The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ebook reader 8 inch .txt) 📕

is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. The Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$115 million (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$144 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$2,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 31.7% industry: 14.9% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:

14,680 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 21.4% industry: 20.9% services: 57.7% (2000)

Unemployment rate:

30.9% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million (1999)

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:

copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)

Exports:

$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:

US, Japan, Australia, China (2006)

Imports:

$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$56.56 million (2005)

Debt - external:

$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications
Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

4,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

700 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, Internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and
Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one
AM station on Kwajalein) (2005)

Radios:

NA

Television broadcast stations:

2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)

Televisions:

NA

Internet country code:

.mh

Internet hosts:

3 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Internet users:

2,200 (2006)

Transportation
Marshall Islands

Airports:

15 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,049 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 284, cargo 71, carrier 1, chemical tanker 191, combination ore/oil 4, container 188, liquefied gas 47, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 221, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 14, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 6 foreign-owned: 990 (Australia 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 4, China 7, Croatia 6, Cyprus 37, Denmark 10, Germany 235, Greece 269, Hong Kong 4, Iceland 3, India 1, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 3, Japan 17, South Korea 10, Latvia 16, Malaysia 3, Mexico 4, Monaco 13, Netherlands 8, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Panama 1, Romania 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 18, Slovenia 4, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 12, Taiwan 1, Turkey 50, UAE 15, UK 9, UK 9, US 123) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Majuro

Military
Marshall Islands

Military branches:

no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands Police (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 15,708 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,864 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 512 female: 494 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues
Marshall Islands

Disputes - international:

claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Mauritania

Introduction
Mauritania

Background:

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for over two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a coup deposed him and ushered in a military council government. Meanwhile, the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Geography
Mauritania

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:

754 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources:

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use:

arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

490 sq km (2002)

Total renewable water resources:

11.4 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%) per capita: 554 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People
Mauritania

Population:

3,364,940 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.3% (male 763,845/female 759,957) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 872,924/female 894,980) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 29,147/female 44,087) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.2 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.4 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.852% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

40.14 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

11.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 66.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 69.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.91 years male: 51.61 years female: 56.28 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.69 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:

mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:

Muslim 100%

Languages:

Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.2% male: 59.5% female: 43.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.9% of GDP (2006)

Government
Mauritania

Country name:

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type:

Democratic Republic

Capital:

name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:

28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:

12 July 1991

Legal system:

a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ who led a coup that deposed the democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI on 6 August 2008 head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3 members elected by Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15,