Afghanistan
Population: 25,838,797
Can Read: 31.5%;
Death-rate: 18.01 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Pashtun 38%; Tajik 25%; Uzbek 6%; Hazara 19%; minor ethnic groups (Aimaks,Turkmen,Baloch,and others)
Infant-mortality: 149.28/1,000 born,die
Language: Pashtu 35%; Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%; Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%; 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%; much bilingualism
Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%; Shi'a Muslim 15%; other 1%;
Their Nation: noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Total Life-expectancy: 45.88 Years
Area: 652,000 sq km land
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Farmable-Land-Use: 12%; pastures: 46%; woodland: 3%; other: 39%
GeoNote: landlocked
High/Low: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Land-boundaries: 5,529 km border countries: China 76 km,Iran 936 km,Pakistan 2,430 km,Tajikistan 1,206 km,Turkmenistan 744 km,Uzbekistan 137 km
Location:Southern Asia,north and west of Pakistan,east of Iran
Nat'l-Hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding
Natural-resources: natural gas,petroleum,coal,copper,chromite,talc,barites,sulfur,lead,zinc,iron ore,salt,precious and semiprecious stones
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Phones: 31,200
Radio Stations: AM 7, FM 1, shortwave 1.
Radios: 167,000
TV Stations: at least 10
TVs: 100,000
Airports: 46
Highways: 21,000 km paved: 2,793 km unpaved: 18,207 km
Ports/Harbors: Kheyrabad,Shir Khan
Rails: 24.6 km
Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya,which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT
Currency: 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls
Exports: opium,fruits and nuts,handwoven carpets,wool,cotton,hides and pelts,precious and semi-precious gems
Farming: opium poppies,wheat,fruits,nuts,karakul pelts; wool,mutton
Imports: capital goods,food and petroleum products; most consumer goods
Admin-Div: 30 provinces (velayat,singular - velayat)
Capital: Kabul
Country-name: Islamic State of Afghanistan S/F Afghanistan: Localy called: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan, localy called: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan
Gov-type: no functioning central government,administered by factions
Albania
Population: 3,490,435
Can-Read: 93%;
Death-rate: 6.5 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Albanian 95%; Greeks 3%; other 2%; (Vlachs,Gypsies,Serbs,and Bulgarians)
Infant-mortality: 41.33/1,000 born,die
Language: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect),Greek
Religions: Muslim 70%; Albanian Orthodox 20%; Roman Catholic 10%; note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990,Albania began allowing private religious practice
Their Nation: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Total Life-expectancy: 71.57 years
Area: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Climate: mild temperate; cool,cloudy,wet winters; hot,clear,dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Farmable-Land-Use: 21%; crops: 5%; pastures: 15%; woodland: 38%; other: 21%;
GeoNote: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
High/Low: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
Land-boundaries: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km,The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km,Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia,173 km with Montenegro)
Location:Southeastern Europe,bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Nat'l-Hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast
Natural-resources: petroleum,natural gas,coal,chromium,copper,timber,nickel,hydropower
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Cell Phones: 3,100
ISPs: 2
Phones: 42,000
Radio Stations: AM 16,FM 3,shortwave 2
Radios: 810,000
TV Stations: 13
TVs: 405,000
Airports: 10
Highways: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km
Ports/Harbors: Durres,Sarande,Shengjin,Vlore
Rails: 670 km
Waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari,Lake Ohrid,and Lake Prespa
Currency: 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars
Exports: textiles and footwear; asphalt,metals and metallic ores,crude oil; vegetables,fruits,tobacco
Farming: wheat,corn,potatoes,vegetables,fruits,sugar beets,grapes; meat,dairy products
Imports: machinery and equipment,foodstuffs,textiles,chemicals
Industry: food processing,textiles and clothing; lumber,oil,cement,chemicals,mining,basic metals,hydropower
Admin-Div: 36 districts (rrethe,singular - rreth) and 1 municipality*(bashki)
Capital: Tirana
Country-name: Republic of Albania: S/F Albania: Localy called: Republika e Shqiperise, localy called: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Gov-type: emerging democracy
Algeria
Population: 31,193,917
Can Read: 61.6%;
Death-rate: 5.3 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Arab-Berber 99%; European less than 1%;
Infant-mortality: 41.97/1,000 born,die
Language: Arabic (official),French,Berber dialects
Poverty-line: 23%;
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%; Christian and Jewish 1%;
Their Nation: noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian
Total Life-expectancy: 69.65 Years
Area: 2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km
Climate: arid to semiarid; mild wet winters with hot,dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot,dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Farmable-Land-Use: 3%; pastures: 13%; woodland: 2%; other: 82%;
GeoNote: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
High/Low: lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Land-boundaries: 6,343 km border countries: Libya 982 km,Mali 1,376 km,Mauritania 463 km,Morocco 1,559 km,Niger 956 km,Tunisia 965 km,Western Sahara 42 km Coastline: 998 km
Location:Northern Africa,bordering the Mediterranean Sea,between Morocco and Tunisia
Nat'l-Hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides
Natural-resources: petroleum,natural gas,iron ore,phosphates,uranium,lead,zinc
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,discontinuous coastal plain
Cell Phones: 33,500
ISPs: 1
Phones: 1.176 million
Radio Stations: AM 25,FM 1,shortwave 8
