China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
0 km (landlocked)
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Nowshak 7,485 m
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding
landlocked
22,664,136 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
transitional government
Kabul
19 August 1919 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton
food and petroleum products; most consumer goods
1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Albania
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
28,750 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)
362 km
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
2,381,740 sq km
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
998 km
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
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Tahat 3,003 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
29,183,032 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
republic
Algiers
5 July 1962 (from France)
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
199 sq km
slightly larger than Washington, DC
116 km
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Lata 966 m
pumice, pumicite
typhoons common from December to March
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
59,566 (July 1996 est.)
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
Pago Pago
none (territory of the US)
blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Aanu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Andorra
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
450 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
France 60 km, Spain 65 km
0 km (landlocked)
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
snowslides, avalanches
landlocked
72,766 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic (predominant)
Catalan (official), French, Castilian
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are represented locally by officials called veguers
Andorra la Vella
1278
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania that do not have a national coat of arms in the center
small quantities of tobacco, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep raising
consumer goods, food
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes; 1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos; the French and Spanish currencies are used
none
Angola
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Congo (formerly Zaire)
1,246,700 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Congo (Rep. of) 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Congo (formerly Zaire) 2,511 km, Zambia 1,110 km
1,600 km
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Moro de Moco 2,620 m
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Congo (formerly Zaire)
10,342,899 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.)
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
transitional government nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system
Luanda
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco; sugar; textiles; cement; basic metal products
capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), food, vehicles and spare parts, textiles and clothing, medicines, substantial military deliveries
1 new kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei
Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malogo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo
Anguilla
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico
91 sq km
about half the size of Washington, DC
61 km
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Crocus Hill 65 m
salt, fish, lobster
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
10,424 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%
English (official)
dependent territory of the UK
The Valley
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to about 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Vinson Massif 5,140 m
none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are seasonally staffed research stations
none; offshore anchorage
Antigua and Barbuda
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
440 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
153 km
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas
Boggy Peak 402 m
negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
65,647 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
English (official), local dialects
parliamentary democracy
Saint John's
1 November 1981 (from UK)
red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Saint John's
Arctic Ocean
body of water mostly north of the Arctic Circle
14.056 million sq km
slightly more than 1.5 times the size of the US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean)
45,389 km
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow
central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge)
sea level 0 m
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)
ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia, floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)
Argentina
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay
2,766,890 sq km
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km
4,989 km
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border
Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium
Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding
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)
34,672,997 (July 1996 est.)
nominally Roman Catholic 90% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 6%
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
republic
Buenos Aires
9 July 1816 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products
1 nuevo peso argentino = 100 centavos
Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia
Armenia
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
29,800 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
0 km (landlocked)
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
high Armenian Plateau with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Aragats Lerr 4,095 m
small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
landlocked
3,463,574 (July 1996 est.)
Armenian Orthodox 94%
Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
republic
Yerevan
28 May 1918 (First Armenian Republic); 23 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and gold
much of industry is shut down; metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, washing machines, chemicals, trucks, watches, instruments, microelectronics
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; vineyards near Yerevan are famous for brandy and other liqueurs; minor livestock sector
grain, other foods, fuel, other energy
1 dram = 100 luma (introduced new currency in November 1993)
none
Aruba
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
193 sq km
slightly larger than Washington, DC
68.5 km
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Mount Jamanota 188 m
negligible; white sandy beaches
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
67,794 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Oranjestad
none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)
blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
aloes; livestock; fishing
food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and reexport
1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia
5 sq km
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
74.1 km
tropical
low with sand and coral
unnamed location 3 m
fish
surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are only seasonal caretakers
territory of Australia administered by the Australian Ministry for the Environment, Sport, and Territories
none; administered from Canberra, Australia
none (territory of Australia)
the flag of Australia is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Atlantic Ocean
body of water between Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and the Western Hemisphere
82.217 million sq km
slightly less than nine times the size of the US; second-largest of the world's four oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than Indian Ocean or Arctic Ocean)
111,866 km
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to November
surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin
sea level 0 m
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones
icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; icebergs from Antarctica occur in the extreme southern Atlantic Ocean; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May and extreme southern Atlantic from May to October; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September
major choke points include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)
Australia
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
7,686,850 sq km
slightly smaller than the US
25,760 km
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Mount Kosciusko 2,229 m
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts
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
18,260,863 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%
English, native languages
federal parliamentary state
Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 37 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 324 km, Switzerland 164 km
0 km (landlocked)
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Grossglockner 3,797 m
iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
NA
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
8,023,244 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 6%, other 9%
German
federal republic
Vienna
12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
food, iron and steel, machines, textiles, chemicals, electrical, paper and pulp, tourism, mining, motor vehicles
petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals
1 Austrian schilling (S) = 100 groschen
Linz, Vienna
Azerbaijan
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia
86,600 sq km
slightly larger than Maine
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
0 km (landlocked)
dry, semiarid steppe
large, flat Kur-Araz Lowland (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag (Karabakh) Upland in west; Baku lies on Abseron (Apsheron) Peninsula that juts into Caspian Sea
Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, alumina
droughts; some lowland areas threatened by rising levels of the Caspian Sea
landlocked
7,676,953 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
Azeri 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other 6% (1995 est.)
republic
Baku (Baki)
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band
petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
620 sq km
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
161 km
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
periodic droughts; dust storms
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
590,042 (July 1996 est.)
Shi'a Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim 25%
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
traditional monarchy
Manama
15 August 1971 (from UK)
red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
nonoil 59%, crude oil 41%
1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Baker Island
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
1.4 sq km
about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
4.8 km
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
unnamed location 8 m
guano (deposits worked until 1891)
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
uninhabited; note - American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins are located near the middle of the west coast
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Bangladesh
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
144,000 sq km
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
580 km
tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Reng Tlang 957 m
natural gas, arable land, timber
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season
123,062,800 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other
Bangla (official), English
republic
Dhaka
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
430 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
97 km
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Mount Hillaby 336 m
petroleum, fish, natural gas
hurricanes (especially June to October); periodic landslides
easternmost Caribbean island
257,030 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
English
parliamentary democracy
Bridgetown
30 November 1966 (from UK)
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Bridgetown
Bassas da India
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
0.2 sq km
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
35.2 km
tropical
a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high
unnamed location 3 m
none
maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
uninhabited
French possession administered by a Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
none; administered by France from Reunion
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Belarus
Eastern Europe, east of Poland
207,600 sq km
slightly smaller than Kansas
Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 605 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
0 km (landlocked)
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
generally flat and contains much marshland
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas
NA
landlocked
10,415,973 (July 1996 est.)
Eastern Orthodox 60%, other (including Roman Catholic and Muslim) 40% (early 1990's)
Byelorussian, Russian, other
republic
Minsk
25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union); the Belarussian Supreme Soviet issued a proclamation of independence; on 17 July 1990 Belarus issued a declaration of sovereignty
red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe of white on the hoist side bears in red the Belarusian national ornament
tractors, metal-cutting machine tools, off-highway dump trucks up to 110-metric-ton load capacity, wheel-type earth movers for construction and mining, eight-wheel-drive, high-flotation trucks with cargo capacity of 25 metric tons for use in tundra and roadless areas, equipment for animal husbandry and livestock feeding, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, linen fabric, wool fabric, radios, refrigerators, other consumer goods
grain, potatoes, vegetables; meat, milk
fuel, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles, sugar
Belarusian rubel (BR)
Mazyr
Belgium
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
30,510 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
22,960 sq km
slightly larger than Massachusetts
Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
386 km
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to February)
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Victoria Peak 1,160 m
arable land potential, timber, fish
frequent, devastating hurricanes (September to December) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
national capital moved 80 km inland from Belize City to Belmopan because of hurricanes; only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
219,296 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 30% (Anglican 12%, Methodist 6%, Mennonite 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% (1980)
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib)
parliamentary democracy
Belmopan
21 September 1981 (from UK)
blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
machinery and transportation equipment, food, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
1 Belizean dollar (Bz$) = 100 cents
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Benin
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
112,620 sq km
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
121 km
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Mount Tanekas 641 m
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter
no natural harbors
5,709,529 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
republic under multiparty democratic rule dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
Porto-Novo
1 August 1960 (from France)
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Bermuda
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)
50 sq km
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
103 km
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
low hills separated by fertile depressions
Town Hill 76 m
limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
hurricanes (June to November)
consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some reclaimed land leased by US Government
62,099 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 37%, Roman Catholic 14%, African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) 10%, Methodist 6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, other 28%
English
dependent territory of the UK
Hamilton
none (dependent territory of the UK)
red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and blue shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Khula Kangri I 7,553 m
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
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
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
1,822,625 (July 1996 est.)
Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Thimphu
8 August 1949 (from India)
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
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)
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru
7,165,257 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
republic
La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)
6 August 1825 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing
as of January 1996, Bosnian Serb leaders continued to demand revisions to the territorial aspects of the Dayton Agreement, especially in Sarajevo - designated to be under Federation control - and the Brcko/Posavina corridor area; members of the Bosnian Croat community also reject several territorial aspects of the agreement, citing that historically Bosnian Croat lands are to be transferred to Bosnian Serb control; despite disagreements, initial implementation of the agreement as of January 1996 appeared on course with the warring parties meeting the deadline for withdrawal of forces from the front lines in Sarajevo
2,656,240 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10%
Serbo-Croatian 99%
emerging democracy
Sarajevo
NA April 1992 (from Yugoslavia)
white with a large blue shield; the shield contains white fleurs-de-lis with a white diagonal band running from the upper hoist corner to the lower outer side
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining; much of capacity damaged or shut down (1995)
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock
NA
1 dinar = 100 para; Croatian dinar used in Croat-held area, presumably to be replaced by new Croatian kuna; old and new Serbian dinars used in Serb-held area; hard currencies probably supplanting local currencies in areas held by Bosnian Government
Bosanski Brod
Botswana
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
600,370 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
0 km (landlocked)
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest
Tsodilo Hill 1,489 m
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country
1,477,630 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
English (official), Setswana
parliamentary republic
Gaborone
30 September 1966 (from UK)
light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center
diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing
foodstuffs, vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products
1 pula (P) = 100 thebe
none
Bouvet Island
Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
58 sq km
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
29.6 km
antarctic
volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 meters; coast is mostly inaccessible
unnamed location 780 m
none
NA
covered by glacial ice
uninhabited
territory of Norway
none; administered from Oslo, Norway
none (territory of Norway)
the flag of Norway is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Brazil
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
8,511,965 sq km
slightly smaller than the US
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
7,491 km
mostly tropical, but temperate in south
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador
162,661,214 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic (nominal) 70%
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
federal republic
Brasilia
7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment
crude oil, capital goods, chemical products, foodstuffs, coal
1 real (R$) = 100 centavos
Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria
British Indian Ocean Territory
Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
60 sq km
about 0.5 times the size of Washington, DC
698 km
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
flat and low (up to four meters in elevation)
unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
coconuts, fish
NA
archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
no indigenous inhabitants
dependent territory of the UK
none
none (dependent territory of the UK)
white with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and six blue wavy horizontal stripes bearing a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Diego Garcia
British Virgin Islands
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
150 sq km
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
80 km
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
13,195 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
English (official)
dependent territory of the UK
Road Town
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Road Town
Brunei
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
5,770 sq km
slightly larger than Delaware
161 km
tropical; hot, humid, rainy
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
petroleum, natural gas, timber
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare
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
299,939 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Malay (official), English, Chinese
constitutional sultanate
Bandar Seri Begawan
1 January 1984 (from UK)
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo, pigs
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Bulgaria
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
110,910 sq km
slightly larger than Tennessee
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
354 km
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Musala 2,925 m
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
earthquakes, landslides
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
8,612,757 (July 1996 est.)
Bulgarian Orthodox 85%, Muslim 13%, Jewish 0.8%, Roman Catholic 0.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
emerging democracy
Sofia
22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
fuels, minerals, and raw materials 30.1%; machinery and equipment 23.6%; textiles and apparel 11.6%; agricultural products 10.8%; metals and ores 6.8%; chemicals 12.3%; other 4.8%
1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Burkina Faso
Western Africa, north of Ghana
274,200 sq km
slightly larger than Colorado
Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
0 km (landlocked)
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast
Tena Kourou 749 m
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver
recurring droughts
landlocked
10,623,323 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
French (official), tribal languages belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
parliamentary
Ouagadougou
5 August 1960 (from France)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
none
Burma
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
678,500 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
1,930 km
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)
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
45,975,625 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist beliefs 1%, other 2%
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
military regime
Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
4 January 1948 (from UK)
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; petroleum refining; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed
5,943,057 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 32%, Muslim 1%
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
republic
Bujumbura
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing
capital goods 31%, petroleum products 15%, foodstuffs, consumer goods
1 Burundi franc (FBu) = 100 centimes
Bujumbura
Cambodia
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand and Vietnam
181,040 sq km
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
443 km
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap
10,861,218 (July 1996 est.)
Theravada Buddhism 95%, other 5%
Khmer (official), French
multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993
Phnom Penh
9 November 1949 (from France)
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band
1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated within 161 km of the US/Canada border
28,820,671 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%, other 35% (1991)
English (official), French (official)
confederation with parliamentary democracy
Ottawa
1 July 1867 (from UK)
three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band
processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported
crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electronic computers; telecommunications equipment and parts
1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents
Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Montreal, New Westminister, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), Saint John's (Newfoundland), Seven Islands, Sydney, Three Rivers, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor
Cape Verde
Western Africa, group of Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
4,030 sq km
slightly larger than Rhode Island
965 km
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Pico 2,829 m
salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish
prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
449,066 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs
Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words
republic
Praia
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands
fish processing, salt mining, garments, ship repair, food and beverages
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment
1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
Cayman Islands
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras
260 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
160 km
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
The Bluff 43 m
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
hurricanes (July to November)
important location between Cuba and Central America
34,646 (July 1996 est.)
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations
English
dependent territory of the UK
George Town
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
foodstuffs, manufactured goods
1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents
Cayman Brac, George Town
Central African Republic
Central Africa, north of Congo (formerly Zaire)
622,980 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo (Rep. of) 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km, Congo (formerly Zaire) 1,577 km
0 km (landlocked)
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Mount Gaou 1,420 m
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
3,274,426 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
republic;
Bangui
13 August 1960 (from France)
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band
diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
6,976,845 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25%
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
republic
N'Djamena
11 August 1960 (from France)
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; textiles; note - excludes military equipment
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
none
Chile
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
756,950 sq km
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
6,435 km
temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
14,333,258 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish
Spanish
republic
Santiago
18 September 1810 (from Spain)
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets, potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; timber; 1991 fish catch of 6.6 million metric tons
capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7%
1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Antofagasta, Arica, Chanarol, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso
China
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
9,596,960 sq km
slightly larger than the US
Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, Hong Kong 30 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Macau 0.34 km, Mongolia 4,673 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
14,500 km
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts
world's third-largest country (after Russia and Canada)
1,210,004,956 (July 1996 est.)
Daoism (Taoism), Buddhism, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.)
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic divisions entry)
Communist state
Beijing
221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, consumer durables, food processing, autos, consumer electronics, telecommunications
rice, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, cotton, other fibers, oilseed; pork and other livestock products; fish
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
135 sq km
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
138.9 km
tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Murray Hill 361 m
phosphate
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
813 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991)
English
territory of Australia
The Settlement
none (territory of Australia)
the flag of Australia is used
phosphate extraction (near depletion)
NA
consumer goods
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Flying Fish Cove
Clipperton Island
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico
7 sq km
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
11.1 km
tropical, humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains May-October
coral atoll
Rocher Clipperton 21 m
none
subject to tornadoes
reef about 8 km in circumference
uninhabited
French possession administered by France from French Polynesia by the High Commissioner of the Republic
none; administered by France from French Polynesia
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka
14 sq km
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
2.6 km
pleasant, modified by the southeast trade wind for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
flat, low-lying coral atolls
unnamed location 5 m
fish
cyclones may occur in the early months of the year
two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
609 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.)
English
territory of Australia
West Island
none (territory of Australia)
the flag of Australia is used
copra products
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
foodstuffs
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
none; lagoon anchorage only
Colombia
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
1,138,910 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 2,900 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains
Nevado del Huila 5,750 m
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts
only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea
36,813,161 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%
Spanish
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
Bogota
20 July 1810 (from Spain)
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products
1 Colombian peso (Col$) = 100 centavos
Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo
Comoros
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
2,170 sq km
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
340 km
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Mount Kartala 2,360 m
negligible
cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
569,237 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
independent republic
Moroni
6 July 1975 (from France)
green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992
tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks
rice and other foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement, consumer goods
1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudu
Congo (Rep. of)
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
342,000 sq km
slightly smaller than Montana
Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Congo (formerly Zaire) 2,410 km
169 km
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Mount Berongou 903 m
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas
seasonal flooding
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them
2,527,841 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)
republic
Brazzaville
15 August 1960 (from France)
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Cook Islands
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
240 sq km
slightly more than one times the size of Washington, DC
120 km
tropical; moderated by trade winds
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Te Manga 652 m
negligible
typhoons (November to March)
19,561 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church)
English (official), Maori
self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Avarua
none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
less than 3 sq km
NA
3,095 km
tropical
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m
negligible
occasional, tropical cyclones
important nesting area for birds and turtles
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are three meteorologists
territory of Australia administered by the Ministry for Environment, Sport, and Territories
none; administered from Canberra, Australia
none (territory of Australia)
the flag of Australia is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Costa Rica
Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
51,100 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
1,290 km
tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains
Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
hydropower potential
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes
3,463,083 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%
Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
democratic republic
San Jose
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band
food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber (depletion of forest resources has resulted in declining timber output)
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos
Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Cote d'Ivoire
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
322,460 sq km
slightly larger than New Mexico
Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
515 km
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Mont Nimba 1,752 m
petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
14,762,445 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous 25%, Muslim 60%, Christian 12%
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
Yamoussoukro
7 August 1960 (from France)
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Croatia
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
56,538 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro 266 km (241 km with Serbia; 25 km with Montenego), Slovenia 546 km
5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coast, coastline, and islands
Dinara 1,830 m
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt
frequent and destructive earthquakes
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits
5,004,112 (July 1996 est.)
Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Slavic Muslim 1.2%, Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8%
Serbo-Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czechoslovak, and German)
parliamentary democracy
Zagreb
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)
chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages
machinery and transport equipment 23.1%, fuels and lubricants 8.8%, food and live animals 9.0%, chemicals 14.2%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 16.0%, raw materials 3.5%, beverages and tobacco 1.4% (1993)
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida
110,860 sq km
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
3,735 km
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Pico Turquino 2,005 m
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
largest country in Caribbean
10,951,334 (July 1996 est.)
nominally Roman Catholic 85% prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Spanish
Communist state
Havana
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white five-pointed star in the center
sugar, petroleum, food, tobacco, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes and other tubers, beans; livestock
petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals
1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Cienfuegos, La Habana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba
Cyprus
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
9,250 sq km (note - 3,355 sq km are in the Turkish area)
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
648 km
temperate, Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and other 4%
Greek, Turkish, English
republic
Nicosia
16 August 1960 (from UK)
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities
food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood products
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Snezka 1,602 m
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite
NA
landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe
10,321,120 (July 1996 est.)
atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Czech, Slovak
parliamentary democracy
Prague
1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, raw materials, agricultural products
1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Denmark
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany
43,070 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Massachusetts
3,379 km
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
low and flat to gently rolling plains
Ejer Bavnehoj 173 m
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone
flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes
controls Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in Copenhagen
5,249,632 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 91%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2%, other 7% (1988)
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect), German (small minority)
constitutional monarchy
Copenhagen
10th century first organized as a unified state; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other wood products, shipbuilding
grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets; meat, dairy products; fish
petroleum, machinery and equipment, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
22,000 sq km
slightly larger than Massachusetts
Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km
314 km
desert; torrid, dry
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Mousa Alli 2,028 m
geothermal areas
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; a vast wasteland
427,642 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
republic
Djibouti
27 June 1977 (from France)
two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center
limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Djibouti
Dominica
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
750 sq km
more than four times the size of Washington, DC
148 km
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
timber
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
82,926 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, unknown 1%, other 5%
English (official), French patois
parliamentary democracy
Roseau
3 November 1978 (from UK)
green with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white - the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts; forestry and fisheries potential not exploited
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Portsmouth, Roseau
Dominican Republic
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
48,730 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
1,288 km
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Pico Duarte 3,175 m
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
occasional hurricanes (July to October)
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
8,088,881 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%
Spanish
republic
Santo Domingo
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
a centered white cross that extends to the edges, divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
11,466,291 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%
Spanish (official), Indian languages (especially Quechua)
republic
Quito
24 May 1822 (from Spain)
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms
petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics
63,575,107 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
republic
Cairo
28 February 1922 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria that has two green stars and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; annual fish catch about 140,000 metric tons
machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods
1 Egyptian pound (úE) = 100 piasters
Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez
El Salvador
Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
21,040 sq km
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
307 km
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
5,828,987 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 75%
Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)
republic
San Salvador
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Bata, Luba, Malabo
Eritrea
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
121,320 sq km
slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Djibouti 113 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
1,151 km (land and island coastline is 2,234 km)
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except on coastal desert
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Soira 3,013 m
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish
frequent droughts
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993
3,427,883 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Italian, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor tribal languages
transitional government
Asmara (formerly Asmera)
27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)
red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
sorghum, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope); livestock (including goats); fish
processed goods, machinery, petroleum products
1 birr (Br) = 100 cents; at present, Ethiopian currency used
Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Estonia
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
45,100 sq km
slightly larger than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Latvia 267 km, Russia 290 km
1,393 km
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
marshy, lowlands
Suur Munamagi 318 m
shale oil, peat, phosphorite, amber
flooding occurs frequently in the spring
1,459,428 (July 1996 est.)
Lutheran, Orthodox Christian
Estonian (official), Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, other
republic
Tallinn
6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August 1992)
Haapsalu, Narva, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Ethiopia
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
1,127,127 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Djibouti 337 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 830 km, Somalia 1,626 km, Sudan 1,606 km
0 km (landlocked)
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
Ras Dashen Terara 4,620 m
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993
57,171,662 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 5%
Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
federal republic
Addis Ababa
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea may use the ports of Assab and Massawa
Europa Island
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique
28 sq km
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
22.2 km
tropical
NA
unnamed location 24 m
negligible
NA
wildlife sanctuary
uninhabited
French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic; resident in Reunion
none; administered by France from Reunion
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
12,170 sq km
slightly smaller than Connecticut
1,288 km
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Mount Usborne 705 m
fish, wildlife
strong winds persist throughout the year
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
2,374 (July 1996 est.)
primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
English
dependent territory of the UK
Stanley
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
wool and fish processing
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep farming, small dairy herds
food, clothing, timber, and machinery
1 Falkland pound (úF) = 100 pence
Stanley
Faroe Islands
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the north Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway
1,400 sq km
eight times the size of Washington, DC
764 km
mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Slaettaratindur 882 m
fish
NA
archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands
43,857 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark
Torshavn
none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
white with a red cross outlined in blue 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)
fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts
potatoes, vegetables; sheep; annual fish catch about 360,000 metric tons
machinery and transport equipment 24.4%, manufactures 24%, food and livestock 19%, fuels 12%, chemicals 6.5%
1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Klaksvick, Torshavn, Tvoroyri
Fiji
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
18,270 sq km
slightly smaller than New Jersey
1,129 km
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
782,381 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2%
English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
republic
Suva
10 October 1970 (from UK)
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
sugar, tourism, copra, gold, silver, clothing, lumber, small cottage industries
machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, consumer goods, chemicals
1 Fijian dollar (F$) = 100 cents
Labasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva
Finland
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
337,030 sq km
slightly smaller than Montana
Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
NA
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
5,105,230 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Greek Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
Finnish 93.5% (official), Swedish 6.3% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
republic
Helsinki
6 December 1917 (from Soviet Union)
white with a blue 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)
metal products, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; annual fish catch about 160,000 metric tons
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, fodder grains
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
547,030 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Colorado
Andorra 60 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
3,427 km (mainland 2,783 km, Corsica 644 km)
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Mont Blanc 4,807 m
coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash
flooding
largest West European nation; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
58,317,450 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim (North African workers) 1%, unaffiliated 6%
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
republic
Paris
486 (unified by Clovis)
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish catch of 850,000 metric tons ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically
crude oil, machinery and equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, iron and steel products
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
French Guiana
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
91,000 sq km
slightly smaller than Indiana
Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
378 km
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
French Polynesia
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
2,525 km
tropical, but moderate
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Mount Orohena 2,241 m
timber, fish, cobalt
occasional cyclonic storms in January
includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru
224,911 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
French (official), Tahitian (official)
overseas territory of France since 1946
Papeete
none (overseas territory of France)
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
7,781 sq km
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Delaware
1,232 km
antarctic
volcanic
Mont Ross on Kerguelen 1,850 m
fish, crayfish
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
remote location in the southern Indian Ocean
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there were 145 (1995) mostly researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)
overseas territory of France since 1955; governed by High Administrator Christian DORS (since 4 December 1991)
none; administered from Paris, France
none (overseas territory of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Gabon
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Congo (Rep. of) and Equatorial Guinea
267,670 sq km
slightly smaller than Colorado
Cameroon 298 km, Congo (Rep. of) 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
885 km
tropical; always hot, humid
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore
NA
1,172,798 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist
French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber; okoume (a tropical softwood); cattle; small fishing operations (provide a catch of about 20,000 metric tons)
foodstuffs, chemical products, petroleum products, construction materials, manufactures, machinery
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
11,300 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
80 km
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
unnamed location 53 m
fish
rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa
1,204,984 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Banjul
18 February 1965 (from UK; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishing resources not fully exploited
foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut
Banjul
Gaza Strip
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
360 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
40 km
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
NEGL
NA
there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1995 est.)
923,940 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers), English (widely understood)
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center
olives, citrus, other fruits, vegetables; beef, dairy products
food, consumer goods, construction materials
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Gaza
Georgia
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
69,700 sq km
slightly larger than South Carolina
Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
310 km
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhida Lowland opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland
Mt'a Mqinvartsveri (Gora Kazbek) 5,048 m
forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth
NA
5,219,810 (July 1996 est.)
Christian Orthodox 75% (Georgian Orthodox 65%, Russian Orthodox 10%), Muslim 11%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%
Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, other 7%
republic
T'bilisi
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below
steel, aircraft, machine tools, foundry equipment, electric locomotives, tower cranes, electric welding equipment, machinery for food preparation and meat packing, electric motors, process control equipment, trucks, tractors, textiles, shoes, chemicals, wood products, wine
citrus, grapes, tea, vegetables, potatoes; small livestock sector
fuel, grain and other foods, machinery and parts, transport equipment
lari introduced September 1995 replacing the coupon
Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi
Germany
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
356,910 sq km
slightly smaller than Montana
Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
2,389 km
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea
83,536,115 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 37%, unaffiliated or other 18%
German
federal republic
Berlin
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four power rights formally relinquished 15 March 1991
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow
dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
17,698,271 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
constitutional democracy
Accra
6 March 1957 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band
petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment
1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Takoradi, Tema
Gibraltar
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
6.5 sq km
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
12 km
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
NEGL
NA
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
28,765 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Muslim 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
dependent territory of the UK
Gibraltar
none (dependent territory of the UK)
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral waters, beer, canned fish
none
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
1 Gibraltar pound (úG) = 100 pence
Gibraltar
Glorioso Islands
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar
5 sq km
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
35.2 km
tropical
NA
unnamed location 12 m
guano, coconuts
periodic cyclones
uninhabited
French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
none; administered by France from Reunion
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Greece
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
131,940 sq km
slightly smaller than Alabama
Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km
13,676 km
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Mount Olympus 2,917 m
bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
severe earthquakes
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
10,538,594 (July 1996 est.)
