Part 9
Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion (1989) expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exports: $3.69 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 11%, UAE 5%, South Korea 4%, India 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1992)
Imports: $3.83 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 47%, UK 7%, Japan 7%, US 6%, Germany 5% (1992)
External debt: $2.6 billion (1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for 38% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity: capacity: 1,050,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,453 kWh (1993)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing
Agriculture: including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion
Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bahrain:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,670 km paved: 2,010 km unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Ports: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,949 GRT/120,900 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1
Airports: total: 4 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1
@Bahrain:Communications
Telephone system: 98,000 telephones; 170 telephones/1,000 persons; modern system; good domestic services; excellent international connections local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: 60 million
Television: broadcast stations: 2 televisions: 21 million
@Bahrain:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Coast Guard, Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 210,725; males fit for military service 117,414; males reach military age (15) annually 4,346 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $247 million, 5.5% of GDP (1994)
________________________________________________________________________
BAKER ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Baker Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references: Oceania
Area: total area: 1.4 sq km land area: 1.4 sq km comparative area: about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: no natural fresh water resources natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard international agreements: NA
Note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
@Baker Island:People
Population: uninhabited; note - American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins are located near the middle of the west coast
@Baker Island:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island
Digraph: FQ
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
@Baker Island:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Baker Island:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
@Baker Island:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
________________________________________________________________________
BANGLADESH
@Bangladesh:Geography
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references: Asia
Area: total area: 144,000 sq km land area: 133,910 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges
Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber
Land use: arable land: 67% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 16% other: 11%
Irrigated land: 27,380 sq km (1989)
Environment: current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea
@Bangladesh:People
Population: 128,094,948 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (female 25,195,262; male 26,352,299) 15-64 years: 57% (female 34,862,105; male 37,867,705) 65 years and over: 3% (female 1,761,336; male 2,056,241) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 34.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 104.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.46 years male: 55.69 years female: 55.22 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.39 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other
Languages: Bangla (official), English
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22%
Labor force: 50.1 million by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
@Bangladesh:Government
Names: conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan
Digraph: BG
Type: republic
Capital: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi
Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991); election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad): elections last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held by February 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; Jatiyo Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Humayun KABIR chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722 FAX: [880] (2) 883-744
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
@Bangladesh:Economy
Overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), and inadequate power supplies. Excellent rice crops and expansion of the export garment industry led to real growth of 4% in 1992 and again in 1993. Policy measures intended to reduce government regulation of private industry, to curb population growth, and to expand employment opportunities have had only partial success given the serious nature of Bangladesh's basic problems.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $130.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 4.5% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $1,040 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY92/93)
Exports: $2.38 billion (1993) commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp partners: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY91/92 est.)
Imports: $3.99 billion (1993) commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles partners: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1% (FY91/92 est.)
External debt: $13.5 billion (June 1993)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 2,740,000 kW production: 9.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1993)
Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for 33% of GDP, 65% of employment, and one-fifth of exports; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils, cotton
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $11.65 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $6.52 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.250 (January 1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Bangladesh:Transportation
Railroads: total: 2,892 km broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)
Highways: total: 7,240 km paved: 3,840 km unpaved: 3,400 km (1985)
Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports: Barisal, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dacca, Khulna, Mongla (includes Chalna), Narayanganj
Merchant marine: total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 293,304 GRT/428,013 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3
Airports: total: 16 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 7
@Bangladesh:Communications
Telephone system: 241,250 telephones; 1 telephone/522 persons; poor domestic telephone service local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations; adequate international radio communications and landline service
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 11 televisions: NA
@Bangladesh:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 33,039,035; males fit for military service 19,607,817 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $448 million, 1.7% of GDP (FY93/94)
________________________________________________________________________
BARBADOS
@Barbados:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total area: 430 sq km land area: 430 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources: petroleum, fishing, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 77% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 14%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers natural hazards: hurricanes (especially June to October); periodic landslides international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity
Note: easternmost Caribbean island
@Barbados:People
Population: 256,395 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (female 30,175; male 31,507) 15-64 years: 66% (female 86,103; male 82,727) 65 years and over: 10% (female 15,849; male 10,034) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.45 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.16 years male: 71.47 years female: 77.06 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: African 80%, European 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%
Labor force: 124,800 (1992) by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)
@Barbados:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Digraph: BB
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas note: the new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general
House of Assembly: election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) DLP 8, BLP 19, NDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP),David THOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National Democratic Party (NDP), Richard HAYNES
Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, Leroy TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David COMMISSIONG
Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (809) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (809) 429-5246
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
@Barbados:Economy
Overview: A per capita income of $9,200 gives Barbados one of the highest standards of living of all the small island states of the eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. A moderate recovery that began in late 1993 after 3 years of contraction is mainly due to increased tourism and expansion in the construction sector. Economic prospects for 1995 depend mostly on continued growth in the industrialized countries, especially in Europe, which would spur further expansion in tourism.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 3% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $9,200 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20.5% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $509 million expenditures: $636 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY94/95 est.)
Exports: $161 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing partners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Imports: $703 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%
External debt: $652 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 2% (FY93/94 est.); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Electricity: capacity: 152,100 kW production: 510 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,841 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Agriculture: accounts for 6% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane; other crops - vegetables, cotton; not self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $171 million
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Barbados:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,570 km paved: 1,475 km unpaved: gravel, earth 95 km
Ports: Bridgetown
Merchant marine: total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,563 GRT/103,632 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 6, oil tanker 2
Airports: total: 1 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1
@Barbados:Communications
Telephone system: 89,000 telephones local: island wide automatic telephone system; intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Television: broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay) televisions: NA
@Barbados:Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes the Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 71,153; males fit for military service 49,488 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
________________________________________________________________________
BASSAS DA INDIA
(possession of France)
@Bassas Da India:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 0.2 km2 land area: 0.2 km2 comparative area: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
international agreements: NA
@Bassas Da India:People
Population: uninhabited
@Bassas Da India:Government
Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India
Digraph: BS
Type: French possession administered by a Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion
Independence: none (possession of France)
@Bassas Da India:Economy
Overview: no economic activity
@Bassas Da India:Transportation
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
@Bassas Da India:Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
________________________________________________________________________
BELARUS
@Belarus:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States - European States
Area: total area: 207,600 sq km land area: 207,600 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Kansas
Land boundaries: total 3,098 km, Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
International disputes: none
Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Natural resources: forest land, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 0% other: 55%
Irrigated land: 1,490 sq km (1990)
Environment: current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Note: landlocked
@Belarus:People
Population: 10,437,418 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (female 1,126,062; male 1,166,439) 15-64 years: 65% (female 3,494,891; male 3,293,196) 65 years and over: 13% (female 913,508; male 443,322) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.3% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 12.98 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 11.23 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.03 years male: 66.36 years female: 75.93 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Ethnic divisions: Byelorussian 77.9%, Russian 13.2%, Polish 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.9%, other 1.9%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox, other
Languages: Byelorussian, Russian, other
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96%
Labor force: 4.887 million by occupation: industry and construction 40%, agriculture and forestry 21%, other 39% (1992)
@Belarus:Government