Part 7
Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin; maximum depth is 8,605 meters in the Puerto Rico Trench
Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
Environment: current issues: endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; driftnet fishing is exacerbating declining fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May and extreme southern Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September international agreements: NA
Note: major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
@Atlantic Ocean:Government
Digraph: ZH
@Atlantic Ocean:Economy
Overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).
@Atlantic Ocean:Transportation
Ports: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)
Note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways
@Atlantic Ocean:Communications
Telephone system: international: numerous submarine cables with most between continental Europe and the UK, North America and the UK, and in the Mediterranean; numerous direct links across Atlantic via INTELSAT satellite network
________________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIA
@Australia:Geography
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 7,686,850 sq km land area: 7,617,930 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than the US note: includes Macquarie Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 25,760 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 58% forest and woodland: 14% other: 22%
Irrigated land: 18,800 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Note: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer
@Australia:People
Population: 18,322,231 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (female 1,929,366; male 2,032,238) 15-64 years: 67% (female 6,017,362; male 6,181,887) 65 years and over: 11% (female 1,227,004; male 934,374) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.31% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 14.13 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.78 years male: 74.67 years female: 81.04 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Ethnic divisions: Caucasian 95%, Asian 4%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions: Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%
Languages: English, native languages
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Labor force: 8.63 million (September 1991) by occupation: finance and services 33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and retail trade 20.1%, manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1% (1987)
@Australia:Government
Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia
Digraph: AS
Type: federal parliamentary state
Capital: Canberra
Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General William George HAYDEN (since 16 February 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Paul John KEATING (since 20 December 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Brian HOWE (since 4 June 1991) cabinet: Cabinet; prime minister selects his cabinet from members of the House and Senate
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament Senate: elections last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (76 total) Liberal-National 36, Labor 30, Australian Democrats 7, Greens 2, independents 1 House of Representatives: elections last held 13 March 1993 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (147 total) Labor 80, Liberal-National 65, independent 2
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: government: Australian Labor Party, Paul John KEATING opposition: Liberal Party, John HOWARD; National Party, Timothy FISCHER; Australian Democratic Party, Cheryl KERNOT; Green Party, leader NA
Other political or pressure groups: Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)
Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Eric RUSSELL chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward J. PERKINS embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (6) 270-5000 FAX: [61] (6) 270-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney consulate(s): Brisbane
Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars
@Australia:Economy
Overview: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP comparable to levels in industrialized West European countries. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Primary products account for more than 60% of the value of total exports, so that, as in 1983-84, a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s. In 1992-93 the economy recovered slowly from the prolonged recession of 1990-91, a major restraining factor being weak world demand for Australia's exports. Growth picked up so strongly in 1994 that the government felt the need for fiscal and monetary tightening by yearend. Australia's GDP grew 6.4% in 1994, largely due to increases in industrial output and business investment. A severe drought in 1994 is expected to reduce the value of Australia's net farm production by $825 million in the twelve months through June 1995, but rising world commodity prices are likely to boost rural exports by 7.7% to $14.5 billion in 1995/96, according to government statistics.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $374.6 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 6.4% (1994)
National product per capita: $20,720 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 8.9% (December 1994)
Budget: revenues: $83.8 billion expenditures: $92.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY93/94)
Exports: $50.4 billion (1994) commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment partners: Japan 25%, US 11%, South Korea 6%, NZ 5.7%, UK, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong (1992)
Imports: $51.1 billion (1994) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, crude oil and petroleum products partners: US 23%, Japan 18%, UK 6%, Germany 5.7%, NZ 4% (1992)
External debt: $147.2 billion (1994)
Industrial production: growth rate 3.9% (FY93/94); accounts for 32% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 34,540,000 kW production: 155 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,021 kWh (1993)
Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP and over 30% of export revenues; world's largest exporter of beef and wool, second-largest for mutton, and among top wheat exporters; major crops - wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruit; livestock - cattle, sheep, poultry
Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.4 billion
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2835 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Australia:Transportation
Railroads: total: 40,478 km (1,130 km electrified; 183 km dual gauge) broad gauge: 7,970 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 16,201 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 16,307 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 837,872 km paved: 243,750 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 228,396 km; unimproved earth 365,726 km
Inland waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small, shallow-draft craft
Pipelines: crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km
Ports: Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport, Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceton (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Merchant marine: total: 81 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,620,536 GRT/3,801,970 DWT ships by type: bulk 30, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 1
Airports: total: 480 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 128 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 125 with paved runways under 914 m: 31 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 23 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 149
@Australia:Communications
Telephone system: 8,700,000 telephones; good international and domestic service local: NA intercity: domestic satellite service international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; 10 INTELSAT (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 258, FM 67, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 134 televisions: NA
@Australia:Defense Forces
Branches: Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 4,934,175; males fit for military service 4,274,900; males reach military age (17) annually 131,852 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $7.2 billion, 2.2% of GDP (FY94/95)
