Chapter 73 of 84 · 3917 words · ~20 min read

Part 73

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Federal Police Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 974,288; 533,673 fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.47 billion, 5.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

:United Kingdom Geography

Total area: 244,820 km2 Land area: 241,590 km2; includes Rockall and Shetland Islands Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: 360 km; Ireland 360 km Coastline: 12,429 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Northern Ireland question with Ireland; Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than half of the days are overcast Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast Natural resources: coal, crude oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica Land use: arable land 29%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 48%; forest and woodland 9%; other 14%; includes irrigated 1% Environment: pollution control measures improving air, water quality; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters Note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now being linked by tunnel under the English Channel

:United Kingdom People

Population: 57,797,514 (July 1992), growth rate 0.3% (1992) Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 79 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Briton(s), British (collective pl.); adjective - British Ethnic divisions: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8% Religions: Anglican 27.0 million, Roman Catholic 5.3 million, Presbyterian 2.0 million, Methodist 760,000, Jewish 410,000 Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland) Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1978 est.) Labor force: 26,177,000; services 60.6%, manufacturing and construction 27.2%, government 8.9%, energy 2.1%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1991) Organized labor: 40% of labor force (1991)

:United Kingdom Government

Long-form name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; abbreviated 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 Independence: 1 January 1801, United Kingdom established Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 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 National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June) Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or House of Lords and a lower house or House of Commons Judicial branch: House of Lords Leaders: 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)

:United Kingdom Government

Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party, John MAJOR; Labor Party, John SMITH; 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), James KILFEDDER; Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS; Alliance Party (Northern Ireland), John ALDERDICE; Democratic Left, Nina TEMPLE Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: House of Commons: 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 Communists: 15,961 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, BIS, C, CCC, CDB, CE, CERN, COCOM, CP, 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, NATO, NEA, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Sir Robin RENWICK; Chancery at 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-1340; there are British Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, and Consulates in Dallas, Miami, and Seattle US: Ambassador Raymond G. H. SEITZ; Embassy at 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W.1A1AE, (mailing address is FPO AE 09498-4040); telephone [44] (71) 499-9000; FAX 409-1637; there are US Consulates General in 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 Note: Hong Kong is scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997

: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 Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic with a generous admixture of social welfare programs and government ownership. Prime Minister MAJOR has continued the basic thrust of THATCHER's efforts to halt the expansion of welfare measures and promote extensive reprivatization of the government economic sector. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. Industry is a mixture of public and private enterprises, employing about 27% of the work force and generating 22% of GDP. The UK is an energy-rich nation with large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. In mid-1990 the economy fell into recession after eight years of strong economic expansion, which had raised national output by one quarter. Britain's inflation rate, which has been consistently well above those of her major trading partners, declined significantly in 1991. Between 1986 and 1990 unemployment fell from 11% to about 6%, but crept back up to 8% in 1991 because of the economic slowdown. As a major trading nation, the UK will continue to be greatly affected by world boom or recession, swings in the international oil market, productivity trends in domestic industry, and the terms on which the economic integration of Europe proceeds. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $915.5 billion, per capita $15,900; real growth rate -1.9% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (1991) Unemployment rate: 8.1% (1991) Budget: revenues $435 billion; expenditures $469 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.) Exports: $186.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment partners: EC 53.2% (FRG 12.7%, France 10.5%, Netherlands 7.0%), US 12.4% Imports: $211.9 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods partners: EC 52.2% (FRG 15.6%, France 9.3%, Netherlands 8.4%), US 11.5% External debt: $10.5 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1991) Electricity: 98,000,000 kW capacity; 316,500 million kWh produced, 5,520 kWh per capita (1991)

:United Kingdom Economy

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; fish catch of 665,000 metric tons (1987) Economic aid: donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $21.0 billion Currency: British pound or pound sterling (plural - pounds); 1 British pound (#) = 100 pence Exchange rates: British pounds (#) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

:United Kingdom Communications

Railroads: Great Britain - 16,629 km total; British Railways (BR) operates 16,629 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge (4,205 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 332 km 1.600-meter gauge, including 190 km double track Highways: UK, 362,982 km total; Great Britain, 339,483 km paved (including 2,573 km limited-access divided highway); Northern Ireland, 23,499 km (22,907 paved, 592 km gravel) 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: 224 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,905,571 GRT/4,840,862 DWT; includes 7 passenger, 21 short-sea passenger, 37 cargo, 27 container, 14 roll-on/roll-off, 10 refrigerated cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 1 railcar carrier, 66 petroleum tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 1 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 26 bulk, 1 combination bulk Civil air: 618 major transport aircraft Airports: 498 total, 385 usable; 249 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 37 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 133 with runways 1,220-2,439 m 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), MARISAT, 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 15-49, 14,462,820; 12,122,497 fit for military service; no conscription Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $42 billion, 4.3% of GDP (FY91)

