1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
mostly temperate, but varies from tropical (Hawaii) to arctic (Alaska); arid to semiarid in west with occasional warm, dry chinook wind
Coastline
19,924 km
Comparative area
about three-tenths the size of Russia; about one-third the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about two and one-half times the size of Western Europe
Contiguous zone
12 nm
Continental shelf
not specified
Disputes
maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca); US Naval Base at Guantanamo is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other nation; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Environment
pollution control measures improving air and water quality; acid rain; agricultural fertilizer and pesticide pollution; management of sparse natural water resources in west; desertification; tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; continuous permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
9,166,600 km2; includes only the 50 states and District of Colombia
Land boundaries
12,248.1 km; Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,326 km, Cuba (US naval base at Guantanamo) 29.1 km
Land use
arable land 20%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 26%; forest and woodland 29%; other 25%; includes irrigated 2%
Natural resources
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, crude oil, natural gas, timber
Note
world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)
Terrain
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
9,372,610 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
14 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
9 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
white 84.1%, black 12.4%, other 3.5% (1989)
Infant mortality rate
10 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
126,867,000 (includes armed forces and unemployed); civilian labor force 125,303,000 (1991)
Languages
predominantly English; sizable Spanish-speaking minority
Life expectancy at birth
72 years male, 79 years female (1992)
Literacy
98% (male 97%, female 98%) age 25 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1989)
Nationality
noun - American(s); adjective - American
Net migration rate
2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
16,568,000 members; 16.1% of total wage and salary employment which was 102,786,000 (1991)
Population
254,521,000 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)
Religions
Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)
Total fertility rate
1.8 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Capital
Washington, DC
Chief of State and Head of Government
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989)
Communists
Communist Party (claimed 15,000-20,000 members), Gus HALL, general secretary; Socialist Workers Party (claimed 1,800 members), Jack BARNES, national secretary
Constitution
17 September 1787, effective 4 June 1789
Dependent areas
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island; Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
Diplomatic representation
US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Thomas R. PICKERING; Mission at 799 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 415-4050, after hours (212) 415-4444; FAX (212) 415-4443
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
Flag
thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
House of Representatives
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Democratic Party 52%, Republican Party 44%, other 4%; seats - (435 total) Democratic Party 267, Republican Party 167, Socialist 1
Independence
4 July 1776 (from England)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Long-form name
United States of America; abbreviated US or USA
Member of
AfDB, AG (observer), ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, COCOM, CP, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, FAO, ESCAP, G-2, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NATO, NEA, OAS, OECD, PCA, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UN Security Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Note
since 18 July 1947, the US has administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with three of the four political units; the Northern Mariana Islands is a Commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US that was approved by the US Congress but to date the Compact process has not been completed in Palau, which continues to be administered by the US as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)
Political parties and leaders
Republican Party, Richard N. BOND, national committee chairman; Jeanie AUSTIN, co-chairman; Democratic Party, Ronald H. BROWN, national committee chairman; several other groups or parties of minor political significance
President
last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - George BUSH (Republican Party) 53.37%, Michael DUKAKIS (Democratic Party) 45.67%, other 0.96%
Senate
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Democratic Party 51%, Republican Party 47%, other 2%; seats - (100 total) Democratic Party 56, Republican Party 44
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 2% of GDP and 2.8% of labor force; favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock production; world's second largest producer and number one exporter of grain; surplus food producer; fish catch of 5.0 million metric tons (1988)
British pounds
(#) per US$ - 0.5599 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987)
Budget
revenues $1,054 billion; expenditures $1,323 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91)
Canadian dollars
(Can$) per US$ - 1.1926 (March 1992), 1.1457 (1991), 1.1668 (1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987)
Currency
United States dollar (plural - dollars); 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
donor - commitments, including ODA and OOF, (FY80-89), $115.7 billion
Electricity
776,550,000 kW capacity; 3,020,000 million kWh produced, 12,080 kWh per capita (1990)
Exports
$428.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products partners: Western Europe 27.3%, Canada 22.1%, Japan 12.1% (1989)
External debt
NA
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
French francs
(F) per US$ - 5.6397, (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
GDP
purchasing power equivalent - $5,673 billion, per capita $22,470; real growth rate -0.7% (1991)
German deutsche marks
(DM) per US$ - 1.6611 (March 1992), 1.6595 (1991), 1.6157 (1990), 1.8800 (1989), 1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for domestic consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons or about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production
Imports
$499.4 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: crude and partly refined petroleum, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages partners: Western Europe 21.5%, Japan 19.7%, Canada 18.8% (1989)
Industrial production
growth rate -1.9% (1991)
Industries
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, fishing, lumber, mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.2% (1991)
Italian lire
(Lit) per US$ - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1.372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987)
Japanese yen
(Y) per US$ - 132.70 (March 1992), 134.71 (1991), 144.79 (1990), 137.96 (1989), 128.15 (1988), 144.64 (1987)
Overview
The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $22,470, the largest among major industrial nations. The economy is market oriented with most decisions made by private individuals and business firms and with government purchases of goods and services made predominantly in the marketplace. In 1989 the economy enjoyed its seventh successive year of substantial growth, the longest in peacetime history. The expansion featured moderation in wage and consumer price increases and a steady reduction in unemployment to 5.2% of the labor force. In 1990, however, growth slowed to 1% because of a combination of factors, such as the worldwide increase in interest rates, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August, the subsequent spurt in oil prices, and a general decline in business and consumer confidence. In 1991 output failed to recover, unemployment grew, and signs of recovery proved premature. Ongoing problems for the 1990s include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical costs, and sizable budget and trade deficits.
Unemployment rate
6.6% (1991)
Communications
Airports
14,177 total, 12,417 usable; 4,820 with permanent-surface runways; 63 with runways over 3,659 m; 325 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2,524 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
8,252 commercial multiengine transport aircraft (weighing 9,000 kg and over) including 6,036 jet, 831 turboprop, 1,382 piston (December 1989)
Highways
6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways
Inland waterways
41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes (est.)
Merchant marine
396 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,969 GRT/20,179 DWT; includes 3 passenger-cargo, 38 cargo, 25 bulk, 174 tanker, 13 tanker tug-barge, 14 liquefied gas, 129 intermodal; in addition, there are 231 government-owned vessels
Pipelines
petroleum 275,800 km, natural gas 305,300 km (1985)
Ports
Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland, Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Wilmington
Railroads
270,312 km
Telecommunications
182,558,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4,892 AM, 5,200 FM (including 3,915 commercial and 1,285 public broadcasting), 7,296 TV (including 796 commercial, 300 public broadcasting, and 6,200 commercial cable); 495,000,000 radio receivers (1982); 150,000,000 TV sets (1982); satellite ground stations - 45 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 16 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT
Military and Security
Branches
Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $323.5 billion, 5.7% of GNP (1991)
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 66,458,000; NA fit for military service