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Greek (official), English, French
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
Athens
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
2,175,600 sq km
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
44,087 km
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast
58,203 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran
Eskimo dialects, Danish
part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division
Nuuk (Godthab)
none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division)
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
fish processing (mainly shrimp), lead, zinc, handicrafts, small shipyards
forage crops, small garden vegetables; sheep; 1988 fish catch of 133,500 metric tons
manufactured goods 28%, machinery and transport equipment 24%, food and live animals 12.4%, petroleum products 12%
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
340 sq km
twice the size of Washington, DC
121 km
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
volcanic in origin with central mountains
Mount Saint Catherine 840 m
timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
94,961 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic, Anglican, other Protestant sects
English (official), French patois
parliamentary democracy
Saint George's
7 February 1974 (from UK)
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side) with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction
Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
1,780 sq km
10 times the size of Washington, DC
306 km
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grand-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Soufriere 1,467 m
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano
407,768 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant sects 1%
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
overseas department of France
Basse-Terre
none (overseas department of France)
three horizontal bands, a narrow green band (top), a wide red band, and a narrow green band; the green bands are separated from the red band by two narrow white stripes; a five-pointed gold star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Guam
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
541.3 sq km
three times the size of Washington, DC
125.5 km
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water) with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south
Mount Lamlam 406 m
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
156,974 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
English, Chamorro, Japanese
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Agana
none (territory of the US)
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Apra Harbor
Guatemala
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico
108,890 sq km
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
400 km
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms
no natural harbors on west coast
11,277,614 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan
Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (23 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)
republic
Guatemala
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
245,860 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
320 km
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Mont Nimba 1,752 m
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
7,411,981 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
French (official), each tribe has its own language
republic
Conakry
2 October 1958 (from France)
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes
Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Guinea-Bissau
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
36,120 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
350 km
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum, fish, timber
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
1,151,330 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%
Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages
republic, formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991
Bissau
10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; fishing and forest potential not fully exploited
foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment
1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos
Bissau
Guyana
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
214,970 sq km
slightly smaller than Idaho
Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
459 km
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Mount Roraima 2,835 m
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
712,091 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
English, Amerindian dialects
republic
Georgetown
26 May 1966 (from UK)
green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green
sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; development potential exists for fishing and forestry
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents
Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika
Haiti
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
27,750 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
1,771 km
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
mostly rough and mountainous
Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
bauxite
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
6,731,539 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 80% (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
French (official) 10%, Creole
republic
Port-au-Prince
1 January 1804 (from France)
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
412 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
101.9 km
antarctic
Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Big Ben 2,745 m
none
Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
primarily used for research stations
uninhabited
territory of Australia administered by the Ministry for Environment, Sport, and Territories
none; administered from Canberra, Australia
none (territory of Australia)
the flag of Australia is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Holy See (Vatican City)
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
0.44 sq km
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
0 km (landlocked)
temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
low hill
unnamed location 75 m
none
NA
urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
840 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic
Italian, Latin, various other languages
monarchical-sacerdotal state
Vatican City
11 February 1929 (from Italy)
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
none
Honduras
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua
112,090 sq km
slightly larger than Tennessee
Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
820 km
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
5,605,193 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
Spanish, Indian dialects
republic
Tegucigalpa
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp;
machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Hong Kong
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
1,040 sq km
six times the size of Washington, DC
733 km
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Tai Mo Shan 958 m
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
occasional typhoons
more than 200 islands
6,305,413 (July 1996 est.)
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Chinese (Cantonese), English
dependent territory of the UK scheduled to revert to China on 1 July 1997
Victoria
none (dependent territory of the UK; the UK signed an agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the shield
foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is re-exported
1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Hong Kong
Howland Island
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
1.6 sq km
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
6.4 km
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
unnamed location 3 m
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
uninhabited; note - American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Hungary
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
93,030 sq km
slightly smaller than Indiana
Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
fuels and energy 11.0%, raw materials and semi-finished goods 36.9%, capital goods 23.3%, consumer goods 22.0%, food and agriculture 6.8% (1994)
1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Iceland
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
103,000 sq km
slightly smaller than Kentucky
4,988 km
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
earthquakes and volcanic activity
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
270,292 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)
Icelandic
republic
Reykjavik
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
blue with a red cross outlined in white 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)
fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power
potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
3,287,590 sq km
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
7,000 km
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone
droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; earthquakes
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes
952,107,694 (July 1996 est.)
Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4%
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official), Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani a popular variant of Hindu/Urdu, is spoken widely throughout northern India
federal republic
New Delhi
15 August 1947 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India among the world's top 10 fishing nations
crude oil and petroleum products, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
body of water between Africa, Antarctica, Asia, and Australia
73.6 million sq km
slightly less than eight times the size of the US; third-largest ocean (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean)
66,526 km
northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninety East Ridge
sea level 0 m
oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme south near Antarctica from May to October
major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
Calcutta (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Madras (India), Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richard's Bay (South Africa)
Indonesia
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
1,919,440 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km
54,716 km
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains
archipelago of 13,500 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean
206,611,600 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 87%, Protestant 6%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1985)
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects the most widely spoken of which is Javanese
republic
Jakarta
17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, food, rubber
manufactures 75.3%, raw materials 9.0%, foodstuffs 7.8%, fuels 7.7%
Indonesian rupiah (Rp)
Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Ujungpandang
Iran
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
1.648 million sq km
slightly larger than Alaska
Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
2,440 km
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes along the Western border
66,094,264 (July 1996 est.)
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 10%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 1%
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Baloch 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
theocratic republic
Tehran
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band
petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments
machinery, military supplies, metal works, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, technical services, refined oil products
10 Iranian rials (IR) = 1 toman; note - domestic figures are generally referred to in terms of the toman
Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar Beheshti, Bandar-e 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bandar-e Bushehr, Bandar-e Khomeyni, Bandar-e Mah Shahr, Bandar-e Torkeman, Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr
Iraq
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
437,072 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km
58 km
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows which melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Gundah Zhur 3,608 m
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
dust storms, sandstorms, floods
21,422,292 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
republic
Baghdad
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria that has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen that has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt that has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, other fruit, cotton; cattle, sheep
manufactures, food
1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Ireland
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
70,280 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
1,448 km
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin
3,566,833 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)
Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used
republic
Dublin
6 December 1921 (from UK)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; meat and dairy products
food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
1 Irish pound (úIr) = 100 pence
Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Israel
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
20,770 sq km
slightly larger than New Jersey
Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
273 km
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Har Meron 1,208 m
copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer
there are 202 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 26 in East Jerusalem (August 1995 est.)
5,421,995 (July 1996 est.)
Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2%
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
republic
Jerusalem
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism
citrus and other fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, oil, other productive inputs, consumer goods
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Italy
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
301,230 sq km
slightly larger than Arizona
Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 235 km, Switzerland 740 km
7,600 km
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Mont Blanc 4,807 m
mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal
regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
57,460,274 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Italian, German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
republic
Rome
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; meat and dairy products; fish catch of 525,000 metric tons in 1990
industrial machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, petroleum, metals, food, agricultural products
1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi
Ancona, Augusta, Bari, Cagliari (Sardinia), Catania, Gaeta, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Oristano (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily), Piombino, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Ravenna, Savona, Trieste, Venice
Jamaica
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
10,990 sq km
slightly smaller than Connecticut
1,022 km
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
bauxite, gypsum, limestone
hurricanes (especially July to November)
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal
2,595,275 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%, Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%, Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%, other, including some spiritual cults 39.1% (1982)
English, Creole
parliamentary democracy
Kingston
6 August 1962 (from UK)
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals
1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents
Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Longs Wharf, Rocky Point
Jan Mayen
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland
373 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
124.1 km
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Haakon VII Toppen (Beerenberg) 2,277 m
none
dominated by the volcano Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
no permanent inhabitants; note - there are personnel who man the Long Range Navigation (LORAN) C base and the weather and coastal services radio station
territory of Norway
none
none (territory of Norway)
the flag of Norway is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Japan
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
377,835 sq km
slightly smaller than California
29,751 km
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
mostly rugged and mountainous
Fujiyama 3,776 m
negligible mineral resources, fish
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis
strategic location in northeast Asia
125,449,703 (July 1996 est.)
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Japanese
constitutional monarchy
Tokyo
660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of steel and non-ferrous metallurgy, heavy electrical equipment, construction and mining equipment, motor vehicles and parts, electronic and telecommunication equipment, machine tools, automated production systems, locomotives and railroad rolling stock, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; world's largest fish catch of 10 million metric tons in 1991
manufactures 52%, fossil fuels 20%, foodstuffs and raw materials 28%
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands
4.5 sq km
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
8 km
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
unnamed location 23 m
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
uninhabited; note - Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
Jersey
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
117 sq km
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
70 km
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
unnamed location 143 m
agricultural land
NA
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
87,848 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
British crown dependency
Saint Helier
none (British crown dependency)
white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
1 Jersey pound (úJ) = 100 pence
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Johnston Atoll
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
2.8 sq km
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
10 km
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
mostly flat
Summit Peak 5 m
NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890
NA
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel (July 1996 est.)