Radios: 7.1 million
TV Stations: 18
TVs: 3.1 million
Airports: 137
Ports/Harbors: Algiers,Annaba,Arzew,Bejaia,Beni Saf,Dellys,Djendjene,Ghazaouet,Jijel,Mostaganem,Oran,Skikda,Tenes
Rails: 4,820 km
Currency: 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes
Exports: petroleum,natural gas,and petroleum products 97%;
Farming: wheat,barley,oats,grapes,olives,citrus,fruits; sheep,cattle
Imports: capital goods,food and beverages,consumer goods
Industry: petroleum,natural gas,light industries,mining,electrical,petrochemical,food processing
Admin-Div: 48 provinces
Capital: Algiers
Country-name: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria: S/F Algeria: Localy called: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah, localy called: Al Jaza'ir
Gov-type: republic
Angola
Population: 10,145,267
Can Read: 42%;
Death-rate: 25.01 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Ovimbundu 37%; Kimbundu 25%; Bakongo 13%; mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%; European 1%; other 22%;
Infant-mortality: 195.78/1,000 born,die
Language: Portuguese (official),Bantu and other African languages
Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%; Roman Catholic 38%; Protestant 15%;
Their Nation: noun: Angolan(s) adjective: Angolan
Total Life-expectancy: 38.31 Years
Area: 1,246,700 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,dry season (May to October) and hot,rainy season (November to April)
Farmable-Land-Use: 2%; pastures: 23%; woodland: 43%; other: 32%;
GeoNote: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
High/Low:Low Ocean level highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Land-boundaries: 5,198 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 220 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km,Zambia 1,110 km
Location:Southern Africa,bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nat'l-Hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Natural-resources: petroleum,diamonds,iron ore,phosphates,copper,feldspar,gold,bauxite,uranium
Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Cell Phones: 1,994
ISPs: 2
Phones: 60,000
Radio Stations: AM 34,FM 7,shortwave 9
Radios: 630,000
TV Stations: 7
TVs: 150,000
@Angola:Transportation
Airports: 249
Highways: 76,626 km paved: 19,156 km unpaved: 57,470 km
Ports/Harbors: Ambriz,Cabinda,Lobito,Luanda,Malongo,Namibe,Porto Amboim,Soyo
Rails: 2,952 km
Waterways: 1,295 km navigable
Currency: 1 kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei
Exports: crude oil 90%; diamonds,refined petroleum products,gas,coffee,sisal,fish and fish products,timber,cotton
Farming: bananas,sugarcane,coffee,sisal,corn,cotton,manioc (tapioca),tobacco,vegetables,plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Imports: machinery and electrical equipment,vehicles and spare parts; medicines,food,textiles,military goods
Industry: petroleum; diamonds,iron ore,phosphates,feldspar,bauxite,uranium,and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles
Admin-Div: 18 provinces (provincias,singular - provincia)
Capital: Luanda
Country-name: Republic of Angola: S/F Angola: Localy called: Republica de Angola, localy called: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola
Gov-type: transitional government,nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system
Argentina
Population: 36,955,182
Can Read: 96.2%;
Death-rate: 7.59 per Thousand
Ethnicity: white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%; mestizo,Amerindian,or other nonwhite groups 3%;
Infant-mortality: 18.31/1,000 born,die
Language: Spanish (official),English,Italian,German,French
Poverty-line: 36%;
Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 92%; (less than 20%; practicing),Protestant 2%; Jewish 2%; other 4%;
Their Nation: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine
Total Life-expectancy: 75.05 Years
Area: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km
Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
Farmable-Land-Use: 9%; crops: 1%; pastures: 52%; woodland: 19%; other: 19%;
GeoNote: second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan,Beagle Channel,Drake Passage)
High/Low: lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula Valdes) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m
Land-boundaries: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km,Brazil 1,224 km,Chile 5,150 km,Paraguay 1,880 km,Uruguay 579 km
Location:Southern South America,bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,between Chile and Uruguay
Nat'l-Hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding
Natural-resources: fertile plains of the pampas,lead,zinc,tin,copper,iron ore,manganese,petroleum,uranium
Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half,flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south,rugged Andes along western border
Cell Phones: 1.8 million
ISPs: 47
Phones: 7.5 million
Radio Stations: AM 260,(probably more than 1,000,mostly unlicensed),shortwave 6
Radios: 24.3 million
TV Stations: 42 (plus 444 repeaters)
TVs: 7.95 million
@Argentina:Transportation
Airports: 1,359
Highways: 215,434 km paved: 63,553 km unpaved: 151,881 km
Ports/Harbors: Bahia Blanca,Buenos Aires,Comodoro Rivadavia,Concepcion del Uruguay,La Plata,Mar del Plata,Necochea,Rio Gallegos,Rosario,Santa Fe,Ushuaia
Rails: 38,326 km
Waterways: 10,950 km navigable
Currency: 1 peso = 100 centavos
Exports: edible oils,fuels and energy,cereals,feed,motor vehicles
Farming: sunflower seeds,lemons,soybeans,grapes,corn,tobacco,peanuts,tea,wheat; livestock
Imports: machinery and equipment,motor vehicles,chemicals,metal manufactures,plastics
Industry: food processing,motor vehicles,consumer durables,textiles,chemicals and petrochemicals,printing,metallurgy,steel
@Argentina:Government
Admin-Div: 23 provinces (provincias,singular - provincia),and 1 federal district* (distrito federal)
Capital: Buenos Aires
Country-name: Argentine Republic: S/F Argentina: Localy called: Republica Argentina, localy called: Argentina
Gov-type: republic
Armenia
Population: 3,344,336
Can Read: 99%
Death-rate: 9.53 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Armenian 93%; Azeri 3%; Russian 2%; other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 2%.
