1989 Edition

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

varies from tropical to near temperate

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Coastline

386 km

3,587 km

none — landlocked

3,218 km

1,148 km

Comparative area

slightly smaller than West Virginia

slightly smaller than New Jersey

slightly larger than California

Contiguous zone

10 nm

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

Disputes

claims area in French Guiana between Litani Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/ Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

focus of maritime boundary dispute between Norway and USSR

maritime boundary dispute with

Environment

mostly tropical rain forest

great calving glaciers descend to the sea

overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion

water pollution; acid rain

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

Extended economic zone

200 nm

200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway, not recognized by USSR

Land boundaries

1,707 km total; Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

none

535 km total; Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

2,193 km total; Finland 536 km, Norway 1,657 km

1,424 km total; Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Land use

NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 97% forest and woodland; 3% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other; there are no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry

8% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 67% meadows and pastures; 6% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes 2% irrigated

7% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 64% forest and woodland; 27% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Maritime claims

none — landlocked

Natural resources

timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and modest amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold

coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

asbestos, coal, clay, tin, hydroelelectric power, forests, and small gold and diamond deposits

zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential

Note

located 445 km north of Norway where the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea meet

landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

Terrain

mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts

mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

4 nm

1 2 nm

12 nm

Total area

62,049 km2; land area: 62,049 km2; includes Spitsbergen and Bjerneya (Bear Island)

17,360 km2; land area: 17,200 km2

449,960 km2; land area: 411,620km2

Birth rate

27 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

NA births/ 1,000 population (1990)

46 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

13 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

6 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

NA deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

1 5 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

1 1 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

37.0% Hindustani (East Indian), 31.0% Creole (black and mixed), 15.3% Javanese, 10.3% Bush black, 2.6% Amerindian, 1 .7% Chinese, 1 .0% Europeans, 1.1% other

64% Russian, 35% Norwegian, 1% other (1981)

97% African, 3% European Swaziland (continued)

homogeneous white population; small Lappish minority; about 12% foreign born or first-generation immigrants (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

Infant mortality rate

40 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

NA deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

126 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

6 deaths/ 1 ,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

104,000 (1984)

NA

195,000; over 60,000 engaged in subsistence agriculture; about 92,000 wage earners (many only intermittently), with 36% agriculture and forestry, 20% community and social services, 14% manufacturing, 9% construction, 21% other; 24,000-29,000 employed in South Africa (1987)

4,531,000 (1988); 32.8% private services, 30.0% government services, 22.0% mining and manufacturing, 5.9% construction, 5.0% agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 0.9% electricity, gas, and waterworks (1986)

Language

Dutch (official); English widely spoken; Sranan Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki) is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others; also Hindi Suriname Hindustani (a variant of Bhoqpuri), and Javanese

Russian, Norwegian

English and siSwati (official); government business conducted in English

Swedish, small Lappand Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native languages

Life expectancy at birth

66 years male, 71 years female (1990)

NA years male, NA years female (1990)

48 years male, 55 years female (1 990)

75 years male, 81 years female (1990)

Literacy

65%

NA%

67.9%

99%

Nationality

noun — Surinamer(s); adjective— Surinamese

noun — Swazi(s); adjective — Swazi

noun — Swede(s); adjective — Swedish

Net migration rate

—7 migrants/ 1,000 population (1990)

NA migrants/ 1,000 population (1990)

0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

3 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

49,000 members of labor force

none

about 1 0% of wage earners

90% of labor force (1985 est.)

Population

396,813 (July 1990), growth rate 1.4% (1990)

3,942 (July 1990), growth rate NA% (1990); about one-third of the population resides in the Norwegian areas Swaziland (Longyearbyen and Svea on Vestspitsbergen) and two-thirds in the Soviet areas (Barentsburg and Pyramiden on Vestspitsbergen); about 9 persons live at the Polish research station

778,525 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)

8,526,452 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)

Religion

27.4% Hindu, 19.6% Muslim, 22.8% Roman Catholic, 25.2% Protestant (predominantly Moravian), about 5% indigenous beliefs

60% Christian, 40% indigenous beliefs

93.5% Evangelical Lutheran, 1.0% Roman Catholic, 5.5% other

Total fertility rate

2.9 children born/ woman (1990)

NA children born/ woman (1990)

6.0 children born/ woman (1990)

1 .9 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

1 0 districts (distrikten, singular — distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

24 provinces (Ian, singular and plural); Alvsborgs Lan, Blekinge La'n, Gavleborgs Lan, Goteborgs och Bohus Lan, Gotlands Lan, Hallands Lan, Jamtlands Lan, Jonkopings Lan, Kalmar Lan, Kopparbergs La'n, Kristianstads Lan, Kronobergs Lan, Malmohus Lan, Norrbottens Lan, Orebro Lan, Ostergotlands La'n, Skaraborgs La'n, S6dermanlands Lan, Stockholms Lan, Uppsala La'n, Va'rmlands La'n, Va'sterbottens La'n, Va'sternorrlands Lan, Vastmanlands Lan

Capital

Paramaribo

Longyearbyen

Mbabane (administrative); I obamba (legislative)