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
none
the flag of the US is used
Johnston Island
Jordan
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
89,213 sq km
slightly smaller than Indiana
Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
26 km
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Jabal Ram 1,754 m
phosphates, potash, shale oil
NA
4,212,152 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
constitutional monarchy
Amman
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran
crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Al'Aqabah
Juan de Nova Island
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique
4.4 sq km
about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
24.1 km
tropical
NA
unnamed location 10 m
guano deposits and other fertilizers
periodic cyclones
wildlife sanctuary
uninhabited
French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
none; administered by France from Reunion
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Kazakstan
Central Asia, northwest of China
2,717,300 sq km
slightly less than four times the size of Texas
China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846 km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
0 km (landlocked)
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia
Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m
major deposits of petroleum, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
NA
landlocked
16,916,463 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Kazak (Qazaqz) official language spoken by over 40% of population, Russian (language of interethnic communication) spoken by two-thirds of population and used in everyday business
republic
Almaty
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in yellow
oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel, nonferrous metal, tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors, construction materials; much of industrial capacity is shut down and/or is in need of repair
grain, mostly spring wheat, cotton; wool, meat
machinery and parts, industrial materials, oil and gas
national currency, the tenge, introduced on 15 November 1993
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
582,650 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
536 km
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Mount Kenya 5,199 m
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
NA
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
28,176,686 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant (including Anglican) 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, other 8%
English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
republic
Nairobi
12 December 1963 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center
machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989)
1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Kingman Reef
Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
1 sq km
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
3 km
tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
low and nearly level
unnamed location 1 m
none
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
uninhabited
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy; however, it is awash the majority of the time, so it is not usable and is uninhabited
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Kiribati
Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator and the International Date Line, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
717 sq km
four times the size of Washington, DC
1,143 km
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes
20 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Nauru
80,919 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 52.6%, Protestant (Congregational) 40.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baha'i, Church of God, Mormon 6% (1985)
English (official), Gilbertese
republic
Tarawa
12 July 1979 (from UK)
the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
fishing, handicrafts
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton
Korea, North
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
120,540 sq km
slightly smaller than Mississippi
China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
2,495 km
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated
23,904,124 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo
Korean
Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship
P'yongyang
9 September 1948
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; earthquakes in southwest
45,482,291 (July 1996 est.)
Christianity 48.6%, Buddhism 47.4%, Confucianism 3%, pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) 0.2%
Korean, English widely taught in high school
republic
Seoul
15 August 1948
white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
17,820 sq km
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
499 km
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
unnamed location 306 m
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April, they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
1,950,047 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
nominal constitutional monarchy
Kuwait
19 June 1961 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials, salt, construction
practically no crops; extensive fishing in territorial waters
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
China 858 km, Kazakstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
0 km (landlocked)
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m
abundant hydroelectric potential; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
NA
landlocked
4,529,648 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim NA%, Russian Orthodox NA%
Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian - official language
republic
Bishkek
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kirghiz yurt
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
64,100 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
Belarus 141 km, Estonia 267 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
531 km
maritime; wet, moderate winters
low plain
Gaizinkalns 312 m
minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite
NA
2,468,982 (July 1996 est.)
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
republic
Riga
6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
two horizontal bands of maroon (top and bottom), white (middle, narrower than other two bands)
buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; meat, milk, eggs; fish
fuels, cars, chemicals
1 lat = 100 cents; introduced NA March 1993
Daugavpils, Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Lebanon
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
10,400 sq km
about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut
Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
225 km
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Jabal al Makmal 3,087 m
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region
dust storms, sandstorms
Nahr al Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity
3,776,317 (July 1996 est.)
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Judaism NEGL%
Arabic (official), French (official), Armenian, English
republic
Beirut
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals, jewelry, some metal fabricating
consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
1 Lebanese pound (úL) = 100 piasters
Al Batrun, Al Mina, An Naqurah, Antilyas, Az Zahrani, Beirut, Jubayl, Juniyah, Shikka, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre
Lesotho
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
30,350 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
0 km (landlocked)
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Mount Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
periodic droughts
landlocked; surrounded by South Africa
1,970,781 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
modified constitutional monarchy
Maseru
4 October 1966 (from UK)
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
1 loti (L) = 100 lisente
none
Liberia
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
111,370 sq km
slightly larger than Tennessee
Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
579 km
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
2,109,789 (July 1996 est.)
traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%
English 20% (official), Niger-Congo language group about 20 local languages come from this group
republic
Monrovia
26 July 1847
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, iron ore, diamonds
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle floodplain in the southeast
Burgplatz 559 m
iron ore (no longer exploited)
NA
landlocked
415,870 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant and Jewish 3%
Luxembourgisch, German, French, English
constitutional monarchy
Luxembourg
1839
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
16 sq km
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
40 km
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
generally flat
Coloane Alto 174 m
NEGL
NA
essentially urban; one causeway and one bridge connect the two islands to the peninsula on mainland
496,837 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhist 45%, Roman Catholic 7%, Protestant 1%, none 45.8%, other 1.2% (1981)
Portuguese (official) 4%, Chinese (Cantonese) is the language of commerce
overseas territory of Portugal scheduled to revert to China in 1999
Macau
none (territory of Portugal; Portugal signed an agreement with China on 13 April 1987 to return Macau to China on 20 December 1999; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Macau's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition)
Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)
0 km (landlocked)
hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
fuels and lubricants 19%, manufactured goods 18%, machinery and transport equipment 15%, food and live animals 14%, chemicals 11.4%, raw materials 10%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 8.0%, beverages and tobacco 3.5% (1990)
the denar, which was adopted by the Macedonian legislature 26 April 1992, was initially issued in the form of a coupon pegged to the German mark; subsequently repegged to a basket of seven currencies
none
Madagascar
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
587,040 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
4,828 km
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Maromokotro 2,876 m
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish
periodic cyclones
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
13,670,507 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
French (official), Malagasy (official)
republic
Antananarivo
26 June 1960 (from France)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
329,750 sq km
slightly larger than New Mexico
Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Mount Kinabalu 4,100 m
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
flooding
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
19,962,893 (July 1996 est.)
constitutional monarchy
Kuala Lumpur
31 August 1957 (from UK)
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
machinery and equipment, chemicals, food, petroleum products
1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Lahad Datu, Labuan, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjong Berhala, Tanjong Kidurong, Tawau
Maldives
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
300 sq km
nearly twice the size of Washington, DC
644 km
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
flat
unnamed location on Wilingili 24 m
fish
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
270,758 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim
Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
republic
Male
26 July 1965 (from UK)
red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fishing
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari
Gan, Male
Mali
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
1.24 million sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
0 km (landlocked)
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts
landlocked
9,653,261 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
republic
Bamako
22 September 1960 (from France)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
minor local consumer goods production and food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Koulikoro
Malta
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
320 sq km
less than twice the size of Washington, DC
140 km
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Dingli Cliffs 245 m
limestone, salt
NA
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors
375,576 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 98%
Maltese (official), English (official)
parliamentary democracy
Valletta
21 September 1964 (from UK)
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red
food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods
1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents
Marsaxlokk, Valletta
Man, Isle of
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland
588 sq km
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
113 km
cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Snaefell 620 m
lead, iron ore
NA
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary
73,837 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends
English, Manx Gaelic
British crown dependency
Douglas
none (British crown dependency)
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
timber, fertilizers, fish
1 Manx pound (úM) = 100 pence
Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey
Marshall Islands
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
181.3 sq km
about the size of Washington, DC
370.4 km
wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
low coral limestone and sand islands
unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
occasional typhoons
two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
58,363 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (mostly Protestant)
English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Majuro
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, beverages and tobacco, fuels
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Majuro
Martinique
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
1,100 sq km
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
350 km
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)
399,151 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
French, Creole patois
overseas department of France
Fort-de-France
none (overseas department of France)
a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; cattle, sheep; fish products
foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso
Mauritius
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
1,860 sq km
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
177 km
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire 828 m
arable land, fish
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
1,140,256 (July 1996 est.)
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
parliamentary democracy
Port Louis
12 March 1968 (from UK)
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, wearing apparel, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique
375 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
185.2 km
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Benara 660 m
NEGL
cyclones during rainy season
part of Comoro Archipelago
100,838 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 99%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
territorial collectivity of France
Mamoutzou
none (territorial collectivity of France)
the flag of France is used
newly created lobster and shrimp industry
vanilla, ylang-ylang, coffee, copra
building materials, transportation equipment, rice, clothing, flour
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Dzaoudzi
Mexico
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US
1,972,550 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,326 km
9,330 km
varies from tropical to desert
high, rugged mountains, low coastal plains, high plateaus, and desert
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Gulf and Caribbean coasts
strategic location on southern border of US
95,772,462 (July 1996 est.)
