gak Kyu (since 19 February 1991) Political parties and leaders: ruling party: Democratic Liberal Party (DLP), ROH Tae Woo, president, KIM Young Sam, chairman; KIM Chong Pil and PAK Tae Chun, co-chairmen; note - the DLP resulted from a merger of the Democratic Justice Party (DJP), Reunification Democratic Party (RDP), and New Democratic Republican Party (NDRP) on 9 February 1990 opposition: Democratic Party (DP), result of a merger of the New Democratic Party and the Democratic Party formalized 16 September 1991; KIM Dae Jung, executive chairman; LEE Ki Taek, executive chairman; several smaller parties Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: President: last held on 16 December 1987 (next to be held December 1992); results - ROH Tae Woo (DJP) 35.9%, KIM Young Sam (RDP) 27.5%, KIM Dae Jung (PPD) 26.5%, other 10.1% National Assembly: last held on 26 April 1988 (next to be held around March 1992); results - DJP 34%, RDP 24%, PPD 19%, NDRP 15%, other 8%; seats - (296 total) DJP 125, PPD 70, RDP 59, NDRP 35, other 10; note - on 9 February 1990 the DJP, RDP, and NDRP merged to form the DLP; also the PPD, later renamed the NDP, merged with another party to form the DP in September 1991. The distribution of seats as of December 1991 was DLP 214, DP 72, independent 9, vacant 1

:Korea, South Government

Other political or pressure groups: Korean National Council of Churches; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Council of College Student Representatives; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Council of Labor Unions; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Veterans' Association; Federation of Korean Industries; Korean Traders Association Member of: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, CCC, COCOM, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, ILO, IMF, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador HYUN Hong Joo; Chancery at 2370 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-5600; there are Korean Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Anchorage, Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle US: Ambassador Donald P. GREGG; Embassy at 82 Sejong-Ro, Chongro-ku, Seoul, AMEMB, Unit 15550 (mailing address is APO AP 96205-0001); telephone [82] (2) 732-2601 through 2618; FAX [82] (2) 738-8845; there is a US Consulate in Pusan Flag: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

:Korea, South Economy

Overview: The driving force behind the economy's dynamic growth has been the planned development of an export-oriented economy in a vigorously entrepreneurial society. Real GNP has increased more than 10% annually over the past six years. This growth has led to an overheated situation characterized by a tight labor market, strong inflationary pressures, and a rapidly rising current account deficit. Policymakers have stated they will focus attention on slowing inflation. In any event, the economy will remain the envy of the great majority of the world's peoples. GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $273 billion, per capita $6,300; real growth rate 8.7% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.7% (1991) Unemployment rate: 2.4% (1991) Budget: revenues $44 billion; expenditures $44 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992) Exports: $71.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: textiles, clothing, electronic and electrical equipment, footwear, machinery, steel, automobiles, ships, fish partners: US 26%, Japan 18% (1991) Imports: $81.6 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, textiles, organic chemicals, grains partners: Japan 26%, US 23% (1991) External debt: $38.2 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate 7.5% (1991 est.); accounts for about 45% of GNP Electricity: 24,000,000 kW capacity; 106,000 million kWh produced, 2,460 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: textiles, clothing, footwear, food processing, chemicals, steel, electronics, automobile production, shipbuilding Agriculture: accounts for 8% of GNP and employs 21% of work force (including fishing and forestry); principal crops - rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; livestock and livestock products - cattle, hogs, chickens, milk, eggs; self-sufficient in food, except for wheat; fish catch of 2.9 million metric tons, seventh-largest in world Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.9 billion; non-US countries (1970-89), $3.0 billion Currency: South Korean won (plural - won); 1 South Korean won (W) = 100 chon (theoretical) Exchange rates: South Korean won (W) per US$1 - 766.66 (January 1992), 733.35 (1991), 707.76 (1990), 671.46 (1989), 731.47 (1988), 822.57 (1987)

:Korea, South Economy

Fiscal year: calendar year

:Korea, South Communications

Railroads: 3,106 km operating in 1983; 3,059 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 47 km 0.610-meter narrow gauge, 712 km double track, 418 km electrified; government owned Highways: 62,936 km total (1982); 13,476 km national highway, 49,460 km provincial and local roads Inland waterways: 1,609 km; use restricted to small native craft Pipelines: petroleum products 455 km Ports: Pusan, Inchon, Kunsan, Mokpo, Ulsan Merchant marine: 435 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,924,818 GRT/11,389,397 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 140 cargo, 53 container, 11 refrigerated cargo, 9 vehicle carrier, 42 petroleum tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 14 liquefied gas, 5 combination ore/oil, 145 bulk, 3 combination bulk, 1 multifunction large-load carrier Civil air: 93 major transport aircraft Airports: 105 total, 97 usable; 60 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 23 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate domestic and international services; 4,800,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 79 AM, 46 FM, 256 TV (57 of 1 kW or greater); satellite earth stations - 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT

:Korea, South Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy, Marines Corps, Air Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 13,131,113; 8,456,428 fit for military service; 448,450 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $12.6 billion, 4.5% of GNP (1992 budget)

:Kuwait Geography

Total area: 17,820 km2 Land area: 17,820 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 462 km; Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km Coastline: 499 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specific Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept the inviolability of the boundary set forth in its 1963 agreement with Kuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah Islands or to all of Kuwait; a UN Boundary Demarcation Commission is demarcating the Iraq-Kuwait boundary persuant to Resolution 687, and, on 17 June 1992, the UN Security Council reaffirmed the finality of the Boundary Demarcation Commission's decisions; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 8%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 92%; includes irrigated NEGL% Environment: some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

:Kuwait People

Population: 1,378,613 (July 1992), growth rate NA (1992) Birth rate: 32 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 2 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 4.4 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Kuwaiti(s); adjective - Kuwaiti Ethnic divisions: Kuwaiti 50%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 2% Religions: Muslim 85% (Shi`a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% Languages: Arabic (official); English widely spoken Literacy: 74% (male 78%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985) Labor force: 566,000 (1986); services 45.0%, construction 20.0%, trade 12.0%, manufacturing 8.6%, finance and real estate 2.6%, agriculture 1.9%, power and water 1.7%, mining and quarrying 1.4%; 70% of labor force was non-Kuwaiti Organized labor: labor unions exist in oil industry and among government personnel

:Kuwait Government