Independence! ?

Happy Independence from European Merchants...

who ruled our country for more than a decade & stolen valuables & properties. Used tactic "Divide & Rule".

We suffered the injustice because of colour? lack of brain? or is it because we don't have unity?

We all take an oath to ourselves to be united from now onwards to the prosperity & integrity of Our motherland. We will not pull the legs of our fellow countrymen in progress. We will never take money & other advantages from foreigners to dilute poison to our land. We will bargain our right in every fields of life.

India is the second largest populated country in the world; why India dont' have a permanent place in UN?

India has the right to be progressive & attain development, then why we sign in the restrictions; is it to please the so called world rulers?

India has the right to protect its territories by the sophisticated modern weapons, develop new weapons, then why others ban our development. Do we have the right only to buy weapons from them.

Why India signed the 123 agreement? To restrict itself down in the pen tip of foreign president?

No other country in the world is giving special rights to minority people as India does. Then why we are against common civil code?

Why some minority priests thretens to throw out Democratically elected State Government with the open help from a foreign government & the Central Government still looking helplessly?

Questions remains...

Zimbabwe

Introduction

Zimbabwe

Background:

The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessful in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation to win a two-thirds majority in the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition, according to UN estimates. ZANU-PF announced in December 2006 that they would seek to extend MUGABE's term in office until 2010 when presidential and parliamentary elections would be "harmonized."

Geography

Zimbabwe

Location:	Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Geographic coordinates:	20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references:	Africa
Area:	total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative:	slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries:	total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline:	0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:	none (landlocked)
Climate:	tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain:	mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources:	coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use:	arable land: 8.24% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 91.43% (2005)
Irrigated land:	1,740 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:	recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues:	deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
Environment - international agreements:	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:	landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People

Zimbabwe

Population:	12,311,143 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 37.2% (male 2,308,731/female 2,266,027) 15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,663,108/female 3,641,519) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 198,867/female 232,891) (2007 est.)
Median age:	total: 20.1 years male: 19.9 years female: 20.2 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.595% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	27.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	21.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.854 male(s)/female total population: 1.005 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 51.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 39.5 years male: 40.62 years female: 38.35 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	24.6% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	1.8 million (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	170,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:	degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
Nationality:	noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups:	African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
Religions:	syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages:	English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 90.7% male: 94.2% female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government

Zimbabwe

Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
Government type:	parliamentary democracy
Capital:	name: Harare geographic coordinates: 17 50 S, 31 03 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:	8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence:	18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday:	Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution:	21 December 1979
Legal system:	mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%
Legislative branch:	bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (66 seats - 50 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 6 nominated by the president, 10 nominated by the Council of Chiefs) and a House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president) elections: Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010; House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4.4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, independents 1
Judicial branch:	Supreme Court; High Court
Political parties and leaders:	African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI, anti-Senate faction; Arthur MUTAMBARA, pro-Senate faction]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party [Daniel SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA
Political pressure groups and leaders:	Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Arnold TSUNGA]; National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE]
International organization participation:	ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796-488
Flag description:	seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people

Economy

Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:	The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of food products. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the government's arrears on past loans, which it began repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rose from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, and approached 1000% in 2006, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1 (revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 160 per US dollar in 2006.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$25.36 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$3.146 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	-4.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$2,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 17.7% industry: 22.9% services: 59.4% (2006 est.)
Labor force:	3.958 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 66% industry: 10% services: 24% (1996)
Unemployment rate:	80% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:	80% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 40.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:	56.8 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	976.4% official data; private sector estimates are much higher (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	16.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $1.411 billion expenditures: $1.924 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt:	108.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:	corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs
Industries:	mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:	-1.8% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:	9.412 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:	11 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:	0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:	2.25 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:	0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:	22,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:	0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:	23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:	0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:	-$264.6 million (2006 est.)
Exports:	$1.766 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:	cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports - partners:	South Africa 32.3%, China 6.3%, Zambia 6.2%, Japan 5.9%, US 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6%, Italy 4.4%, Germany 4% (2006)
Imports:	$2.055 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:	machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:	South Africa 46.1%, China 5.9%, Botswana 4.8%, Zambia 4.1% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$140 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:	$5.26 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:	$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)
Currency (code):	Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)
Currency code:	ZWD
Exchange rates:	Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 162.07 (2006), 77.965 (2005), 5.729 (2004), 0.824 (2003), 0.055 (2002) note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly
Fiscal year:	calendar year

Communications

Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use:	328,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	699,000 (2005)
Telephone system:	general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; 2 international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:	1.14 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:	16 (1997)
Televisions:	370,000 (1997)
Internet country code:	.zw
Internet hosts:	7,954 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	6 (2000)
Internet users:	1 million (2005)

Transportation

Zimbabwe

Airports:	403 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	total: 386 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 187 under 914 m: 194 (2006)
Pipelines:	refined products 261 km (2006)
Railways:	total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:	total: 97,440 km paved: 18,514 km unpaved: 78,926 km (2002)
Waterways:	on Lake Kariba (2005)
Ports and terminals:	Binga, Kariba

Military

Zimbabwe

Military branches:	Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)
Military service age and obligation:	18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 18-49: 2,778,404 females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 18-49: 1,304,424 females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	3.8% (2006)

Transnational Issues

Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:	Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:	refugees (country of origin): 6,536 (Democratic Republic of Congo) IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006)
Illicit drugs:	transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa

Taiwan

Introduction

Taiwan

Background:

In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography

Taiwan

Location:	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
Geographic coordinates:	23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references:	Southeast Asia
Area:	total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative:	slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	1,566.3 km
Maritime claims:	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:	tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain:	eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Natural resources:	small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use:	arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001)
Irrigated land:	NA
Natural hazards:	earthquakes and typhoons
Environment - current issues:	air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements:	party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Geography - note:	strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait

People

Taiwan

Population:	22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/female 1,954,709) 15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/female 8,141,268) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/female 1,189,492) (2007 est.)
Median age:	total: 35.5 years male: 35 years female: 36 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.304% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 77.56 years male: 74.65 years female: 80.74 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.12 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	NA
Nationality:	noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan
Ethnic groups:	Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions:	mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages:	Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA% female: NA% (2003)

Government

Taiwan

Country name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa
Government type:	multiparty democracy
Capital:	name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:	includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), I-lan (Yilan), Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu), Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t'ou (Nantou), P'eng-hu (Penghu), P'ing-tung (Pingtung), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan), T'ai-pei (Taipei) [county], T'ai-tung (Taitung), T'ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and Yun-lin (Yunlin) municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), T'ai-chung (Taichung), T'ai-nan (Tainan) special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaohsiung) [city], T'ai-pei (Taipei) [city]
National holiday:	Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Constitution:	25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947
Legal system:	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:	20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007) cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9%
Legislative branch:	unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats; 168 members elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve three-year terms) note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the now defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election in 2007; amendments also eliminated National Assembly thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4
Judicial branch:	Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Political parties and leaders:	Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [YU Shyi-kun]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP
Political pressure groups and leaders:	Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation:	APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:	none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US:	none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162
Flag description:	red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy

Taiwan

Economy - overview:	Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and, in 2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$680.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$346.4 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	4.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$29,500 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 1.5% industry: 25.2% services: 73.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force:	10.46 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 5.5% industry: 36% services: 58.5% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:	3.9% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:	0.9% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	1% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	18.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $67.33 billion expenditures: $77.93 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:	34.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:	rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Industries:	electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:	6.5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:	189.7 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:	175.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:	0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:	7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:	965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:	NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:	NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:	3 million bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:	1.1 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	10.7 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - imports:	9.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:	76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:	$9.7 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:	$215 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:	computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners:	China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.)
Imports:	$205.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:	machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners:	Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$280.6 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:	$93.06 billion (2006 est.)
Currency (code):	new Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Currency code:	TWD
Exchange rates:	new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002)
Fiscal year:	1 July - 30 June

Communications

Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:	13.615 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	22.17 million (2005)
Telephone system:	general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios:	16 million (1994)
Television broadcast stations:	29 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:	8.8 million (1998)
Internet country code:	.tw
Internet hosts:	4.32 million (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	8 (2000)
Internet users:	13.21 million (2005)

Transportation

Taiwan

Airports:	42 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Heliports:	3 (2006)
Pipelines:	condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006)
Railways:	total: 2,497 km narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified) note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry products and limited numbers of passengers (2005)
Roadways:	total: 37,299 km paved: 35,621 km (includes 789 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)
Merchant marine:	total: 112 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,798,992 GRT/4,652,921 DWT by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 22, chemical tanker 2, container 25, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3) registered in other countries: 463 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 6, Italy 10, Liberia 69, Malta 2, Panama 308, Singapore 59, UK 1, US 1, unknown 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:	Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Military

Taiwan

Military branches:	Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military service age and obligation:	19-35 years of age for military service; service obligation 16 months (to be shortened to 14 months as of July 2007 and to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles (2007)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 19-49: 5,883,828 females age 19-49: 5,680,773 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 19-49: 4,749,537 females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:	males age 18-49: 174,173 females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007)

Transnational Issues

Taiwan

Disputes - international:

involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Illicit drugs:

regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs

European Union

Introduction

European Union

Preliminary statement:

The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries.

Background:

Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort, undertaken in June 2007, calls for the creation of an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, which is to serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the Reform Treaty would amend existing treaties rather than replace them.

Geography

European Union

Location:	Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east
Map references:	Europe
Area:	total: 4,324,782 sq km
Area - comparative:	less than one-half the size of the US
Land boundaries:	total: 12,440.8 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km note: data for European Continent only
Coastline:	65,992.9 km
Maritime claims:	NA
Climate:	cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south
Terrain:	fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy
Natural resources:	iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish
Land use:	arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Irrigated land:	168,050 sq km (2003 est.)
Natural hazards:	flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic
Environment - current issues:	NA
Environment - international agreements:	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94 signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

People

European Union

Population:	490,426,060 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 15.72% (male 37,208,905/female 35,254,445) 15-64 years: 67.16% (male 155,807,769/female 153,690,235) 65 years and over: 17.11% (male 32,592,595/female 46,273,197) (2007 est.)
Median age:	NA
Population growth rate:	0.16% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	10 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	10 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: NA under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 78.7 years male: 75.6 years female: 82 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.5 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	NA
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Languages:	Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed

Government

European Union

Union name:	conventional long form: European Union abbreviation: EU
Political structure:	a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization
Capital:	name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium, the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg
Member states:	27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal, and France; candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey
Independence:	7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
National holiday:	Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community to achieve an organized Europe
Constitution:	based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form; this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, is to serve as a constitution and will be presented to the European Council in October 2007, in order to begin the ratification process
Legal system:	comparable to the legal systems of member states; first supranational law system
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004) cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas) elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: European Parliament approved the European Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines
Legislative branch:	two legislative bodies consists of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population; note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU) and the European Parliament (785 seats, as of 1 January 2007; seats allocated among member states by proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term) elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPP-ED 268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN 27, independents 28; note - seats by party as of 1 January 2007 - EPP-ED 277, PES 218, ALDE 106, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 23, ITS 20, independents 14
Judicial branch:	Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU institutions) - 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13 justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 27 justices appointed for a six-year term
Political parties and leaders:	Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group or ITS [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]
International organization participation:	European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), IDA, OAS (observer), UN (observer) European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10, NAM (observer), NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, WTO, ZC (observer) European Central Bank: BIS European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador C. Boyden GRAY embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720
Flag description:	on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed

Economy

European Union

Economy - overview:	Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosities, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 10 and two countries, respectively, that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the other 15. Twelve established EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999, but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia has adopted the euro (1 January 2007); the remaining 11 are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$13.06 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$13.73 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	3.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$29,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 2.1% industry: 27.3% services: 70.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force:	222.7 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 4.3% industry: 27.2% services: 67.1% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:	8.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:	see individual country listings
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:	31.3 (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	1.8% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	20.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:	wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish
Industries:	among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:	2.6% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:	2.997 trillion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - consumption:	2.822 trillion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - exports:	NA
Electricity - imports:	NA
Oil - production:	3.115 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:	14.68 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - exports:	NA
Oil - imports:	NA
Oil - proved reserves:	7.417 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:	238.2 billion cu m (2004)
Natural gas - consumption:	506.9 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	78.89 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - imports:	347.7 billion cu m (2001)
Natural gas - proved reserves:	3.219 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:	$NA
Exports:	$1.33 trillion; note - external exports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005)
Exports - commodities:	machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.
Exports - partners:	US 23.3%, Switzerland 7.6%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.8% (2006)
Imports:	$1.466 trillion; note - external imports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005)
Imports - commodities:	machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:	US 13.8%, China 13.4%, Russia 8.2%, Japan 6.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$NA
Currency (code):	euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Cypriot pound, Czech koruna, Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint, Latvian lat, Lithuanian litas, Maltese lira, Polish zloty, Romanian leu, Slovak koruna, Swedish krona
Currency code:	EUR
Exchange rates:	euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year:	NA

Communications

European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:	238 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	466 million (2005)
Telephone system:	note - see individual country entries of member states
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Euroradio)
Television broadcast stations:	2,700 (1995); note - sum of individual country television broadcast stations excluding repeaters; there is also a European-wide station (Eurovision)
Internet country code:	.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states for individual country codes
Internet hosts:	50.5 million (2005); note - sum of individual country Internet hosts
Internet users:	247 million (2006)

Transportation

European Union

Airports:	3,393 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:	2,020 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	1,373 (2006)
Heliports:	100 (2006)
Railways:	total: 235,199 km broad gauge: 28,327 km standard gauge: 198,913 km narrow gauge: 7,936 km other: 23 km (2005)
Roadways:	total: 2,394,641 km (includes 61,522 km of expressways) paved: 1,809,821 km unpaved: 584,820 km (2005)
Waterways:	52,332 km (2006)
Ports and terminals:	Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Military

European Union

Military - note:

In November 2004, the EU heads of government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers possibilities for increased defense and security cooperation. If ratified, this treaty will give operational effect to the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a EU military planning unit is likely to continue. The planning unit will support the EU Rapid Reaction Force, which EU ministers have said will deploy 2 "battle groups" in January 2007. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The 5-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Individual EU nations made commitments to provide 67,100 troops following the December 1999 EU summit in Helsinki. Some 56,000 troops from EU member states were actually deployed on various international operations in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops. France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of 3 battle groups in 2005. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to include Estonia forces. The remaining 9 groups are to be formed in 2007. A rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007. (2005)

Transnational Issues

European Union

Disputes - international:

as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia and Latvia have no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 13 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or "acquis" (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), bringing the total current membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; the 12 new member states that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 eventually are expected to participate fully in Schengen, following a transition period to upgrade their border controls and procedures