:United States Geography

Total area: 9,372,610 km2 Land area: 9,166,600 km2; includes only the 50 states and District of Colombia Comparative area: about three-tenths the size of Russia; about one-third 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 Land boundaries: 12,248.1 km; Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,326 km, Cuba (US naval base at Guantanamo) 29.1 km Coastline: 19,924 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: not specified Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca); US Naval Base at Guantanamo 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; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island Climate: mostly temperate, but varies from tropical (Hawaii) to arctic (Alaska); arid to semiarid in west with occasional warm, dry chinook wind 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, crude oil, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land 20%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 26%; forest and woodland 29%; other 25%; includes irrigated 2% Environment: pollution control measures improving air and water quality; acid rain; agricultural fertilizer and pesticide pollution; management of sparse natural water resources in west; desertification; tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; continuous permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development Note: world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)

:United States People

Population: 254,521,000 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992) Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - American(s); adjective - American Ethnic divisions: white 84.1%, black 12.4%, other 3.5% (1989) Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989) Languages: predominantly English; sizable Spanish-speaking minority Literacy: 98% (male 97%, female 98%) age 25 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1989) Labor force: 126,867,000 (includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 125,303,000 (1991) Organized labor: 16,568,000 members; 16.1% of total wage and salary employment which was 102,786,000 (1991)

:United States Government

Long-form name: United States of America; abbreviated US or USA 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 Independence: 4 July 1776 (from England) Constitution: 17 September 1787, effective 4 June 1789 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 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989) Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Richard N. BOND, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, Ronald H. BROWN, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - George BUSH (Republican Party) 53.37%, Michael DUKAKIS (Democratic Party) 45.67%, other 0.96% Senate: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Democratic Party 51%, Republican Party 47%, other 2%; seats - (100 total) Democratic Party 56, Republican Party 44 House of Representatives: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 44%, other 4%; seats - (435 total) Democratic Party 267, Republican Party 167, Socialist 1

:United States Government

Communists: Communist Party (claimed 15,000-20,000 members), Gus HALL, general secretary; Socialist Workers Party (claimed 1,800 members), Jack BARNES, national secretary Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, 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, NATO, NEA, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING; Mission at 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 415-4050, after hours (212) 415-4444; FAX (212) 415-4443 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 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)

:United States Economy

Overview: The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $22,470, 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 failed to recover, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Ongoing problems for the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $5,673 billion, per capita $22,470; real growth rate -0.7% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (1991) Unemployment rate: 6.6% (1991) Budget: revenues $1,054 billion; expenditures $1,323 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91) Exports: $428.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Western Europe 27.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 12.1% (1989) Imports: $499.4 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners: Western Europe 21.5%, Japan 19.7%, Canada 18.8% (1989) External debt: NA Industrial production: growth rate -1.9% (1991) Electricity: 776,550,000 kW capacity; 3,020,000 million kWh produced, 12,080 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, fishing, 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 5.0 million metric tons (1988)

:United States Economy

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), $115.7 billion Currency: United States dollar (plural - dollars); 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: British pounds: (#) per US$ - 0.5599 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987) Canadian dollars: (Can$) per US$ - 1.1926 (March 1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987) French francs: (F) per US$ - 5.6397, (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987) Italian lire: (Lit) per US$ - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987) Japanese yen: (Y) per US$ - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987) German deutsche marks: (DM) per US$ - 1.6611 (March 1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

:United States Communications

Railroads: 270,312 km Highways: 6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.) Pipelines: petroleum 275,800 km, natural gas 305,300 km (1985) 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: 396 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,969 GRT/20,179 DWT; includes 3 passenger-cargo, 38 cargo, 25 bulk, 174 tanker, 13 tanker tug-barge, 14 liquefied gas, 129 intermodal; in addition, there are 231 government-owned vessels Civil air: 8,252 commercial multiengine transport aircraft (weighing 9,000 kg and over) including 6,036 jet, 831 turboprop, 1,382 piston (December 1989) Airports: 14,177 total, 12,417 usable; 4,820 with permanent-surface runways; 63 with runways over 3,659 m; 325 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2,524 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 182,558,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4,892 AM, 5,200 FM (including 3,915 commercial and 1,285 public broadcasting), 7,296 TV (including 796 commercial, 300 public broadcasting, and 6,200 commercial cable); 495,000,000 radio receivers (1982); 150,000,000 TV sets (1982); satellite ground stations - 45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT

:United States Defense Forces

Branches: Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 66,458,000; NA fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $323.5 billion, 5.7% of GNP (1991)

:Uruguay Geography