Infant-mortality: 41.48/1,000 born,die
Language: Armenian 96%; Russian 2%; other 2%;
Poverty-line: 45%;
Religions: Armenian Orthodox 94%;
Their Nation: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian
Total Life-expectancy: 66.4 Years
Area: 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km
Climate: highland continental,hot summers,cold winters
Farmable-Land-Use: 17%; crops: 3%; pastures: 24%; woodland: 15%; other: 41%;
GeoNote: landlocked
High/Low: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
Land-boundaries: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km,Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km,Georgia 164 km,Iran 35 km,Turkey 268 km
Location:Southwestern Asia,east of Turkey
Nat'l-Hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Natural-resources: small deposits of gold,copper,molybdenum,zinc,alumina
Terrain: Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
ISPs: 1
Phones: 583,000
Radio Stations: AM 9,FM 6,shortwave 1
Radios: 850,000
TV Stations: 4
TVs: 825,000
@Armenia:Transportation
Airports: 11
Highways: 15,998 km paved: 15,998 km,
Rails: 825 km
Currency: 1 dram = 100 luma
Exports: diamonds,scrap metal,machinery and equipment,cognac,copper ore
Farming: fruit (especially grapes),vegetables; livestock
Imports: natural gas,petroleum,tobacco products,foodstuffs,diamonds
Industry: metal-cutting machine tools,forging-pressing machines,electric motors,tires,knitted wear,hosiery,shoes,silk fabric,washing machines,chemicals,trucks,watches,instruments, microelectronics
Admin-Div: 10 provinces (marzer,singular - marz) and 1 city (k'aghak'ner,singular - k'aghak')
Capital: Yerevan
Country-name: Republic of Armenia: S/F Armenia: Localy called: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun, localy called: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Gov-type: republic
Australia
Population: 19,169,083
Can Read: 100%
Death-rate: 7.12 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Caucasian 92%; Asian 7%; aboriginal and other 1%;
Infant-mortality: 5.04/1,000 born,die
Language: English,native languages
Religions: Anglican 26.1%; Roman Catholic 26%; other Christian 24.3%; non-Christian 11%;
Their Nation: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Total Life-expectancy: 79.75 Years
Area: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Farmable-Land-Use: 6%; pastures: 54%; woodland: 19%; other: 21%;
GeoNote: 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
High/Low: lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Island:
Location:Oceania,continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Nat'l-Hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts
Natural-resources: bauxite,coal,iron ore,copper,tin,silver,uranium,nickel,tungsten,mineral sands,lead,zinc,diamonds,natural gas,petroleum
Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Cell Phones: 5.29 million
ISPs: 709
Phones: 92 million
Radio Stations: AM 262,FM 345,shortwave 1
Radios: 25.5 million
TV Stations: 104
TVs: 10.15 million
Airports: 408
Highways: 913,000 km paved: 353,331 km, unpaved: 559,669 km
Ports/Harbors: Adelaide,Brisbane,Cairns,Darwin,Devonport (Tasmania),Fremantle,Geelong,Hobart (Tasmania),Launceston (Tasmania),Mackay,Melbourne,Sydney,Townsville
Rails: 33,819 km
Waterways: 8,368 km; mainly by small,shallow-draft craft
Currency: 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exports: coal,gold,meat,wool,alumina,iron ore,wheat,machinery and transport equipment
Farming: wheat,barley,sugarcane,fruits; cattle,sheep,poultry
Imports: machinery and transport equipment,computers and office machines,telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Industry: mining,industrial and transportation equipment,food processing,chemicals,steel
Admin-Div: 6 states and 2 territories;
Capital: Canberra
Country-name: Commonwealth of Australia: S/F Australia
Gov-type: democratic,federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign
Austria
Population: 8,131,111
Can Read: 98%;
Death-rate: 9.91 per Thousand
Ethnicity: German 98%; Croatian,Slovene,other (includes Hungarians,Czechs,Slovaks,Roma)
Infant-mortality: 4.5/1,000 born,die
Language: German
Religions: Roman Catholic 78%; Protestant 5%; Muslim and other 17%;
Their Nation: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian
Total Life-expectancy: 77.68 Years (~
Area: 83,858 sq km land: 82,738 sq km water: 1,120 sq km
Climate: temperate; continental,cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Farmable-Land-Use: 17%; crops: 1%; pastures: 23%; woodland: 39%; other: 20%;
GeoNote: 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
High/Low: lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Land-boundaries: 2,562 km border countries: Czech Republic 362 km,Germany 784 km,Hungary 366 km,Italy 430 km,Liechtenstein 35 km,Slovakia 91 km,Slovenia 330 km,Switzerland 164 km
Location:Central Europe,north of Italy and Slovenia
Natural-resources: iron ore,oil,timber,magnesite,lead,coal,lignite,copper,hydropower
Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Cell Phones: 2.31 million
ISPs: 35
Phones: 3.726 million
Radio Stations: AM 1,FM 61 (plus several hundred repeaters),shortwave 1
Radios: 6.08 million
TV Stations: 51 (plus 920 repeaters)
TVs: 4.25 million
Airports: 55
Highways:200,000 km paved: 200,000 km
Ports/Harbors: Linz,Vienna,Enns,Krems
Rails: 6,123 km
Waterways: 358 km
Currency: 1 Austrian schilling (AS) = 100 groschen
Exports: machinery and equipment,paper and paperboard,metal goods,chemicals,iron and steel; textiles,foodstuffs
Farming: grains,potatoes,sugar beets,wine,fruit; dairy products,cattle,pigs,poultry; lumber
Imports: machinery and equipment,chemicals,metal goods,oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Industry: construction,machinery,vehicles and parts,food,chemicals,lumber and wood processing,paper and paperboard,communications equipment,tourism
Admin-Div: 9 states (bundeslaender,singular - bundesland);
Capital: Vienna
Country-name: Republic of Austria: S/F Austria: Localy called: Republik Oesterreich, localy called: Oesterreich
Gov-type: federal republic
Azerbaijan
Population: 7,748,163
Can Read: 97%
Death-rate: 9.47 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Azeri 90%; Dagestani 3.2%; Russian 2.5%; Armenian 2%; other 2.3%; note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region
Infant-mortality: 83.41/1,000 born,die
Language: Azeri 89%; Russian 3%; Armenian 2%; other 6%;
Poverty-line: 60%;
Religions: Muslim 93.4%; Russian Orthodox 2.5%; Armenian Orthodox 2.3%; other 1.8%; note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower
Their Nation: noun: Azerbaijani(s) adjective: Azerbaijani
Total Life-expectancy: 62.87 Years
Area: 86,600 sq km land: 86,100 sq km water: 500 sq km note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
Climate: dry,semiarid steppe
Farmable-Land-Use: 18%; crops: 5%; pastures: 25%; woodland: 11%; other: 41%;
GeoNote: landlocked
High/Low: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
Land-boundaries: 2,013 km border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km,Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km,Georgia 322 km,Iran (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km,Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 179 km,Russia 284 km,Turkey 9 km
Location:Southwestern Asia,bordering the Caspian Sea,between Iran and Russia
Nat'l-Hazards: droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the Caspian Sea
Natural-resources: petroleum,natural gas,iron ore,nonferrous metals,alumina
Terrain: large,flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Cell Phones: 6,000
ISPs: 2
Phones: 640,000
Radio Stations: AM 10,FM 17,shortwave 1
Radios: 175,000
TV Stations: 2
TVs: 170,000
Airports: 69
Highways: 24,981 km paved: 23,057 km unpaved: 1,924 km
Ports/Harbors: Baku (Baki)
Rails: 2,125 km.
Currency: 1 manat = 100 gopiks
Exports: oil and gas 70%; machinery,cotton,foodstuffs
Farming: cotton,grain,rice,grapes,fruit,vegetables,tea,tobacco; cattle,pigs,sheep,goats
Imports: machinery and equipment,foodstuffs,metals,chemicals
Industry: petroleum and natural gas,petroleum products,oilfield equipment; steel,iron ore,cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Admin-Div: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular),11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular),1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika)
Capital: Baku (Baki)
Country-name: Azerbaijani Republic: S/F Azerbaijan: Localy called: Azarbaycan Respublikasi former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Gov-type: republic
Bangladesh
Population: 129,194,224
Can Read: 38.1%;
Death-rate: 8.73 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Bengali 98%; Biharis 250,000,tribals less than 1 million
Infant-mortality: 71.66/1,000 born,die
Language: Bangla (official),English
Poverty-line: 35.6%; (FY95/96)
Religions: Muslim 88.3%; Hindu 10.5%; other 1.2%;
Their Nation: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Total Life-expectancy: 60.16 Years
Area: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km
Climate: tropical; cool,dry winter (October to March); hot,humid summer (March to June); cool,rainy monsoon (June to October)
Farmable-Land-Use: 73%; crops: 2%; pastures: 5%; woodland: 15%; other: 5%;
High/Low: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Land-boundaries: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km,India 4,053 km
Location:Southern Asia,bordering the Bay of Bengal,between Burma and India
Nat'l-Hazards: droughts,cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season
Natural-resources: natural gas,arable land,timber
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Cell Phones: 41,000
ISPs: 6
Phones: 470,000
Radio Stations: AM 12,FM 12,shortwave 2
Radios: 6.15 million
TV Stations: 15
TVs: 770,000
Airports: 16
Highways: 201,182 km paved: 19,112 km unpaved: 182,070 km
Ports/Harbors: Chittagong,Dhaka,Mongla Port
Rails: 2,745 km
Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha
Exports: garments,jute and jute goods,leather,frozen fish and seafood
Farming: rice,jute,tea,wheat,sugarcane,potatoes; beef,milk,poultry,tobacco,pulses,oilseeds,spices,fruit
Imports: machinery and equipment,chemicals,iron and steel,textiles,raw cotton,food,crude oil and petroleum products,cement
Industry: cotton textiles,jute,garments,tea processing,paper newsprint,cement,chemical fertilizer,light engineering,sugar
Admin-Div: 5 divisions
Capital: Dhaka
Country-name: People's Republic of Bangladesh: S/F Bangladesh former: East Pakistan
Gov-type: republic
Belarus
Population: 10,366,719
Can Read: 98%
Death-rate: 13.96 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Byelorussian 77.9%; Russian 13.2%; Polish 4.1%; Ukrainian 2.9%; other 1.9%;
Infant-mortality: 14.63/1,000 born,die
Language: Byelorussian,Russian,other
Poverty-line: 22%;
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%; other (including Roman Catholic,Protestant,Jewish,and Muslim) 20%;
Their Nation: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian
Total Life-expectancy: 68 Years
Area: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km
Climate: cold winters,cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Farmable-Land-Use: 29%; crops: 1%; pastures: 15%; woodland: 34%; other: 21%;
GeoNote: landlocked
High/Low: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Land-boundaries: 3,098 km border countries: Latvia 141 km,Lithuania 502 km,Poland 605 km,Russia 959 km,Ukraine 891 km
Location:Eastern Europe,east of Poland
Natural-resources: forests,peat deposits,small quantities of oil and natural gas
Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland
Cell Phones: 8,000
ISPs: 1
Phones: 2.537 million
Radio Stations: AM 28,FM 37,shortwave 11
Radios: 3.02 million
TV Stations: 17
TVs: 2.52 million
Airports: 118
Highways: 63,355 km paved: 60,567 km unpaved: 2,788 km
Ports/Harbors: Mazyr
Rails: 5,563 km
Waterways: Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
Currency: Belarusian rubel (BR)
Exports: machinery and equipment,chemicals,metals,textiles,foodstuffs
Farming: grain,potatoes,vegetables,sugar beets,flax; beef,milk
Imports: mineral products,machinery and equipment,metals,chemicals,foodstuffs
Industry: metal-cutting machine tools,tractors,trucks,earth movers,motorcycles,TV sets,chemical fibers,fertilizer,textiles,radios,refrigerators
Admin-Div: 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality (harady,singular - horad)
Capital: Minsk
Country-name: Republic of Belarus: S/F Belarus: Localy called: Respublika Byelarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Gov-type: republic
Belgium
Population: 10,241,506
Can Read: 98%;
Death-rate: 10.13 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Fleming 58%; Walloon 31%; mixed or other 11%;
Infant-mortality: 4.76/1,000 born,die
Language: Dutch 58%; French 32%; German 10%; legally bilingual
Poverty-line: 4%;
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%; Protestant or other 25%;
Their Nation: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian
Total Life-expectancy: 77.8 Years
Area: 30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km
Climate: temperate; mild winters,cool summers; rainy,humid,cloudy
Farmable-Land-Use: 24%; crops: 1%; pastures: 20%; woodland: 21%; other: 34%;
GeoNote: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO
High/Low: lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m
Land-boundaries: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km,Germany 167 km,Luxembourg 148 km,Netherlands 450 km
Location:Western Europe,bordering the North Sea,between France and the Netherlands
Nat'l-Hazards: flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land,protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Natural-resources: coal,natural gas
Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest,central rolling hills,rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast
Cell Phones: 664,000
ISPs: 51
Phones: 4.632 million
Radio Stations: FM 79,AM 7,shortwave 1
Radios: 8.075 million
TV Stations: 24
TVs: 4.72 million
Airports: 42
Highways: 145,850 km paved: 117,701 km, unpaved: 28,149 km
Ports/Harbors: Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports),Brugge,Gent,Hasselt,Liege,Mons,Namur,Oostende,Zeebrugge
Rails: 3,437 km.