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%
Spanish, various Mayan dialects
federal republic operating under a centralized government
Mexico
16 September 1810 (from Spain)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism
metal-working machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
702 sq km
four times the size of Washington, DC
6,112 km
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasional severe damage
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk
Totolom 791 m
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
typhoons (June to December)
four major island groups totaling 607 islands
125,377 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other and none 3%
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986
Kolonia (on the island of Pohnpei)
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen
Midway Islands
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo
5.2 sq km
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
15 km
tropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds
low, nearly level
unnamed location 4 m
fish, wildlife
NA
a coral atoll; closed to the public
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are 453 US military personnel (July 1995 est.)
unincorporated territory of the US formerly administered by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993 and is currently undergoing transfer of accountability and responsibility to the US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
republic
Chisinau
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
oil, gas, coal, steel, machinery, foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables
the leu (plural lei) was introduced in late 1993
none
Monaco
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy
1.9 sq km
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
4.1 km
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
hilly, rugged, rocky
Mont Agel 140 m
none
NA
second smallest independent state in world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban
31,719 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
constitutional monarchy
Monaco
1419 (rule by the House of Grimaldi)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red
none
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Monaco
Mongolia
Northern Asia, between China and Russia
1.565 million sq km
slightly larger than Alaska
China 4,673 km, Russia 3,441 km
0 km (landlocked)
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
vast semidesert and desert plains; mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in southeast
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
2,496,617 (July 1996 est.)
predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, Muslim 4%
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian, Chinese
republic
Ulaanbaatar
13 March 1921 (from China)
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red, centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)
copper, construction materials, mining (particularly coal); food and beverage, processing of animal products
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
1 tughrik (Tug) = 100 mongos
none
Montserrat
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
100 sq km
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
40 km
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Chances Peak 914 m
NEGL
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (there are seven active volcanoes on the island)
12,771 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
English
dependent territory of the UK
Plymouth
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Plymouth
Morocco
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
446,550 sq km
slightly larger than California
Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km
1,835 km
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains
Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar
29,779,156 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
constitutional monarchy
Rabat
2 March 1956 (from France)
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism
capital goods 24%, semiprocessed goods 22%, raw materials 16%, fuel and lubricants 16%, food and beverages 13%, consumer goods 9%
1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Agadir, Al Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla
Mozambique
Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
801,590 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of California
Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
2,470 km
tropical to subtropical
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
Monte Binga 2,436 m
coal, titanium, natural gas
severe droughts and floods occur in central and southern provinces; devastating cyclones
17,877,927 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
republic
Maputo
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book
Christian 80% to 90%, Lutheran 50% at least, other Christian denominations 30%, native religions 10% to 20%
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
republic
Windhoek
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section, and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders
millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish catch potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled
foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment
1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents
Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Nauru
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
21 sq km
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
30 km
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
phosphates
periodic droughts
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
10,273 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
republic
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, New Zealand-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Nauru
Navassa Island
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica
5.2 sq km
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
8 km
marine, tropical
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)
unnamed location on southwest side 77 m
guano
NA
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
uninhabited; note - transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Coast Guard
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Nepal
Southern Asia, between China and India
140,800 sq km
slightly larger than Arkansas
China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
0 km (landlocked)
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Mount Everest 8,848 m
quartz, water, timber, hydropower potential, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks
22,094,033 (July 1996 est.)
Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981)
Nepali (official), 20 other languages divided into numerous dialects
parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991
Kathmandu
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east of the Virgin Islands
960 sq km
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
364 km
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Mount Scenery 862 m
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
208,968 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Dutch (official), Papiamento a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Willemstad
none (part of the Dutch realm)
white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will be held in 1998)
three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
268,680 sq km
about the size of Colorado
15,134 km
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Mount Cook 3,764 m
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
about 80% of the population lives in cities
3,547,983 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)
English (official), Maori
parliamentary democracy
Wellington
26 September 1907 (from UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, meat, dairy products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, consumer goods
Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
129,494 sq km
slightly larger than New York State
Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
910 km
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Mogoton 2,438 m
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes
4,272,352 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Spanish (official)
republic
Managua
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products
1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Niger
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
1.267 million sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
0 km (landlocked)
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Mont Greboun 1,944 m
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates
recurring droughts
landlocked
9,113,001 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
republic
Niamey
3 August 1960 (from France)
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining
consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
none
Nigeria
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
923,770 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of California
Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km
853 km
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, natural gas
periodic droughts
103,912,489 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani
military government; Nigeria has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31 December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government announced it will turn power over to democratically elected civilian authorities in October 1998
Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe; note - some new administrative units may have been created
1 October 1960 (from UK)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and animals
1 naira (N) = 100 kobo
Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri
Niue
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
260 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
64 km
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
fish, arable land
typhoons
one of world's largest coral islands
2,174 (July 1996 est.)
Ekalesia Nieue (Niuean Church) 75% - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society, Morman 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
Alofi
19 October 1974 (became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand on 19 October 1974)
yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross
food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
none; offshore anchorage only
Norfolk Island
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
34.6 sq km
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
32 km
subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Mount Bates 319 m
fish
typhoons (especially May to July)
2,209 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 39%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 16.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.4%, none 9.2%, unknown 16.9%, other 2.4% (1986)
English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
territory of Australia
Kingston (administrative center); Burnt Pine (commercial center)
none (territory of Australia)
three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band
tourism
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
NA
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Northern Mariana Islands
Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
477 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
1,482 km
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
arable land, fish
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
52,284 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
English, Chamorro, Carolinian
commonwealth in political union with the US; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
Saipan
none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Saipan, Tinian
Norway
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
324,220 sq km
slightly larger than New Mexico
Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway and Turkey only NATO members having a land boundary with Russia
4,383,807 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Norwegian (official)
constitutional monarchy
Oslo
26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
red with a blue cross outlined in white 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)
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
oats, other grains; beef, milk; livestock output exceeds value of crops; among world's top 10 fishing nations; fish catch of 1.76 million metric tons in 1989
machinery and equipment and manufactured consumer goods 54%, chemicals and other industrial inputs 39%, foodstuffs 6%
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
212,460 sq km
slightly smaller than Kansas
Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
2,092 km
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
vast central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Jabal ash Sham 2,980 m
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
strategic location with small foothold on Musandam Peninsula controlling Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
2,186,548 (July 1996 est.)
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
monarchy
Muscat
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
three horizontal bands of white (top, double width), red, and green (double width) with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered at the top of the vertical band
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
body of water between Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
165.384 million sq km
about 18 times the size of the US; the largest ocean (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean); covers about one-third of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
135,663 km
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian land mass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and East Asia from May to December
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Marianas Trench, which is the world's deepest
sea level 0 m
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); southern shipping lanes subject to icebergs from Antarctica; occasional El Nino phenomenon occurs off the coast of Peru, when the trade winds slacken and the warm Equatorial Countercurrent moves south, killing the plankton that is the primary food source for anchovies; consequently, the anchovies move to better feeding grounds, causing resident marine birds to starve by the thousands because of the loss of their food source; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May and in extreme south from May to October; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
the major choke points are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Pakistan
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India and Iran
803,940 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of California
Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km
1,046 km
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west
K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
129,275,660 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
republic
North-West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh
14 August 1947 (from UK)
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp
includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain
16,952 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)
English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states)
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Koror
1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), some commercial fishing and agriculture
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
11.9 sq km
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
14.5 km
equatorial, hot, and very rainy
very low
unnamed location 2 m
none
NA
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall
uninhabited
incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
none; administered from Washington, DC
the flag of the US is used
West Lagoon
Panama
Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
78,200 sq km
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
2,490 km
tropical; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp
NA
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
2,655,094 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Spanish (official), English 14%
constitutional republic
Panama
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red, the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center
construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Southeastern Asia, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
461,690 sq km
slightly larger than California
5,152 km
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Rim of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
4,394,537 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant sects 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region
parliamentary democracy
Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain
16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; construction, tourism
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
1 kina (K) = 100 toea
Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul
Paracel Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
NA sq km
NA
518 km
tropical
NA
unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
none
typhoons
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered Chinese garrisons
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Paraguay
Central South America, northeast of Argentina
406,750 sq km
slightly smaller than California
Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
0 km (landlocked)
subtropical; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Cerro San Rafael 850 m
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
5,504,146 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant denominations
Spanish (official), Guarani
republic
Asuncion
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
meat packing, oilseed crushing, milling, brewing, textiles, other light consumer goods, cement, construction
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia
24,523,408 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
republic
Lima
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication
coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; poultry, red meats, dairy products, wool; fish catch of 6.9 million metric tons (1990)
machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
1 nuevo sol (S/.) = 100 centimos
Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
Philippines
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
300,000 sq km
slightly larger than Arizona
36,289 km
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunamis
74,480,848 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Pilipino (official, based on Tagalog), English (official)
republic
Manila
4 July 1946 (from US)
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star
rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually
raw materials 40%, capital goods 25%, petroleum products 10%
1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos
Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga
Pitcairn Islands
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Peru to New Zealand
47 sq km
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
51 km
tropical, hot, humid, modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
typhoons (especially November to March)
56 (July 1996 est.)
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%
English (official), Tahitian/English dialect
dependent territory of the UK
Adamstown
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
postage stamps, handicrafts
wide variety of fruits and vegetables
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Bounty Bay
Poland
Central Europe, east of Germany
312,683 sq km
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km
491 km
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Rysy 2,499 m
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt
NA
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
38,642,565 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
Polish
democratic state
Warsaw
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
potatoes, milk, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry and eggs; pork, beef
machinery and transport equipment 28.9%, intermediate goods 20.2%, chemicals 14.7%, fuels 10.4%, miscellaneous manufactures 9.9%
machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, petroleum, textiles
1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Puerto Rico
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
9,104 sq km
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
501 km
tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore oil
periodic droughts
important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
3,819,023 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%
Spanish, English
commonwealth associated with the US
San Juan
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the US flag
manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Romania
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
237,500 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km (all with Serbia), Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (south) 169 km
225 km
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Moldoveanu 2,544 m
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt
earthquakes most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
21,657,162 (July 1996 est.)