________________________________________________________________________
AUSTRIA
@Austria:Geography
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 83,850 sq km land area: 82,730 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total 2,496 km, Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 262 km, Switzerland 164 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Natural resources: iron ore, petroleum, timber, magnesite, aluminum, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 24% forest and woodland: 39% other: 19%
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)
Environment: current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulpher 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Whaling
Note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
@Austria:People
Population: 7,986,664 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (female 681,087; male 711,127) 15-64 years: 67% (female 2,672,554; male 2,677,100) 65 years and over: 16% (female 791,762; male 453,034) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.35% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 11.21 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 10.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.9 years male: 73.7 years female: 80.27 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian
Ethnic divisions: German 99.4%, Croatian 0.3%, Slovene 0.2%, other 0.1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%
Languages: German
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1974 est.) total population: 99%
Labor force: 3.47 million (1989) by occupation: services 56.4%, industry and crafts 35.4%, agriculture and forestry 8.1% note: an estimated 200,000 Austrians are employed in other European countries; foreign laborers in Austria number 177,840, about 5% of labor force (1988)
@Austria:Government
Names: conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich
Digraph: AU
Type: federal republic
Capital: Vienna
Administrative divisions: 9 states (bundeslaender, singular - bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)
Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot - Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43% head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) Federal Council (Bundesrat): consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives National Council (Nationalrat): elections last held 9 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998); results - SPOE 34.9%, OEVP 27.7%, FPOE 22.5%, Greens 7.3%, LF 6.0% other 1.6%; seats - (183 total) SPOE 65, OEVP 52, FPOE 42, Greens 13, LF 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Movement (F) (was the Freedom Party of Austria, FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; The Greens, Madeleine PETROVIC; Liberal Forum (LF), Heide SCHMIDT
Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action
Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Helmut TUERK chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Swanee G. HUNT chancery: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1091, Vienna mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [43] (1) 313-39 FAX: [43] (1) 310-0682 consulate(s) general: none (Salzburg closed September 1993)
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
@Austria:Economy
Overview: Austria boasts a prosperous and stable market economy with a sizable but falling proportion of nationalized industry and with extensive welfare benefits. Thanks to its raw material endowment, a technically skilled labor force, and strong links to German industrial firms, Austria occupies specialized niches in European industry and services (tourism, banking) and produces almost enough food to feed itself with only 8% of the labor force in agriculture. After 11 consecutive years of growth, the Austrian economy experienced a mild recession in 1993, but growth resumed in 1994. Unemployment is 4.3% and will likely stay at that level as companies adjust to the competition of EU membership beginning 1 January 1995. To prepare for EU membership, Austria's government has taken measures to open the economy by introducing a major tax reform, privatizing state-owned firms, and liberalizing cross-border capital movements. Problems for the 1990s include an aging population, the high level of industrial subsidies, and the struggle to keep welfare benefits within budgetary capabilities - the deficit climbed to over 4% of GDP in 1994.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $139.3 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $17,500 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $52.2 billion expenditures: $60.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports: $44.1 billion (1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, iron and steel, lumber, textiles, paper products, chemicals partners: EC 63.5% (Germany 38.9%), EFTA 9.0%, Eastern Europe/FSU 12.3%, Japan 1.5%, US 3.4% (1993)
Imports: $53.8 billion (1994 est.) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals partners: EC 66.8% (Germany 41.3%), EFTA 6.7%, Eastern Europe/FSU 7.5%, Japan 4.4%, US 4.4% (1993)
External debt: $21.5 billion (1994 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 2.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 17,230,000 kW production: 50.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,824 kWh (1993)
Industries: foods, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles
Agriculture: accounts for 3.2% of GDP (including forestry); principal crops and animals - grains, fruit, potatoes, sugar beets, sawn wood, cattle, pigs, poultry; 80%-90% self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and Eastern Europe
Economic aid: donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $2.4 billion
Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen
Exchange rates: Austrian schillings (S) per US$1 - 10.774 (January 1995), 11.422 (1994), 11.632 (1993), 10.989 (1992), 11.676 (1991), 11.370 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Austria:Transportation
Railroads: total: 5,624 km standard gauge: 5,269 km 1.435-m gauge (3,162 km electrified) narrow gauge: 355 km 1.000-m and 0.760-m gauge (84 km electrified) (1994)
Highways: total: 110,000 km paved: 35,000 km (including 1,554 km of autobahn) unpaved: mostly gravel and earth 75,000 km (1992)
Inland waterways: 446 km
Pipelines: crude oil 554 km; petroleum products 171 km; natural gas 2,611 km
Ports: Linz, Vienna
Merchant marine: total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 152,885 GRT/235,719 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 25, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
Airports: total: 55 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 41 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4
@Austria:Communications
Telephone system: 4,014,000 telephones; highly developed and efficient
local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), and EUTELSAT earth stations
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 21 (repeaters 545), shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 47 (repeaters 870) televisions: NA
@Austria:Defense Forces
Branches: Army (includes Flying Division)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,026,567; males fit for military service 1,695,879; males reach military age (19) annually 46,821 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - about $1.8 billion, 0.9% of GDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
AZERBAIJAN
Note--Azerbaijan continues to be plagued by an unresolved seven-year-old conflict with Armenian separatists over its Nagorno-Karabakh region. The Karabakh Armenians have declared independence and seized almost 20% of the country's territory, creating almost 1 million Azeri displaced persons in the process. Both sides have generally observed a Russian-mediated cease-fire in place since May 1994, and support the OSCE-mediated peace process, now entering its fourth year. Nevertheless, Baku and Xankandi (Stepanakert) remain far apart on most substantive issues from the placement and composition of a peacekeeping force to the enclave's ultimate political status, and prospects for a negotiated settlement remain dim.
@Azerbaijan:Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States