Waterways: 2,043 km
Currency: 1 Belgian franc (BF) = 100 centimes
Exports: machinery and equipment,chemicals,diamonds,metals and metal products
Imports: machinery and equipment,chemicals,metals and metal products
Industry: engineering and metal products,motor vehicle assembly,processed food and beverages,chemicals,basic metals,textiles,glass,petroleum,coal
Admin-Div: 10 provinces (French: provinces,singular - province; Flemish: provincien,singular - provincie)
Capital: Brussels
Country-name: Kingdom of Belgium: S/F Belgium: Localy called: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie, localy called: Belgique/Belgie
Gov-type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
Benin
Population: 6,395,919
Can Read: 37%;
Death-rate: 14.51 per Thousand
Ethnicity: African 99%; (42 ethnic groups,most important being Fon,Adja,Yoruba,Bariba),Europeans 5,500
Infant-mortality: 90.84/1,000 born,die
Language: French (official),Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south),tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Poverty-line: 33%;
Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%; Muslim 15%; Christian 15%;
Their Nation: noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Total Life-expectancy: 50.18 Years
Area: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km
Climate: tropical; hot,humid in south; semiarid in north
Farmable-Land-Use: 13%; crops: 4%; pastures: 4%; woodland: 31%; other: 48%;
GeoNote: no natural harbors
High/Low:Low Ocean level highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Land-boundaries: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km,Niger 266 km,Nigeria 773 km,Togo 644 km
Location:Western Africa,bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,between Nigeria and Togo
Nat'l-Hazards: hot,dry,dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
Natural-resources: small offshore oil deposits,limestone,marble,timber
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Cell Phones: 1,050
Phones: 28,000
Radio Stations: AM 2,FM 9,shortwave 4
Radios: 620,000
TV Stations: 2
TVs: 60,000
Airports: 5
Highways: 6,787 km paved: 1,357 km unpaved: 5,430 km
Ports/Harbors: Cotonou,Porto-Novo
Rails: 578 km
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exports: cotton,crude oil,palm products,cocoa
Farming: corn,sorghum,cassava (tapioca),yams,beans,rice,cotton,palm oil,peanuts; poultry,livestock
Imports: foodstuffs,tobacco,petroleum products,capital goods
Industry: textiles,cigarettes; beverages,food; construction materials,petroleum
Admin-Div: 6 provinces; Atakora,Atlantique,Borgou,Mono,Oueme,Zou note: six additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed; they are Alibori,Collines,Couffo,Donga, Littoral,and Plateau; moreover,the term "province" may have been changed to "department"
Capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Country-name: Republic of Benin: S/F Benin: Localy called: Republique du Benin, localy called: Benin former: Dahomey
Gov-type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
Bhutan
Population: 2,005,222
Can Read: 42.2%
Death-rate: 14.32 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Bhote 50%; ethnic Nepalese 35%; indigenous or migrant tribes 15%;
Infant-mortality: 110.99/1,000 born,die
Language: Dzongkha (official),Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%; Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%;
Their Nation: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Total Life-expectancy: 52.4 Years (~
Area: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Farmable-Land-Use: 2%; pastures: 6%; woodland: 66%; other: 26%;
GeoNote: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
High/Low: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Land-boundaries: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km,India 605 km
Location:Southern Asia,between China and India
Nat'l-Hazards: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Natural-resources: timber,hydropower,gypsum,calcium carbide
Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Phones: 5,000
Radio Stations: FM 1,shortwave 1
Radios: 37,000
TV Stations: 0
TVs: 11,000
Airports: 2
Highways: 3,285 km paved: 1,994 km unpaved: 1,291 km
Currency: 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum, note - Indian currency is also legal money
Exports: cardamom,gypsum,timber,handicrafts,cement,fruit,electricity (to India),precious stones,spices
Farming: rice,corn,root crops,citrus,foodgrains, dairy products,eggs
Imports: fuel and lubricants,grain,machinery and parts,vehicles,fabrics,rice
Industry: cement,wood products,processed fruits,alcoholic beverages,calcium carbide
Admin-Div: 18 districts (dzongkhag)
Capital: Thimphu
Country-name: Kingdom of Bhutan: S/F Bhutan
Gov-type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Bolivia
Population: 8,152,620
Can Read: 83.1%;
Death-rate: 8.36 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Quechua 30%; Aymara 25%; mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%; white 15%;
Infant-mortality: 60.44/1,000 born,die
Language: Spanish (official),Quechua (official),Aymara (official)
Poverty-line: 70%;
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%; Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Their Nation: noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian
Total Life-expectancy: 63.7 Years (~
Area: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km
Climate: varies with altitude, humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Farmable-Land-Use: 2%; pastures: 24%; woodland: 53%; other: 21%;
GeoNote: landlocked, shares control of Lago Titicaca,world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m),with Peru
High/Low: lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m
Land-boundaries: 6,743 km border countries: Argentina 832 km,Brazil 3,400 km,Chile 861 km,Paraguay 750 km,Peru 900 km
Location:Central South America,southwest of Brazil
Nat'l-Hazards: cold,thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion,as well as to physical activity by those unaccustomed to it from birth; flooding in the northeast (March-April)
Natural-resources: tin,natural gas,petroleum,zinc,tungsten,antimony,silver,iron,lead,gold,timber,hydropower
Terrain: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),hills,lowland plains of the Amazon Basin
Cell Phones: 7,229
ISPs: 5
Phones: 368,874
Radio Stations: AM 171,FM 73,shortwave 77
Radios: 5.25 million
TV Stations: 48
TVs: 900,000
Airports: 1,109
Highways: 52,216 km paved: 2,872 km, unpaved: 49,344 km
Rails: 3,691 km
Waterways: 10,000 km of commercially navigable waterways
Currency: 1 boliviano ($B) = 100 centavos
Exports: soybeans,natural gas,zinc,gold,wood
Farming: soybeans,coffee,coca,cotton,corn,sugarcane,rice,potatoes, timber
Imports: capital goods,raw materials and semi-manufactures,chemicals,petroleum,food
Industry: mining,smelting,petroleum,food and beverages,tobacco,handicrafts,clothing
Admin-Div: 9 departments (departamentos,singular - departamento)
Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)
Country-name: Republic of Bolivia: S/F Bolivia: Localy called: Republica de Bolivia, localy called: Bolivia
Gov-type: republic
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Population: 3,835,777 note: all data dealing with population are subject to considerable error because of the dislocations caused by military action and ethnic cleansing