Stockholm

Communists

no Communist party

VPK and SKP; VPK, the major Communist party, is reported to have roughly 17,800 members; in the 1988 election, the VPK attracted 5.8% of the vote

Constitution

ratified 30 September 1987

none; constitution of 6 September 1 968 was suspended on 1 2 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but has not been formally presented to the people

1 January 1975

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Willem A. UDENHOUT; Chancery at Suite 108, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-7488 or 7490 through 7492; there is a Surinamese Consulate General in Miami; US— Ambassador Richard HOWLAND; Embassy at Dr. Sophie Redmonstraat 129, Paramaribo (mailing address is P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo); telephone [597] 72900 or 76459

Ambassador Absalom Vusani MAMBA; Chancery at 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 362-6683; US — Ambassador (vacant), Deputy Chief of Mission Armajane KARAER; Embassy at Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane (mailing address is P. O. Box 199, Mbabane); telephone 22281 through

Ambassador Anders THUNBORG; Chancery at Suite 1200, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 944-5600; there are Swedish Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and New York; US — Ambassador Charles E. REDMAN; Embassy at Strandvagen 101, S-115 27 Stockholm; telephone [46] (8) 7835300

Elections

National Assembly — last held 25 November 1987 (next to be held November 1992); results— The Front 80%, others 20%; seats— (51 total) The Front 40, NDP 3, PALU 4, Pendawa Llwa 4

no direct elections

Parliament — last held 1 8 September 1988 (next to be held September 1991); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats — (349 total) Social Democratic 156, Moderate (conservative) 66, Liberals 44, Center 42, Communists 21, Greens 20

Executive branch

president, vice president and prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers, Council of State; note — commander in chief of the National Army maintains significant power

monarch, prime minister, Cabinet

monarch, prime minister. Cabinet

Flag

five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band

the flag of Norway is used

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

blue with a yellow cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Independence

25 November 1975 (from Netherlands; formerly Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana)

6 September 1 968 (from UK)

6 June 1809, constitutional monarchy established

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

High Court, Court of Appeal

Supreme Court ( Ho'gsta Domstolen)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government— President Ramsewak SHANK AR (since 25 January 1988); Vice President and Prime Minister Henck Alfonsus Eugene ARRON (since 25 January 1988) Political parties and leaders: 25 February Movement established by Lt. Col. Desire Bouterse in November 1983, but much of its activity taken over by New Democratic Party (NDP) in May 1987; leftists (all small groups) — Revolutionary People's Party (RVP), Michael Naarendorp; Progressive Workers and Farmers (PALU), Iwan Krolis; traditional parties — Progressive Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath Lachmon; National Party of Suriname (NPS), Henck Arron; Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI), Willy Soemita; the VHP, NPS, and KTPI formed a coalition known as The Front in July 1987 that overwhelmingly defeated the NDP in the November 1987 elections

Chief of State— King OLAV V (since 21 September 1957); Head of Government Governor Leif ELDRING (since NA)

Chief of State— King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986); Head of Government — Prime Minister Obed MFANYANA (since 12 July 1989)

Chief of State— King CARL XVI Gustaf (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the King (born 14 July 1977); Head of Government — Prime Minister Ingvar CARLSSON (since 12 March 1986); Deputy Prime Minister Kjell-Olof FELDT (since NA March 1986) Political parties and leaders: Moderate (conservative), Carl Bildt; Center, Olof Johansson; Liberal People's Party, Bengt Westerberg; Social Democratic, Ingvar Carlsson; Left Party-Communist (VPK), Lars Werner; Swedish Communist Party (SKP), Rune Pettersson; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf Hagel; Green Party, no formal leader

Legal system

NA

based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts, Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

bicameral Parliament (Libandla) is advisory and consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

unicameral Parliament (Riksdag)

Long-form name

Republic of Suriname

none

Kingdom of Swaziland

Kingdom of Sweden

Member of

ACP, ECLA, FAO, GATT, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB— InterAmerican Development Bank, I FAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

ACP, AfDB, CCC, FAO, G77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EFTA, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO. ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB — Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IPU, ISO, ITU, IWC— International, Whaling Commission, IWC— International Wheat Council, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Somhlolo (Independence) Day, 6 September (1968)

Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Political parties

none; banned by the Constitution promulgated on 13 October

Suffrage

universal at age 18

none

universal at age 18

Type

republic

territory of Norway administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1 920) sovereignty was given to Norway

monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

constitutional monarchy

Agriculture

accounts for 1 1 % of both GDP and labor force; paddy rice planted on 85% of arable land and represents 60% of total farm output; other products — bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts, beef, chicken; shrimp and forestry products of increasing importance; self-sufficient in most foods

accounts for 25% of GDP and over 60% of labor force; mostly subsistence agriculture; cash crops — sugarcane, citrus fruit, cotton, pineapples; other crops and livestock — corn, sorghum, peanuts, cattle, goats, sheep; not self-sufficient in grain

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $2.5 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.4 billion

US commitments, including Ex-lm (FY70-88), $132 million; Western (nonUS) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $468 million

Budget

revenues $466 million; expenditures $716 million, including capital expenditures of $123 million (1989 est.) Suriname (continued)

revenues $255 million; expenditures $253 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (FY91 est.)