Romanian Orthodox 70%, Roman Catholic 6% (of which 3% are Uniate), Protestant 6%, unaffiliated 18%
Romanian, Hungarian, German
republic
Bucharest
1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flags of Andorra and Chad
mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, machine building, food processing, petroleum production and refining
fuels and minerals 26.8%, machinery and transport equipment 25.1%, textiles and footwear 12.3%, food and agricultural goods 9.3%, chemicals 7.9%, other 18.6% (1994)
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean
17,075,200 sq km
slightly more than 1.8 times the size of the US
Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km
37,653 km
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
Mount El'brus 5,633 m
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture
148,178,487 (July 1996 est.)
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Russian, other
federation
Moscow
24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits (because of its northern location does not grow citrus, cotton, tea, and other warm climate products); meat, milk
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, grain, sugar, semifinished metal products
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Congo (formerly Zaire)
landlocked; predominantly rural population
6,853,359 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25%
Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
republic; presidential system
Kigali
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green with a large black letter R centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea, which has a plain yellow band
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
textiles, foodstuffs, machines and equipment, capital goods, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
1 Rwandan franc (RF) = 100 centimes
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye
Saint Helena
Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa
410 sq km
nearly two times the size of Washington, DC
60 km
tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m
fish
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns
6,782 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
English
dependent territory of the UK
Jamestown
none (dependent territory of the UK)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
1 Saint Helenian pound (úS) = 100 pence
Georgetown, Jamestown
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
269 sq km
twice the size of Washington, DC
135 km
subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
NEGL
hurricanes (July to October)
41,369 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
English
constitutional monarchy
Basseterre
19 September 1983 (from UK)
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Castries, Vieux Fort
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)
242 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
120 km
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
mostly barren rock
Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
fish, deepwater ports
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
vegetation scanty
6,809 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 99%
French
territorial collectivity of France
Saint-Pierre
none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)
a yellow sailing ship rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs; fish catch of 20,500 metric tons (1989)
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Saint Pierre
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
340 sq km
twice the size of Washington, DC
84 km
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
volcanic, mountainous
Soufriere 1,234 m
NEGL
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
118,344 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
English, French patois
constitutional monarchy
Kingstown
27 October 1979 (from UK)
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Kingstown
San Marino
Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
60 sq km
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km (landlocked)
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers
rugged mountains
Monte Titano 749 m
building stone
NA
landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines
24,521 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic
Italian
republic
San Marino
301 AD (by tradition)
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)
1 Italian lire (Lit) = 100 centesimi; note - also mints its own coins
none
Sao Tome and Principe
Western Africa, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
960 sq km
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
209 km
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
volcanic, mountainous
Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
fish
NA
144,128 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist
Portuguese (official)
republic
Sao Tome
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos
Santo Antonio, Sao Tome
Saudi Arabia
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
1,960,582 sq km
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
2,640 km
harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
frequent sand and dust storms
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
19,409,058 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 100%
Arabic
monarchy
Riyadh
23 September 1932 (unification)
green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, two small steel-rolling mills, construction, fertilizer, plastics
machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, motor vehicles, textiles
1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalah
Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Al Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Senegal
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
196,190 sq km
slightly smaller than South Dakota
The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
531 km
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (December to April) has strong southeast winds; dry season (May to November) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
unnamed location in the Futa Jaldon foothills 581 m
fish, phosphates, iron ore
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal
9,092,749 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Dakar
20 August 1960 (from France; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining, construction materials
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish catch of 409,000 metric tons in 1992
foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina
slightly larger than Maine; Montenegro has a total area of 13,938 sq km and a land area of 13,724 sq km making it slightly larger than Connecticut
slightly larger than Kentucky
Albania 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro), Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km (312 km with Serbia, 215 km with Montenegro), Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km, Hungary 151 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km
199 km (Montenegro 199 km, Serbia 0 km)
in the north, continental climate (cold winter and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountain and hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands off the coast
prior to the breakup of the federation, Yugoslavia imported machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials including coking coal for the steel industry
1 Yugoslav New Dinar (YD) = 100 paras
Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat
Seychelles
Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
455 sq km
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
491 km
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Morne Seychellois 905 m
fish, copra, cinnamon trees
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands
77,575 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%
English (official), French (official), Creole
republic
Victoria
29 June 1976 (from UK)
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
tourism, processing of coconut and vanilla, fishing, coir (coconut fiber) rope factory, boat building, printing, furniture, beverage
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; expansion of tuna fishing under way
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
71,740 sq km
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
402 km
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms
4,793,121 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (the language of the re-settled ex-slave population of the Freetown area and is lingua franca)
constitutional democracy
Freetown
27 April 1961 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish catch was 65,000 metric tons in 1994
foodstuffs 38%, machinery and equipment 44%, fuels and lubricants 18% (1989)
1 leone (Le) = 100 cents
Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel
Singapore
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
632.6 sq km
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
193 km
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Bukit Timah 166 m
fish, deepwater ports
NA
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
3,396,924 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
republic within Commonwealth
Singapore
9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Gerlachovka 2,655 m
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt
NA
landlocked
5,374,362 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
Slovak (official), Hungarian
parliamentary democracy
Bratislava
1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, and nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Roman Catholic 96% (including 2% Uniate), Muslim 1%, other 3%
Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 7%, other 2%
emerging democracy
Ljubljana
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and around it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
412,902 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
parliamentary democracy
Honiara
7 July 1978 (from UK)
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuel
1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Somalia
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
637,660 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
3,025 km
principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Shimbiris 2,450 m
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
9,639,151 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
none
Mogadishu
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
1,219,912 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
2,798 km
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Njesuthi 3,408 m
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
prolonged droughts
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
41,743,459 (July 1996 est.)
Christian (most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks), Hindu (60% of Indians), Muslim 2%
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
republic
Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)
31 May 1910 (from UK)
two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side, embracing a black isoceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
4,066 sq km
slightly larger than Rhode Island
NA km
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Mount Paget 2,915 m
fish
the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia
no indigenous population; there is a small military garrison on South Georgia, and the British Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
dependent territory of the UK
none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
none (dependent territory of the UK)
the flag of the UK is used
Grytviken
Spain
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, and North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of France
504,750 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km
4,964 km
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism
grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish catch of 1.4 million metric tons is among top 20 nations
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
1 peseta (Pta) = 100 centimos
Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, La Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga, Melilla, Pasajes, Puerto de Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo
Spratly Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
NA sq km but less than 5 sq km
NA
926 km
tropical
flat
unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons
none
none
Sri Lanka
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
65,610 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
1,340 km
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay
occasional cyclones and tornadoes
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
18,553,074 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8%
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%
republic
Colombo
4 February 1948 (from UK)
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
textiles and textile materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, food, petroleum, building materials
1 Sri Lankan rupee (SLRe) = 100 cents
Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Sudan
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
2,505,810 sq km
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km, Congo (formerly Zaire) 628 km
853 km
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west
Kinyeti 3,187 m
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold
dust storms
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
31,547,543 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
transitional - previously ruling military junta; presidential and National Assembly elections held in March 1996; new constitution to be drafted by the National Assembly
Khartoum
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles
1 Sudanese pound (úSd) = 100 piastres
Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin
Suriname
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
163,270 sq km
slightly larger than Georgia
Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
386 km
tropical; moderated by trade winds
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m
timber, hydropower potential, fish, shrimp, bauxite, iron ore, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold
NA
mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna which for the most part is not threatened because of the lack of development; relatively small population most of which lives along the coast
436,418 (July 1996 est.)
Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
republic
Paramaribo
25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
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
bauxite mining, alumina and aluminum production, lumbering, food processing, fishing
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts; beef, chicken; forest products and shrimp of increasing importance
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods
1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen
Svalbard
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
62,049 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
3,587 km
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
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts
Newtontoppen 1,717 m
coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish
ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area
2,715 (July 1996 est.)
Russian, Norwegian
territory of Norway administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway
Longyearbyen
none (territory of Norway)
the flag of Norway is used
1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Swaziland
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
17,360 sq km
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
0 km (landlocked)
varies from tropical to near temperate
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Emlembe 1,862 m
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
NA
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
998,730 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Mbabane (administrative); Lobamba (legislative)
6 September 1968 (from UK)
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
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, chemicals
1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents
none
Sweden
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
449,964 sq km
slightly smaller than California
Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km
3,218 km
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Kebnekaise 2,111 m
zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas
8,900,954 (July 1996 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)
Swedish
constitutional monarchy
Stockholm
6 June 1523, Gustav VASA was elected king; 6 June 1809, a constitutional monarchy was established
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)
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials
1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Basel
Syria
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
185,180 sq km
slightly larger than North Dakota
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
193 km
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Mount Hermon 2,814 m
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum
dust storms, sandstorms
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1995 est.)
15,608,648 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely understood
republic under military regime since March 1963
Damascus
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, petroleum
machinery 25%, metal products 16%, transport equipment 15%, foodstuffs 12%, textiles 10%
1 Syrian pound (úS) = 100 piastres
Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Tajikistan
Central Asia, west of China
143,100 sq km
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
0 km (landlocked)
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Pamir and Altai Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m
significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten
NA
landlocked
5,916,373 (July 1996 est.)
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
republic
Dushanbe
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe
aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa
29,058,470 (July 1996 est.)
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages
republic
Dar es Salaam
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts
controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
58,851,357 (July 1996 est.)
Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)
Thai, English the secondary language of the elite, ethnic and regional dialects
constitutional monarchy
Bangkok
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red
tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
manufactures 80%, fuels 6.9%, raw materials 6.6%, foodstuffs 4.3%
1 baht (B) = 100 satang
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla
Togo
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Benin and Ghana
56,790 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
56 km
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Pic Baumann 986 m
phosphates, limestone, marble
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
4,570,530 (July 1996 est.)
indigenous beliefs 70%, Christian 20%, Muslim 10%
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Dagomba and Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye; the two major African languages in the north)
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Lome
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals
1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) = 100 cents
Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora
Tromelin Island
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
1 sq km
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
3.7 km
tropical
sandy
unnamed location 7 m
fish
NA
climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary
uninhabited
French possession administered by Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
none; administered by France from Reunion
none (possession of France)
the flag of France is used
none; offshore anchorage only
Tunisia
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
163,610 sq km
slightly larger than Georgia
Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
1,148 km
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
NA
strategic location in central Mediterranean
9,019,687 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
republic
Tunis
20 March 1956 (from France)
red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Turkey
Southwestern Asia (that part west of the Bosporus is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
780,580 sq km
slightly larger than Texas
Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 331 km, Syria 822 km
7,200 km
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
mostly mountains; narrow coastal plain; high central plateau (Anatolia)
Mount Ararat 5,166 m
antimony, coal, chromium, mercury, copper, borate, sulfur, iron ore
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas
62,484,478 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (Christian and Jews)
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic
republican parliamentary democracy
Ankara
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening
machinery 25%, fuels 17%, raw materials 11%, foodstuffs 5% (1994)
Turkish lira (TL)
Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Izmit, Mersin, Samsun, Trabzon
Turkmenistan
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakstan
488,100 sq km
slightly larger than California
Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
0 km
subtropical desert
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
Ayrybaba 3,139 m
petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt
NA
landlocked
4,149,283 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 87%, Eastern Orthodox 11%, unknown 2%
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
republic
Ashgabat
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
green field, including a vertical stripe on the hoist side, with a claret vertical stripe in between containing five white, black, and orange carpet guls (an asymmetrical design used in producing rugs) associated with five different tribes; a white crescent and five white stars in the upper left corner to the right of the carpet guls
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
fishing, tourism, offshore financial services
corn, beans; fish
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Tuvalu
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
26 sq km
0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
24 km
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
unnamed location 5 m
fish
severe tropical storms are rare
10,146 (July 1996 est.)
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Tuvaluan, English
democracy; began debating republic status in 1992
Funafuti
1 October 1978 (from UK)
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
fishing, tourism, copra
coconuts; fish
food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods
1 Tuvaluan dollar ($T) or 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Funafuti, Nukufetau
Uganda
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
236,040 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km, Congo (formerly Zaire) 765 km
0 km (landlocked)
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Margherita (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
copper, cobalt, limestone, salt
NA
landlocked
20,158,176 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%
English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages
republic
Kampala
9 October 1962 (from UK)
six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland and Russia
603,700 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km, Poland 428 km, Romania (southwest) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 90 km
2,782 km
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south
most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaux, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky
coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food-processing (especially sugar)
grain, sugar beets, vegetables; meat, milk
energy, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles
on 2 September 1996, Ukraine introduced the long-awaited hryvnia (plural hryvni) as its national currency, replacing the karbovanets (in circulation since 12 November 1992) at a rate of 100,000 karbovantsi to 1 hryvnia
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
75,581 sq km
slightly smaller than Maine
Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
1,318 km
desert; cooler in eastern mountains
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
petroleum, natural gas
frequent sand and dust storms
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
3,057,337 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE central government and other powers reserved to member emirates
Abu Dhabi
2 December 1971 (from UK)
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food
1 Emirian dirham (Dh) = 100 fils
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
United Kingdom
Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
244,820 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
12,429 km
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
58,489,975 (July 1996 est.)
Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
constitutional monarchy
London
1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)
blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others
production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
9,372,610 sq km
about one-half the size of Russia; about three-tenths 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
Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Cuba 29 km (US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay), Mexico 3,326 km
19,924 km
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida and arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
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
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the midwest; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska is a major impediment to development
world's fourth-largest country (after Russia, Canada, and China)
266,476,278 (July 1996 est.)
Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)
English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
federal republic; strong democratic tradition
Washington, DC
4 July 1776 (from England)
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
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Uruguay
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
176,220 sq km
slightly smaller than Washington State
Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
660 km
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Cerro Catedral 514 m
fertile soil, hydropower potential, minor minerals
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
3,238,952 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, nonprofessing or other 30%
Spanish, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
republic
Montevideo
25 August 1828 (from Brazil)
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
machinery and equipment, vehicles, chemicals, minerals, plastics
1 Uruguayan peso ($Ur) = 100 centesimos
Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este
Uzbekistan
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
447,400 sq km
slightly larger than California
Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
0 km
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya and Sirdaryo; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
NA
landlocked
23,418,381 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
republic
Tashkent (Toshkent)
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a crescent moon and 12 stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
grain, machinery and parts, consumer durables, other foods
introduced provisional som-coupons 10 November 1993 which circulated parallel to the Russian rubles; became the sole legal currency 31 January 1994; was replaced in July 1994 by the som currency
Termiz
Vanuatu
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
14,760 sq km
slightly larger than Connecticut
2,528 km
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Mount Tabwemasana 1,877 m
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
177,504 (July 1996 est.)
Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7%
English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
republic
Port-Vila
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish
machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Venezuela
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
912,050 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of California
Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
2,800 km
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
subject to floods, rockslides, mud slides; periodic droughts
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
21,983,188 (July 1996 est.)
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%
Spanish (official), native dialects spoken by about 200,000 Amerindians in the remote interior
republic
Caracas
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos
Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon
Vietnam
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, between China and Cambodia
329,560 sq km
slightly larger than New Mexico
Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km
3,444 km (excludes islands)
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March)
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas; poultry, pigs; fish catch of 943,100 metric tons (1989 est.)
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, steel products, fertilizer, raw cotton, grain
1 new dong (D) = 100 xu
Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hon Gai, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang
Virgin Islands
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
352 sq km
twice the size of Washington, DC
188 km
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Crown Mountain 474 m
sun, sand, sea, surf
rarely affected by hurricanes; frequent and severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
97,120 (July 1996 est.)
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
English (official), Spanish, Creole
organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Charlotte Amalie
white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix
Wake Island
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
6.5 sq km
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
19.3 km
tropical
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
unnamed location 6 m
none
occasional typhoons
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
no indigenous inhabitants; there are 302 US military and contract personnel (July 1995 est.)
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Army and Strategic Defense Command since 1 October 1994
none; administered from Washington, DC
none (territory of the US)
the flag of the US is used
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Wallis and Futuna
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
274 sq km
slightly larger than Washington, DC
129 km
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C
a white modified Maltese cross centered on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions
temperate, temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Tall Asur 1,022 m
NEGL
NA
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 202 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank and 26 in East Jerusalem (August 1995 est.)
1,427,741 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers), English (widely understood)
residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. GDP has been substantially supplemented by remittances of workers employed in Israel and Persian Gulf states. Such transfers from the Gulf dropped after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment, and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in Jordan and the Gulf states. The area's economic situation has worsened since Israel imposed stringent border restrictions in 1995 and 1996.
generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables; beef, dairy products
food, consumer goods, construction materials
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot; 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
none
Western Sahara
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
266,000 sq km
about the size of Colorado
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
1,110 km
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
unnamed location 463 m
phosphates, iron ore
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
222,631 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
legal status of territory and question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991
none
phosphate mining, handicrafts
fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by the nomads)
fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
1 Moroccan dirham (DH) = 100 centimes
Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, El Aaiun
Western Samoa
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
510.072 million sq km
land area about 15 times the size of the US
356,000 km
two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
the greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Mount Everest 8,848 m
the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address
large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
5,771,939,007 (July 1996 est.)
Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Samoan (Polynesian), English
constitutional monarchy under native chief
Apia
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the rapid development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
the whole gamut of crops, livestock, forest products, and fish
the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services
1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene
Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Yemen
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
527,970 sq km
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
1,906 km
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
sandstorms and dust storms in summer
controls Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
13,483,178 (July 1996 est.)
Muslim including Sha'fi (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Arabic
republic
Sanaa
22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement
textiles and other manufactured consumer goods, petroleum products, sugar, grain, flour, other foodstuffs, cement, machinery, chemicals
Yemeni rial (new currency)
Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, Mocha, Nishtun
Congo (formerly Zaire)
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
2,345,410 sq km
slightly more than one-fourth the size of US
Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Congo (Rep. of) 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
37 km
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
46,498,539 (July 1996 est.)
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
republic with a strong presidential system
Kinshasa
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds
Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
0 km (landlocked)
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Inyangani 2,592 m
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
landlocked
11,271,314 (July 1996 est.)
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
parliamentary democracy
Harare
18 April 1980 (from UK)
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
machinery and transportation equipment 41%, other manufactures 23%, chemicals 16%, fuels 12% (1991)
1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents
Binga, Kariba
Taiwan
Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
35,980 sq km
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
1,448 km
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Yu Shan 3,997 m
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
earthquakes and typhoons
21,465,881 (July 1996 est.)
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March 1989
Taipei
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