Death-rate: 7.87 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Serb 31%; Bosniak 44%; Croat 17%; Yugoslav 5.5%; other 2.5%
Infant-mortality: 25.17/1,000 born,die
Language: Croatian,Serbian,Bosnian
Life-expectancy: 71.49 Years
Religions: Muslim 40%; Orthodox 31%; Roman Catholic 15%; Protestant 4%; other 10%;
Their Nation: noun: Bosnian(s),Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian,Herzegovinian
Area: 51,129 sq km land: 51,129 sq km
Climate: hot summers and cold winters, areas of high elevation have short,cool summers and long,severe winters; mild,rainy winters along coast
Farmable-Land-Use: 14%; crops: 5%; pastures: 20%; woodland: 39%; other: 22%;
GeoNote: within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders,the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51%; of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (about 49%; of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority
High/Low: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Land-boundaries: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km,Serbia and Montenegro 527 km (312 km with Serbia,215 km with Montenegro)
Location:Southeastern Europe,bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Nat'l-Hazards: destructive earthquakes
Natural-resources: coal,iron,bauxite,manganese,forests,copper,chromium,lead,zinc,hydropower
Terrain: mountains and valleys
Cell Phones: 4,000
ISPs: 2
Phones: 238,000
Radio Stations: AM 8,FM 16,shortwave 1
Radios: 940,000
TV Stations: 33 (plus 292 repeaters) (September 1995)
Airports: 27
Highways: 21,846 km paved: 11,425 km unpaved: 10,421 km
Ports/Harbors: Bosanska Gradiska,Bosanski Brod,Bosanski Samac,and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava none of which are fully operational),Orasje
Rails: 1,021 km
Waterways: large sections of the Sava blocked by downed bridges,silt,and debris
Currency: 1 convertible marka (KM) = 100 convertible pfenniga
Farming: wheat,corn,fruits,vegetables, livestock
Industry: steel,coal,iron ore,lead,zinc,manganese,bauxite,vehicle assembly,textiles,tobacco products,wooden furniture,tank and aircraft assembly,domestic appliances,oil refining
Admin-Div: there are two
Capital: Sarajevo
Country-name: none: S/F Bosnia and Herzegovina: Localy called: none, localy called: Bosna i Hercegovina
Gov-type: emerging democracy
Botswana
Population: 1,576,470
Can Read: 69.8%;
Death-rate: 22.08 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Batswana 95%; Kalanga,Basarwa,and Kgalagadi 4%; white 1%;
Infant-mortality: 61.68/1,000 born,die
Language: English (official),Setswana
Life-expectancy: 39.27 Years
Poverty-line: 47%;
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%; Christian 50%;
Their Nation: noun: Motswana (singular),Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular),Batswana (plural)
Area: 600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Farmable-Land-Use: 1%; pastures: 46%; woodland: 47%; other: 6%;
GeoNote: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
High/Low: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
Land-boundaries: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km,South Africa 1,840 km,Zimbabwe 813 km
Location:Southern Africa,north of South Africa
Nat'l-Hazards: periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,carrying sand and dust across the country,which can obscure visibility
Natural-resources: diamonds,copper,nickel,salt,soda ash,potash,coal,iron ore,silver
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
ISPs: 2
Phones: 78,000
Radio Stations: AM 7,FM 15,shortwave 5
Radios: 237,000
TV Stations: 0
TVs: 31,000
Airports: 92
Highways: 18,482 km paved: 4,343 km unpaved: 14,139 km
Rails: 971 km
Currency: 1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
Exports: diamonds 72%; vehicles,copper,nickel,meat
Farming: sorghum,corn,millet,pulses,groundnuts (peanuts),beans,cowpeas,sunflower seed; livestock
Imports: foodstuffs,machinery and transport equipment,textiles,petroleum products
Industry: diamonds,copper,nickel,coal,salt,soda ash,potash; livestock processing
Admin-Div: 10
Capital: Gaborone
Country-name: Republic of Botswana: S/F Botswana former: Bechuanaland
Gov-type: parliamentary republic
Brazil
Population: 172,860,370
Can Read: 83.3%;
Death-rate: 9.37 per Thousand
Ethnicity: white (includes Portuguese,German,Italian,Spanish,Polish) 55%; mixed white and black 38%; black 6%; other (includes Japanese,Arab,Amerindian) 1%;
Infant-mortality: 38.04/1,000 born,die
Language: Portuguese (official),Spanish,English,French
Life-expectancy: 62.94 Years (~
Poverty-line: 17.4%
Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%;
Their Nation: noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian
Area: 8,511,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km water: 55,455 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha,Atol das Rocas,Ilha da Trindade,Ilhas Martin Vaz,and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo
Climate: mostly tropical,but temperate in south
Farmable-Land-Use: 5%; crops: 1%; pastures: 22%; woodland: 58%; other: 14%;
GeoNote: largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
High/Low:Low Ocean level highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m
Land-boundaries: 14,691 km border countries: Argentina 1,224 km,Bolivia 3,400 km,Colombia 1,643 km,French Guiana 673 km,Guyana 1,119 km,Paraguay 1,290 km,Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km,Uruguay 985 km,Venezuela 2,200 km
Location:Eastern South America,bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Nat'l-Hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
Natural-resources: bauxite,gold,iron ore,manganese,nickel,phosphates,platinum,tin,uranium,petroleum,hydropower,timber
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains,hills,mountains,and narrow coastal belt
Cell Phones: 4 million
ISPs: 197
Phones: 19 million
Radio Stations: AM 1,365,FM 296,shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations)
Radios: 71 million
TV Stations: 138
TVs: 36.5 million
Airports: 3,277
Highways: 1.98 million km paved: 184,140 km unpaved: 1,795,860 km
Ports/Harbors: Belem,Fortaleza,Ilheus,Imbituba,Manaus,Paranagua,Porto Alegre,Recife,Rio de Janeiro,Rio Grande,Salvador,Santos,Vitoria
Rails: 27,882 km
Waterways: 50,000 km navigable
Currency: 1 real (R$) = 100 centavos
Exports: manufactures,iron ore,soybeans,footwear,coffee
Farming: coffee,soybeans,wheat,rice,corn,sugarcane,cocoa,citrus; beef
Imports: machinery and equipment,chemical products,oil,electricity
Industry: textiles,shoes,chemicals,cement,lumber,iron ore,tin,steel,aircraft,motor vehicles and parts,other machinery and equipment
Admin-Div: 26 states
Capital: Brasilia
Country-name: Federative Republic of Brazil: S/F Brazil: Localy called: Republica Federativa do Brasil, localy called: Brasil
Gov-type: federative republic
Brunei
Population: 336,376
Can Read: 88.2%;
Death-rate: 3.39 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Malay 62%; Chinese 15%; indigenous 6%; other 17%;
Infant-mortality: 14.84/1,000 born,die
Language: Malay (official),English,Chinese
Life-expectancy: 73.58 Years
Religions: Muslim (official) 67%; Buddhist 13%; Christian 10%; indigenous beliefs and other 10%;
Their Nation: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Area: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km
Climate tropical: hot,humid,rainy
Farmable-Land-Use: 1%; crops: 1%; pastures: 1%; woodland: 85%; other: 12%;
GeoNote: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia
High/Low: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
Land-boundaries: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Location:Southeastern Asia,bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Nat'l-Hazards: typhoons,earthquakes,and severe flooding are very rare
Natural-resources: petroleum,natural gas,timber
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Cell Phones: 57,000
ISPs: 1
Phones: 68,000
Radio Stations: AM 3,FM 10,
Radios: 319,408
TV Stations: 2
TVs: 196,009
Airports: 2
Highways: 1,150 km paved: 399 km unpaved: 751 km
Ports/Harbors: Bandar Seri Begawan,Kuala Belait,Muara,Seria,Tutong
Rails: 13 km
Waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m
Currency: 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Exports: crude oil,liquefied natural gas,petroleum products
Farming: rice,cassava (tapioca),bananas; water buffalo
Imports: machinery and transport equipment,manufactured goods,food,chemicals
Industry: petroleum,petroleum refining,liquefied natural gas,construction
Admin-Div: 4 districts
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Country-name: Negara Brunei Darussalam: S/F Brunei
Gov-type: constitutional sultanate
Bulgaria
Population: 7,796,694
Can Read: 98%;
Death-rate: 14.63 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Bulgarian 83%; Turk 8.5%; Roma 2.6%; Macedonia,Armenian,Tatar,Gagauz,Circassian,others
Infant-mortality: 15.13/1,000 born,die
Language: Bulgarian,secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
Life-expectancy: 70.91 Years
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.5%; Muslim 13%; Roman Catholic 1.5%; Jewish 0.8%; Uniate Catholic 0.2%; Protestant,Gregorian-Armenian,and other 1%;
Their Nation: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Area: 110,910 sq km land: 110,550 sq km water: 360 sq km
Climate temperate: cold,damp winters; hot,dry summers
Farmable-Land-Use: 43%; crops: 2%; pastures: 14%; woodland: 38%; other: 3%;
GeoNote: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
High/Low: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Land-boundaries: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km,The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km,Romania 608 km,Serbia and Montenegro 318 km (all with Serbia),Turkey 240 km
Location:Southeastern Europe,bordering the Black Sea,between Romania and Turkey
Nat'l-Hazards: earthquakes,landslides
Natural-resources: bauxite,copper,lead,zinc,coal,timber,arable land
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Cell Phones: 300,000
ISPs: 20
Phones: 3.186 million
Radio Stations: AM 24,FM 93,shortwave 2
Radios: 4.51 million
TV Stations: 33
TVs: 3.31 million
Airports: 216
Highways: 36,759 km paved: 33,818 km, unpaved: 2,941 km
Ports/Harbors: Burgas,Lom,Nesebur,Ruse,Varna,Vidin
Rails: 4,294 km
Waterways: 470 km
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exports: machinery and equipment; metals,minerals,and fuels; chemicals and plastics; food,tobacco,clothing
Farming: vegetables,fruits,tobacco,livestock,wine,wheat,barley,sunflowers,sugar beets
Imports: fuels,minerals,and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food,textiles
Industry: machine building and metal working,food processing,chemicals,construction materials,ferrous and nonferrous metals,nuclear fuel
Admin-Div: 9 provinces
Capital: Sofia
Country-name: Republic of Bulgaria: S/F Bulgaria
Gov-type: parliamentary democracy
Burkina Faso
Population: 11,946,065
Can Read: 19.2%;
Death-rate: 17.04 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Mossi over 40%; Gurunsi,Senufo,Lobi,Bobo,Mande,Fulani
Infant-mortality: 108.53/1,000 born,die
Language: French (official),native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90%; of the population
Life-expectancy: 46.73 Years (~
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%; Muslim 50%; Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%;
Their Nation: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe
Area: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km
Climate tropical; warm,dry winters; hot,wet summers
Farmable-Land-Use: 13%; pastures: 22%; woodland: 50%; other: 15%;
GeoNote: landlocked
High/Low: lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
Land-boundaries: 3,192 km border countries: Benin 306 km,Cote d'Ivoire 584 km,Ghana 548 km,Mali 1,000 km,Niger 628 km,Togo 126 km
Location:Western Africa,north of Ghana
Nat'l-Hazards: recurring droughts
Natural-resources: manganese,limestone,marble; small deposits of gold,antimony,copper,nickel,bauxite,lead,phosphates,zinc,silver
Terrain: mostly flat to dissected,undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
ISPs: 1
Phones: 30,000
Radio Stations: AM 2,FM 17,shortwave 1
Radios: 370,000
TV Stations: 1
TVs: 100,000
Airports: 33
Highways: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km
Rails: 622 km
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exports: cotton,animal products,gold
Farming: peanuts,shea nuts,sesame,cotton,sorghum,millet,corn,rice; livestock
Imports: machinery,food products,petroleum
Industry: cotton lint,beverages,agricultural processing,soap,cigarettes,textiles,gold
Admin-Div: 30 provinces
Capital: Ouagadougou
Country-name: none: S/F Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta
Gov-type: parliamentary
Burma
Population: 41,734,853
Can Read: 83.1%;
Death-rate: 12.35 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Burman 68%; Shan 9%; Karen 7%; Rakhine 4%; Chinese 3%; Mon 2%; Indian 2%; other 5%;
Infant-mortality: 75.3/1,000 born,die
Language: Burmese,minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Life-expectancy: 54.91 Years
Poverty-line: 23%;
Religions: Buddhist 89%; Christian 4%; (Baptist 3%; Roman Catholic 1%),Muslim 4%; animist 1%; other 2%;
Their Nation: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
Area: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km
Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy,rainy,hot,humid summers (southwest monsoon,June to September); less cloudy,scant rainfall,mild temperatures,lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,December to April)
Farmable-Land-Use: 15%; crops: 1%; pastures: 1%; woodland: 49%; other: 34%;
GeoNote: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
High/Low: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
Land-boundaries: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km,China 2,185 km,India 1,463 km,Laos 235 km,Thailand 1,800 km
Location:Southeastern Asia,bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,between Bangladesh and Thailand
Nat'l-Hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Natural-resources: petroleum,timber,tin,antimony,zinc,copper,tungsten,lead,coal,some marble,limestone,precious stones,natural gas,hydropower
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep,rugged highlands
Cell Phones: 2,007
ISPs: 0
Phones: 158,000
Radio Stations: AM 2,FM 3,shortwave 3
Radios: 4.2 million
TV Stations: 2
TVs: 260,000
Airports: 80
Highways: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km
Ports/Harbors: Bassein,Bhamo,Chauk,Mandalay,Moulmein,Myitkyina,Rangoon,Akyab (Sittwe),Tavoy
Rails: 3,991 km
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exports: pulses and beans,prawns,fish,rice; teak,opiates
Farming: paddy rice,corn,oilseed,sugarcane,pulses; hardwood
Imports: machinery,transport equipment,construction materials,food products
Industry: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; copper,tin,tungsten,iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Admin-Div: 7 divisions
Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Country-name: Union of Burma: S/F Burma: Localy called: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar), localy called: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Gov-type: military regime
Burundi
Population: 6,054,714
Can Read: 35.3%;
Death-rate: 16.44 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Hutu (Bantu) 85%; Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%; Twa (Pygmy) 1%; Europeans 3,000,South Asians 2,000
Infant-mortality: 71.5/1,000 born,die
Language: Kirundi (official),French (official),Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Life-expectancy: 46.18 Years
Poverty-line: 36.2%
Religions: Christian 67%; (Roman Catholic 62%; Protestant 5%),indigenous beliefs 23%; Muslim 10%;
Their Nation: noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundi
Area: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km
Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and September to November,and dry seasons from June to August and December to January
Farmable-Land-Use: 44%; crops: 9%; pastures: 36%; woodland: 3%; other: 8%;
GeoNote: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed
High/Low: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m
Land-boundaries: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km,Rwanda 290 km,Tanzania 451 km
Location:Central Africa,east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nat'l-Hazards: flooding,landslides
Natural-resources: nickel,uranium,rare earth oxides,peat,cobalt,copper,platinum (not yet exploited),vanadium,arable land,hydropower
Terrain: hilly and mountainous,dropping to a plateau in east,some plains
Cell Phones: 343
Phones: 17,000
Radio Stations: AM 2, FM 2,
Radios: 440,000
TV Stations: 1
TVs: 25,000
Airports: 4
Highways: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km
Ports/Harbors: Bujumbura
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika
Currency: 1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes
Exports: coffee,tea,sugar,cotton,hides
Farming: coffee,cotton,tea,corn,sorghum,sweet potatoes,bananas,manioc (tapioca); beef,milk,hides
Imports: capital goods,petroleum products,foodstuffs
Industry: light consumer goods such as blankets,shoes,soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
Admin-Div: 15 provinces
Capital: Bujumbura
Country-name: Republic of Burundi: S/F Burundi: Localy called: Republika y'u Burundi, localy called: Burundi
Gov-type: republic
Cambodia
Population: 12,212,306
Can Read: 35%
Death-rate: 10.79 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Khmer 90%; Vietnamese 5%; Chinese 1%; other 4%;
Infant-mortality: 66.82/1,000 born,die
Language: Khmer (official) 95%; French,English
Life-expectancy: 56.53 Years
Poverty-line: 36%;
Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%; other 5%;
Their Nation: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian
Area: 181,040 sq km land: 176,520 sq km water: 4,520 sq km
Climate tropical; rainy,monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Farmable-Land-Use: 13%; pastures: 11%; woodland: 66%; other: 10%;
GeoNote: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap
High/Low: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Land-boundaries: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km,Thailand 803 km,Vietnam 1,228 km
Location:Southeastern Asia,bordering the Gulf of Thailand,between Thailand,Vietnam,and Laos
Nat'l-Hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
Natural-resources: timber,gemstones,some iron ore,manganese,phosphates,hydropower potential
Terrain: mostly low,flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Cell Phones: 34,880
ISPs: 2
Phones: 21,800 (mid-1998)
Radio Stations: AM 7,FM 3,shortwave 3
Radios: 1.34 million
TV Stations: 5
TVs: 94,000
Airports: 19
Highways: 35,769 km paved: 4,165 km unpaved: 31,604 km
Ports/Harbors: Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville),Kampot,Krong Kaoh Kong,Phnom Penh
Rails: 603 km
Waterways: 3,700 km navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing 1.8 m or less
Currency: 1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen
Exports: timber,garments,rubber,rice,fish
Farming: rice,rubber,corn,vegetables
Imports: cigarettes,gold,construction materials,petroleum products,machinery,motor vehicles
Industry: garments,rice milling,fishing,wood and wood products,rubber,cement,gem mining,textiles
Admin-Div: 20 provinces
Capital: Phnom Penh
Country-name: Kingdom of Cambodia: S/F Cambodia: Localy called: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea, localy called: Kampuchea
Gov-type: multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993
Cameroon
Population: 15,421,937
Can Read: 63.4%;
Death-rate: 11.89 per Thousand
Ethnicity: Cameroon Highlanders 31%; Equatorial Bantu 19%; Kirdi 11%; Fulani 10%; Northwestern Bantu 8%; Eastern Nigritic 7%; other African 13%; non-African less than 1%;
Infant-mortality: 70.87/1,000 born,die
Language: 24 major African language groups,English (official),French (official)
Life-expectancy: 54.82 Years (~
Poverty-line: 40%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%; Christian 40%; Muslim 20%;
Their Nation: noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian
Area: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Climate: varies with terrain,from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Farmable-Land-Use: 13%; crops: 2%; pastures: 4%; woodland: 78%; other: 3%;
GeoNote: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
High/Low:Low Ocean level highest point: Fako 4,095 m
Land-boundaries: 4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km,Chad 1,094 km,Republic of the Congo 523 km,Equatorial Guinea 189 km,Gabon 298 km,Nigeria 1,690 km
Location:Western Africa,bordering the Bight of Biafra,between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Nat'l-Hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases
Natural-resources: petroleum,bauxite,iron ore,timber,hydropower
Terrain: diverse,with coastal plain in southwest,dissected plateau in center,mountains in west,plains in north
Cell Phones: 2,800
Phones: 60,000
Radio Stations: AM 11,FM 8,shortwave 3
Radios: 2.27 million
TV Stations: 1
TVs: 450,000
Airports: 50
Highways: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km
Ports/Harbors: Bonaberi,Douala,Garoua,Kribi,Tiko
Rails: 1,104 km
Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exports: crude oil and petroleum products,lumber,cocoa beans,aluminum,coffee,cotton
Farming: coffee,cocoa,cotton,rubber,bananas,oilseed,grains,root starches; livestock; timber
Imports: machines and electrical equipment,transport equipment,fuel,food
Industry: petroleum production and refining,food processing,light consumer goods,textiles,lumber
Admin-Div: 10 provinces
Capital: Yaounde
Country-name: Republic of Cameroon: S/F Cameroon former: French Cameroon
Gov-type: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) note: preponderance of power remains with the president
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