Currency

Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (plural — guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents

Norwegian krone (plural — kroner); 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 ere

lilangeni (plural — emalangeni); 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents

Electricity

458,000 kW capacity; 2,018 million kWh produced, 5,030 kWh per capita (1989)

21,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 1 1,420 kWh per capita (1989)

50,000 kW capacity; 1 30 million kWh produced, 170 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per US$1— 1.7850 (fixed rate)

Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1— 6.5405 (January 1990), 6.9045 (1989), 6.5170 (1988), 6.7375 (1987), 7.3947(1986), 8.5972(1985)

emalangeni (E) per US$1— 2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.261 1 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.191 1 (1985); note— the Swazi emalangeni is at par with the South African rand

Exports

$425 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities — alumina, bauxite, aluminum, rice, wood and wood products, shrimp and fish, bananas; partners — Netherlands 28%, US 22%, Norway 18%, Japan 1 1%, Brazil 10%, UK 4%

$394 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— sugar, asbestos, wood pulp, citrus, canned fruit, soft drink concentrates; partners — South Africa, UK, US

External debt

$65 million (1989 est.)

$275 million (December 1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 April-31 March

GDP

$1.27 billion, per capita $3,215; real growth rate 3.6% (1988 est.)

GNP

$539 million, per capita $750; real growth rate 5.7% (1989 est.)

Imports

$365 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities — capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods; partners— US 34%, Netherlands 20%, Trinidad and Tobago 8%, Brazil 5%, UK 3%

$386 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, foodstuffs; partners — South Africa, US, UK

Industrial production

growth rate —3.1% (1986)

growth rate 24% (1986)

Industries

bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing

mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

50% (1988 est.)

17% (1989 est.)

Overview

The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts for about 80% of export earnings and 40% of tax revenues. The economy has been in trouble since the Dutch ended development aid in 1982. A drop in world bauxite prices that started in the late 1970s and continued until late 1986, was followed by the outbreak of a guerrilla insurgency in the interior. The guerrillas targeted the economic infrastructure, crippling the important bauxite sector and shutting down other export industries. These problems have created both high inflation and high unemployment. A small gain in economic growth of 3.6% was registered in 1988 due to reduced guerrilla activity and improved international markets for bauxite.

Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. By treaty (9 February 1920), the nationals of the treaty powers have equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Soviet. Each company mines about half a million tons of coal annually. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, which occupies much of the labor force and contributes about 25% to GDP. Manufacturing, which includes a number of agroprocessing factories, accounts for another 25% of GDP. Mining has declined in importance in recent years; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted in 1978, and health concerns cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of sugar and forestry products are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa, from which it receives 90% of its imports and to which it sends about one-third of its exports.

Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has essentially full employment, a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled and intelligent labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy that is heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. As the 1 990s open, however, Sweden faces serious economic problems: long waits for adequate housing, the decay of

Unemployment rate

27% (1988)

NA%

Airports

47 total, 43 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1, 220-2,439 m Svalbard (territory of Norway)

4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1, 220-2,439 m

23 total, 22 usable; 1 with permanent-surfaced runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1 ,2202,439 m

Branches

National Army (including Support Battalion, Infantry Battalion, Mechanized Cavalry Unit, Military Police Brigade, Navy which is company-size, small Air Force element) Military manpower, males 15-49, 105,328; 62,896 fit for military service

Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force, Royal Swaziland Police Force

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

1 major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

7.2% of GDP, or $91 million (1990 est.) r\ V "Tea"* fHopen Norwegian Sea S« regional mip XI 20Okm

NA Sweden Tarnal Luli-.l Gull of SundjvaH'f Bothnia avle ^Uppsala I \J * ^STOCKHOLM . jbnkpping Goteborg^ Kattegat \ Jf>lar,d Ball.c Sea Malm° \__jKarlsktona

Highways

8,300 km total; 500 km paved; 5,400 km bauxite gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 2,400 km sand or clay

2,853 km total; 510 km paved, 1 ,230 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, and 1,1 13 km improved earth

Inland waterways

1 ,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing vessels with drafts ranging from 4.2 m to 7 m can navigate many of the principal waterways

Merchant marine

3 ships (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 6,472 GRT/8,914 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container

Military manpower

males 15-49, 166,537; 96,239 fit for military service

Note

demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) 50 km Sef regional map Ml

Ports

Paramaribo, Moengo

limited facilities — Ny-Alesund, Advent Bay

Railroads

166 km total; 86 km 1.000meter gauge, government owned, and 80 km 1.435-meter standard gauge; all single track

297 km plus 71 km disused, 1.067-meter gauge, single track

Telecommunications

international facilities good; domestic radio relay system; 27,500 telephones; stations — 5 AM, 14 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations Defense Forces

5 meteorological/ radio stations; stations — 1 AM, 1 (2 relays) FM, 1 TV Defense Forces

system consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines and lowcapacity radio relay links; 15,400 telephones; stations— 6 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces