The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2010 CIA World Factbook This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: The 2010 CIA World Factbook Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency Release date: April 11, 2011 [eBook #35830] Most recently updated: January 7, 2021 Language: English Credits: Produced by Al Haines *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2010 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK *** Produced by Al Haines THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2010 CONTENTS What's New? Did You Know? Guide to Country Profiles Countries and Locations Field Listings Rank Orders Appendixes Notes and Definitions History of the CIA Factbook Contributors and Copyright Information Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ====================================================================== THE WORLD FACTBOOK :: WHAT'S NEW January 31, 2011 What do the initials ESA stand for? Check out Appendix A: Abbreviations to find out. New space-based photos have been uploaded for Australia, China, Namibia, Mexico, and the US. January 25, 2011 What country enjoyed the lowest unemployment rate in 2010? Find out by checking "Unemployment rate" under the Country Comparison feature (in the References tab). The entire Economy category has been updated to reflect data for years 2010 and earlier. January 14, 2011 Did you know that the highest elevation in the Netherlands is not in Europe? Where is it? Find out by checking the "Elevation extremes" field in the Geography section. New space-based photos have been added for Iran and Russia. January 07, 2011 What country flag is only one color? To find out visit the Flags of the World page. December 30, 2010 What airport handles the most passengers annually? Find out by going to the World entry, Transportation category, "Airports" field, and locating the top ten airports by passengers and by cargo. December 23, 2010 If it's noon in Washington, DC, what time is it in Nairobi, Kenya? The answer may be found in the Government section, under "Capital," where the time difference is specified. New photos from Kenya have been uploaded. December 17, 2010 How many rare earth elements (REEs) are there? Find the answer in the "Definitions and Notes" (below the References tab). These critical elements, necessary in so many of today's high-tech industries, are now listed in the "Natural resources" field, under Geography, for countries that are producing REEs or initializing mining operations (including Australia, China, Russia, South Africa, and the US). December 10, 2010 Quick! What's the national anthem of Australia? Now you can find the name, lyricist, composer, and additional basic anthem info for every country in the world by visiting the new "National anthems" field in the Government section of the Factbook. November 30, 2010 Since 2004, The World Factbook Web site has been updated on a bi-weekly schedule. Culminating a three-month trial effort, we are pleased to announce that the Factbook will now be updated on a weekly basis. November 19, 2010 Significant updates entered under the People, Government, and Communications categories. November 11, 2010 In the Geography category, a new subfield, "volcanism," has been added under the "Natural hazards" field for countries with historically active volcanoes. The Economy section has been updated to reflect the most recent data for 2009 and earlier years. November 05, 2010 In the Economy category, the "Oil - exports," "Oil - imports," "Oil - proved reserves," and "Natural gas - proved reserves" fields have been updated with the most recent estimates available. October 29, 2010 In the People category, significant updates have been made to the "School life expectancy" and "Education expenditures" fields. In the Economy category, the "Stock of domestic credit" field has been updated to include data for 2009. In addition, the definition has been expanded to include credit provided by all financial institutions, not just banks, as had been The World Factbook practice until now. For some countries this change significantly broadens the coverage. October 22, 2010 The dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles has resulted in two new World Factbook entries: the autonomous entities of Curacao and Sint Maarten (the remaining three islands - Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius - have joined the Netherlands as special municipalities). The number of entities in The World Factbook now stands at 267. October 13, 2010 In the Economy category, the "Stock of money" and "Stock of quasi money" fields have been updated and renamed as "Stock of narrow money" and "Stock of broad money" in keeping with the International Monetary Fund's new presentation of monetary data. This new format provides greater standardization of reporting and permits more consistent comparisons across countries. Please see "Definitions and Notes" (under the References tab) for descriptions of the new fields. October 08, 2010 In the Communications category, the "Internet hosts" field has been updated with 2010 data; significant updates entered in the Geography, Government, and Military categories. October 01, 2010 In the Transportation category, the "Merchant marine" field has been updated with the latest available data; substantial updates also entered in fields of the Government and Economy categories. September 24, 2010 In the Economy category, new data have been added for 2009 in the fields for "Central bank discount rate" and "Commercial bank prime lending rate." September 17, 2010 In the Transportation category, the "Roadways" field has been updated with the latest available data; significant updates also entered in fields of the Government and Military categories. September 13, 2010 In the Government category, the amplification of flag descriptions - to include explanations of colors and symbols - has been completed for all of the country entries. September 03, 2010 In addition to various population, governmental, and military updates, new photos have been added for Burma, Canada, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. August 23, 2010 In the Communications category, the former "Radio broadcast stations" and "Television broadcast stations" entries have been replaced by a new "Broadcast media" field that provides information on the approximate number of public and private TV and radio stations in a country, as well as basic information on the availability of satellite and cable TV services. Malawi's recently unveiled new flag may be viewed either in the Flags of the World link or under the Malawi country entry. In the Economy category, GDP statistics have been updated and revised. August 06, 2010 In the Transportation category, the "Airports," "Airports - with paved runways," "Airports with unpaved runways," and "Heliports" fields have all been updated with the latest available data. July 29, 2010 The "International Court of Justice (ICJ)" entry listed under International Organizations and Groups in Appendix B has been expanded considerably and now includes countries adherent to jurisdiction. Several fields in the Economy category covering trade as well as oil and natural gas have been updated with the latest available annual data. July 23, 2010 Under the References tab, in the Definitions and Notes, the entry for "Legal system" has been significantly expanded; it now includes descriptions, origins, and features of the most common legal systems. July 01, 2010 Many fields in the Economy category have been updated with the latest available annual data, including "Labor force," "Unemployment rate," "Budget - revenues and expenditures," "Public debt," "Inflation rate," "Current account balance," "Exports," "Imports," "Reserves of foreign exchange," and "Direct foreign investment." June 18, 2010 The fields in the Economy category for "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi-money," "and "Market value of publicly traded shares" have been updated with the latest available data. June 04, 2010 Significant updates entered under the Government, Economy, and Military categories. The Country Comparisons function now also appears in the 'World' entry to allow users to quickly view how countries rank in 58 different Factbook fields. May 21, 2010 Dozens of new photos uploaded for Central and Eastern European countries, most notably Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Latvia, Poland, and Russia. May 07, 2010 Major updates made to fields in the People, Government, and Military categories. New photos appear under China, Romania, and Ukraine. April 23, 2010 The 'World' entry continues to accrue "top ten" rankings; recent additions in the Geography category include the world's ten highest mountains and largest islands. The Transportation category lists the top ten airports (both by passengers and cargo) and container ports, as well as the ten longest rivers. April 09, 2010 The ongoing expansion of flag descriptions - to also include explanations of colors and symbols - is now complete for over two-thirds of the Factbook entries. March 26, 2010 The fields in the Economy category have been updated with the latest available data. New photos introduced for the World, the Holy See (Vatican City), and the Philippines. March 05, 2010 In the Government category, a link to the World Leaders website under the "Executive branch: cabinet" entry allows users to find a listing of a country's major officials. February 19, 2010 Significant updates introduced in the Government, Communications, and Transportation categories. New photos appear under France and Germany. January 26, 2010 In the Economy category, information has been updated and now covers the year 2009. New photos added for Egypt and Italy. January 08, 2010 The introductory Background statements have been updated or revised for dozens of countries. New images introduced for Argentina, China, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Svalbard, and Turkey. December 04, 2009 In addition to various governmental and military updates, new photos have been introduced for Germany, Greenland, Italy, Malaysia, Maldives, and the United Kingdom. November 13, 2009 Recent elections and governmental changes recorded for Afghanistan, Aruba, Fiji, Germany, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Tunisia, and Uruguay. In the Economy category, some 20 macro-economic fields have been updated with the latest data. New NASA space photos added for the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as for Montserrat and the World; new ground photos added for Cambodia, France, and Luxembourg. October 30, 2009 In the Economy category, all the energy-related fields have been updated with the latest data; new photos added for Norway and Poland. October 14, 2009 In addition to regular informational updates, new photos have been added for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Russia, and Sweden. October 02, 2009 In the Transportation category, updates have been made to the "Airports" and "Heliports" fields; new photos added for Libya, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. September 17, 2009 NASA images taken from space have been introduced to enhance various country photo presentations. Significant numbers of high altitude photos appear under China, Egypt, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand, but can also be found scattered among other country entries. In the Economy category, statistics for "Distribution of family income - Gini index," "Public debt," and "Debt - external" now include two year's worth of data. September 03, 2009 In the Economy category, statistics for "Current Account Balance," "Exports," "Imports," "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold," "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home," and "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad" now include two year's worth of data; statistics for "Market value of publicly traded shares" now include three year's worth of data. New photos added for Austria, France, Monaco, Netherlands, and Netherlands Antilles. August 17, 2009 Various rail gauge line lengths have been updated for all countries in the Railways entry; selected economic and political entries also updated. July 31, 2009 In the Economy category, statistics for "Central bank discount rate," "Commercial bank prime lending rate," "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi money," and "Stock of domestic credit" now include two year's worth of data. July 20, 2009 Latest updates include changes to the chief of state or head of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Lithuania, and Panama. New photographs have been added for Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, and South Africa. July 01, 2009 With the launch of the new Web site, the former "Rank Order" function was renamed "Country Comparisons." The link to Country Comparisons may be found under the References tab. In addition, many of the regional reference maps now incorporate both elevation and vegetation on landmasses, and bathymetry for ocean areas. Statistics for "Unemployment rate" and "Inflation rate (consumer prices)" now include two year's worth of data. June 08, 2009 Completely redesigned website - presenting a cleaner look, improved navigation, and a host of added features - launched on the World Wide Web. Among the major enhancements are downloadable and printable photos for nearly 100 countries, a "Did You Know?" section explaining the impact of the Factbook around the world, and built-in world rankings for many of the Factbook information fields. Government sections reflect the results of recent parliamentary elections in Kuwait - where women were elected for the first time - and India, as well as presidential elections in Lithuania, Mongolia, Panama, and South Africa. April 27, 2009 Significant updates made to the People and Economy categories; statistics for "GDP - real growth rate" and "GDP - per capita" (at purchasing power parity) now include three year's worth of data, in 2008 dollars. The Urbanization entry under People expanded to include all countries. April 03, 2009 In addition to regular country updates, statistics for "GDP (purchasing power parity)" now include three year's worth of data, in 2008 dollars. March 20, 2009 Recent major leadership changes in Guinea-Bissau, Latvia, and Madagascar included in the Government sections of those countries. March 02, 2009 Latest US Census Bureau figures - updating basic demographic data for all countries - entered into the database. Entries on religions, languages, ethnic groups, and literacy also updated. February 06, 2009 Country information updated across all categories. Economic data now includes 2008 estimates where available. November 05, 2008 In order to provide more information on the nature and global dimensions of the current financial crisis, five additional fields appended to the Economy category: "Central bank discount rate," "Commercial bank prime lending rate," "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi money," and "Stock of domestic credit." August 06, 2008 In the People category, two new fields provide information on education in terms of opportunity and resources: "School Life Expectancy" and "Education expenditures." November 06, 2007 In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal." October 31, 2007 Three new fields added to the Economy category: "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad," "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home," "Market value of publicly traded shares." Ongoing Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, continues. Several regional maps have been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes. ====================================================================== About :: DID YOU KNOW? The World Factbook is one of the US Government's most accessed publications. The World Factbook, produced for US policymakers and coordinated throughout the US Intelligence Community, presents the basic realities about the world in which we live. We share these facts with the people of all nations in the belief that knowledge of the truth underpins the functioning of free societies. Who uses The World Factbook? A wide variety of folks including US Government officials, researchers, news organizations, corporations, geographers, teachers, professors, librarians, and students. In short, anyone looking for an expansive body of international data on a recently updated Web site. The World Factbook is a one-stop reference site. Although many of the facts presented in The Factbook may be found in various other publications, they are conveniently gathered together in one place only at The World Factbook Web site. The World Factbook is a unique reference in that it is updated continuously - on average, every week. Information in The Factbook is collected from - and coordinated with - a wide variety of US Government agencies, as well as from hundreds of published sources. ====================================================================== References :: Guide to Country Profiles These are the Categories, Fields, and subfields of information generally recorded for each country. Links are to the Definitions and Notes about each entry. Introduction :: Background: Geography :: Location: Geographic coordinates: Map references: Area: total land water Area - comparative: Land boundaries: total border countries Coastline: Maritime claims: territorial sea contiguous zone exclusive economic zone continental shelf exclusive fishing zone Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: lowest point highest point Natural resources: Land use: arable land permanent crops other Irrigated land: Total Renewable Water Resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total per capita Natural hazards: volcanism Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: party to signed, but not ratified Geography - note: People :: Population: Age structure: 0-14 years 15-64 years 65 years and over Median Age: total male female Population growth rate: Birth rate: Death rate: Net migration rate: Sex ratio: at birth under 15 years 15-64 years 65 years and over total population Infant mortality rate: total male female Life expectancy at birth: total population male female Total fertility rate: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS - deaths: Major infectious diseases: degree of risk food or waterborne diseases vectorborne diseases water contact diseases aerosolized dust or soil contact disease respiratory disease animal contact disease Nationality: noun adjective Ethnic groups: Religions: Languages: Literacy: definition total population male female School life expectancy (primary to tertiary): Education expenditures: People - note: Government :: Country name: conventional long form conventional short form local long form local short form former abbreviation Dependency status: Government type: Capital: name geographic coordinates time difference daylight saving time Administrative divisions: Dependent areas: Independence: National holiday: Constitution: Legal system: Suffrage: Executive branch: chief of state head of government cabinet elections election results Legislative branch: elections election results Judicial branch: Political parties and leaders: Political pressure groups and leaders: International organization participation: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission chancery telephone FAX consulate(s) general consulate(s) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission embassy mailing address telephone FAX consulate(s) general consulate(s) branch office(s) Flag description: Government - note: Economy :: Economy - overview: GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - composition by sector: agriculture industry services Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: agriculture industry services Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10% highest 10% Distribution of family income - Gini index: Investment (gross fixed): Budget: revenues expenditures Public debt: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of money: Stock of quasi money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Electricity - production: Electricity - consumption: Electricity - exports: Electricity - imports: Oil - production: Oil - consumption: Oil - exports: Oil - imports: Oil - proved reserves: Natural gas - production: Natural gas - consumption: Natural gas - exports: Natural gas - imports: Natural gas - proved reserves: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates: Communications :: Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Telephone system: general assessment domestic international Broadcast media: Internet country code: Internet hosts: Internet users: Communications - note: Transportation :: Airports: Airports - with paved runways: total over 3,047 m 2,438 to 3,047 m 1,524 to 2,437 m 914 to 1,530 m under 914 m Airports - with unpaved runways: total over 3,047 m 2,438 to 3,047 m 1,524 to 2,437 m 914 to 1,530 m under 914 m Heliports: Pipelines: Railways: total broad gauge standard gauge narrow gauge dual gauge Roadways: total paved unpaved Waterways: Merchant marine: total ships by type foreign-owned registered in other countries Ports and terminals: Transportation - note: Military :: Military branches: Military service age and obligation: Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49 females age 16-49 Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49 females age 16-49 Manpower reaching military age annually: males females Military expenditures - percent of GDP: Military - note: Transnational Issues :: Disputes - international: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees IDPs Trafficking in persons: current situation tier rating Illicit drugs: ====================================================================== The World Factbook (2010) - Country Listing [Transcriber's note: To search on a country in this file, prefix the country's name with "@", e.g. "@Afghanistan". "Afghanistan" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.] World A Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Arctic Ocean Argentina Armenia Aruba Ashmore and Cartier Islands Atlantic Ocean Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas, The Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic D Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia F Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands G Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary I Iceland India Indian Ocean Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy J Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Navassa Island Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway O Oman P Pacific Ocean Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paracel Islands Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Q Qatar R Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Barthelemy Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Southern Ocean Spain Spratly Islands Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria T Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands W Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe T Taiwan E European Union ====================================================================== Field Listings [Transcriber's note: To search on a field code in this file, prefix the code number with "@", e.g. "@2001". "2001" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.] Code Field Description 2001 GDP (purchasing power parity) 2002 Population growth rate 2003 GDP - real growth rate 2004 GDP - per capita (PPP) 2005 Affiliation 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2014 2015 Television broadcast stations 2016 2018 Sex ratio 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military service age and obligation 2025 Manpower fit for military service 2026 Manpower reaching militarily significant age 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures 2038 Electricity - production 2042 Electricity - consumption 2043 Electricity - imports 2044 Electricity - exports 2045 Electricity - production by source 2046 Population below poverty line 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share 2048 Labor force - by occupation 2049 Exports - commodities 2050 Exports - partners 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline 2061 Imports - partners 2062 2063 Constitution 2064 2065 2066 Death rate 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 2081 Flag description 2085 Roadways 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2093 Waterways 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries 2097 Land use 2098 Languages 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth 2103 Literacy 2105 Manpower available for military service 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and terminals 2121 Railways 2122 Religions 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2141 Group 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land 2147 Area 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2152 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2158 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production 2174 Oil - consumption 2175 Oil - imports 2176 Oil - exports 2177 Median age 2178 Oil - proved reserves 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves 2180 Natural gas - production 2181 Natural gas - consumption 2182 Natural gas - imports 2183 Natural gas - exports 2184 Internet hosts 2185 Investment (gross fixed) 2186 Public debt 2187 Current account balance 2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2189 Union name 2190 Political structure 2191 Member states 2192 Preliminary statement 2193 Major infectious diseases 2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons 2195 GDP (official exchange rate) 2196 Trafficking in persons 2198 Stock of direct foreign investment - at home 2199 Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad 2200 Market value of publicly traded shares 2201 Total renewable water resources 2202 Freshwater withdrawal 2203 Geographic overview 2204 Economy of the area administered by Turkish Cypriots 2205 School life expectancy (primary to tertiary 2206 Education expenditures 2207 Central bank discount rate 2208 Commercial bank prime lending rate 2209 Stock of money 2210 Stock of quasi money 2211 Stock of domestic credit 2212 Urbanization 2213 Broadcast media 2214 Stock of narrow money 2215 Stock of broad money ====================================================================== References :: Guide to Country Comparisons Country Comparison pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Country Comparison pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Country Comparison pages are available for the following 58 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories. Geography :: Area: total People :: Population: Population growth rate: Birth rate: Death rate: Net migration rate: Infant mortality rate: Life expectancy at birth: Total fertility rate: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS - deaths: Education expenditures: Economy :: GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Labor force: Unemployment rate: Distribution of family income - Gini Index: Investment (gross fixed): Public debt: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of money: Stock of quasi money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Industrial production growth rate: Electricity - production: Electricity - consumption: Oil - production: Oil - consumption: Oil - exports: Oil - imports: Oil - proved reserves: Natural gas - production: Natural gas - consumption: Natural gas - exports: Natural gas - imports: Natural gas - proved reserves: Current account balance: Exports: Imports: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Communications :: Telephones - main lines in use: Telephones - mobile cellular: Internet hosts: Internet users: Transportation :: Airports: Railways: total Roadways: total Waterways: Merchant marine: total Military :: Military expenditures - percent of GDP: Not all Country Comparisons include the same number of entries because information for a particular field is not available for all countries. In addition, not all data fields are suitable for displaying as Country Comparisons, such as those containing textual information. Textual information is more readily viewed by clicking on the Field Listing icon next to the Data field title. All of the Country Comparisons' pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files and can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases. To save a Country Comparisons page in a spreadsheet, first click on the 'Download Datafile' choice above the Country Comparisons page you selected; then, at the top of your browser window, click on 'File' and 'Save As'. After saving the file, open the spreadsheet, find the saved file, and 'Open' it. ====================================================================== Appendixes Appendix A - Abbreviations Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements Appendix D - Cross-Reference list of Country Data Codes Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names Appendix G - Weights and Measures ====================================================================== References :: Definitions and Notes A Abbreviations This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with their expansions. Acronyms An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms (ICC for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court). Administrative divisions This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Age structure This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest. Agriculture - products This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important. Airports This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Airports - with paved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft. Airports - with unpaved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. The type aircraft capable of operating from a runway of a given length is dependent upon a number of factors including elevation of the runway, runway gradient, average maximum daily temperature at the airport, engine types, flap settings, and take-off weight of the aircraft. Appendixes This section includes Factbook-related material by topic. Area This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Area - comparative This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres). B Background This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends. Birth rate This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population. Broadcast media This entry provides information on the approximate number of public and private TV and radio stations in a country, as well as basic information on the availability of satellite and cable TV services. Budget This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. C Capital This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones. Central bank discount rate This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds. Climate This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year. Coastline This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea. Commercial bank prime lending rate This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers. Communications This category deals with the means of exchanging information and includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet host entries. Communications - note This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere. Constitution This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) UTC is the international atomic time scale that serves as the basis of timekeeping for most of the world. The hours, minutes, and seconds expressed by UTC represent the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0 deg. longitude) located near Greenwich, England as reckoned from midnight. UTC is calculated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) in Sevres, France. The BIPM averages data collected from more than 200 atomic time and frequency standards located at about 50 laboratories worldwide. UTC is the basis for all civil time with the Earth divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC. UTC is also referred to as "Zulu time." See the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps. Country data codes See Data codes. Country map Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently. Country name This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note. Crude oil See entry for oil. Current account balance This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. D Data codes This information is presented in This information is presented in